The Washington times., 1901-06-30
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ponies wear boots to protect their feet
from the damp grass The riders wear
their hair parted in the middle, a grim
smile, a pair of duck trousers punt 10
resemble two mutton chops, and ridlnS
boots. 1t is not quite clear why they
should handicap themselves with this
costume. but as they all do it, there
is no unfairness. Some day team OF
Western men will turn up arrayed in
the ordinary leather cowpuncher over
alls and red shirts, and wipe up the
scenery with what they would term
those Yankee stiffS. and then, per-
haps a wave of dress reform Will
sweep away the ridiculously awkward
riding garb of the present day. There
are always a large number of grooms,
coachmen, and hangers-on about a
polo field, all of whom receive tips for
carrying their masters mangled re-
mains from the scene, or cartnS away
dead horses So what with the eXten-
sive tipping which goes on, to say
nothing of the tippling, and the keep
and care of so many men and animals,
together with the railway transporta-
ton, ii may readily be seen that polo
is a game for the man with the dough,
and not meant for Mr.. Markham sub
urban society leader.
The chief qualifications necessary
to become good player are: A sin
gularly ferocious and bloodthlrsty ma
ture, an unlimited income, and thick
skull. A ffrst-ciass surgeon is also in
dispensable. Besides the actual play
ing of the game, you must be a good
companion and be able to take in every
ball that comes your way, be il a
high one or dance. You must give
dinners after the match even If you
have to leave your spine or leg on
the dressing table. In fact, / knew a
man once who uined with his friends
at o'clock after breaking his arm in
a pole match that same afternoon.
1t will be seen from this that the time
devoted to each alleged sport is not long
enough for the subject to become weari-
some, and also that the author is not mild
in his funmakng. He cannot, however,
be accused of partiality. since all the
forms of sport of which he treats meet
with the same sort of roast-with-pepper-
sauce dealing. The book is calculated TO
make impecunious people feel satisfied
with the fact that they have not money
enough to do anything in the way of
amusement but sit on the front steps and
rest.
Most of the chapters are evidently not
intended to be taken too seriously, but
there ere one or two in which the author S
feelings seem to have gotten the better
of him. and he has applied his powers OF
rhetoric to the subject in a way which
deserves the attention of the Humane
Society, One of these is the discussion
of deer hunting, and the following para
graphs contain some plain truths pre-
sented in a telling style:
1T is strange how hunting seems to
make brutes out of the most tender
hearted. ! have seen a woman paddle
up TO q swimming doe. which had been
driven :nto the lake by the guides,
and deliberately hold. her rife within a
foot of its head and pull the trigger. /
have seen two men wait for stag at
a point where they knew it would land,
as it was being followed by their dogs
across a pond, and when it attempted
to climb the bark they cut it down
with axes
The only kind of deer-hunting that
can really be called sport is when the
hunters brain is pitted against the
animals instinct in the Western prai-
ries. Here the deer must be followed,
trailed, and circumvented. all in the
open, where you are lucky If you get
shot at two hundred yards. This is
the true sport; the killing OF deer in
the woods and lakes is mere butch
cry"
1t is refreshing to find. in an age which
prides itself on being strenuous and
appears to think that this means
going out and killing things whenever
opportunity offers, a writer as bright as
Mr. Stevenson who takes the opposite
view and ridicules the sportive butcher as
he deserves. There is just as much sport
and good deal more sense in hunting
with a naturalist as with a sportsman;
the former makes it his business TO know
the animal personally; the latter is only
interested in becoming acquainted with
him after death. philadelphia: The
Henry Altemus Company. Sl.OO)