Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1901-02-26
THE GOLF GIRL.
AN EPISODE ON THE LINKS SETTLES
A DEBATE ON THE INFLUENCE OF
THE GAME.

The old-fashioned woman and her up
to-date friend were lunching at Ardsley,
and, incidentally, we're, for the 999th
time, threshiug out the subject Of the
modern girl.
"You may talk as much as you please "
said the old-fashi0ned woman firmly,
"but you will never persuade me that
this athletic craze, 0ut-of-door sports,
equality with boys and all that sort OF
thing isn't robbing girls Of their feminine
charm. The change Is more marked
every day. I see it in every group OF
girls meet. OF course, there are girls
who are charming in spite of their train
ing, but rarely meet one who attracts
me. They are slangy and loud, or II
they don't use slang, at least they swag.
ger and lack grace and delicacy and re.
finement. Their manners are as freckl'
as their faces and their good breeding Is
as disheveled as their hair. No, my
dear, don't like them"
''But they aren't all like that, !" plead
ed the up-to-date woman who went IL
for out-of-door sports herself.
Didn't admit that? The exception:
prove the rule. Now you, for instance
are charming. Yet you play golf"
"There isn't anything demoralizing
about golf"
"There isn't! A freckled, blOwsy girl
with her face perspiring, her collar off
her sleeves rolled up, her hands dirty
and her nails full of sand and clay, bel
voice loud, her talk full of slang, and
her walk like plowman's! Ii that ISM
decentralization, where will you find 1t;
That's your average golf girl"
"You are horribly prejudiced." The
bruised worm was beginning to turn ano
lose its temper. "Just because you are
too delicate to play, you can't see any
thing in the game. suppose, since 4
golfer is snch painful sight, you don,
care to 20 around with Mrs. Smith ant
your depraved friend"
"l'd like it. Ienjoy the game and you
get all the evil Effects"
So peace was declared and the three
women started off. As they came up tC
the fourth tee they stopped to watch cir
who was just about to drive off. Tht
up-to-date woman's eyes cleaned with
triumph. "Look at that" she sale
loftily to the old-fashioned friend. "DiC
you ever see anything more exquisitely
feminine and dainty in your life?'
The girl was deliciously pretty, pini
and white, with warm touches Of SUN
mer brown. Her hair curled enchant-
ingly around her piquant face. Hel
white shirtwaist and her well-fitteG
skirt were on the best Of terms and me-
invsibly under trig leather belt. Hel
collar and tie were immaculate. Bel
sleeves were not rolled up, but were lift
ed just high enough by silver clasps tt
leave her wrists free. Altogether sht
was an apparition to reduce man to
drivelling idiocy, and woman to admir-
ing wonder and envy. II she opened
her lips, surely the pearls and rubies o.
the fairy story would fall from them.
The three women stopped to watch
her. Even the old-fashioned woman
beamed approval.
The girl swung her club in fine form
and brought it around with vim. Thu
ball rolled jerkily Is or 20 feet from tn
tee and lay there blinking viciously a
the sun. The pretty golfer slammed he
driver down on the turf and stared rue
fully at the ball. Then she gave vent Il
her feelings:
"Holy Saint Mike, what a bum swat!
The up-to-date woman sat dow
Imply on the grass and looked up at tn
friend whose case was proved, but TIT
old-fashioned woman was magnanimous
THAT wasn't decentralization sht
said in awe-struck tones, "that wa
positive genius"