Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1904-05-18
BY CHRISTINE TERHUNE HERRICK,
Copyright, 1904, by Christine Terhune Herrick

Copyright, 1904, by Christine Terhune Herrick.)
The outdoor life, no less than the in
door life is bound to leave its mark on a
woman's face and bearing.
By this do not refer only to the effect
of wind and sun on the complexion or OF
fresh air on the general health. | mean
as we'll that the occupation to which
one most deyOtes oneself will in time
alter the expression of the cOuntenance.
Recognizing this, il behooves the woman
who takes up any outdoor sport to avoid
the snares connected with such a sport.
1t is not long since the papers were
full OF what was known as the bicycle
face" There was no necessity for de-
scribing it. We all knew it as soon as
we saw it. An eager, anxious look, a
straining forward look, sometimes an
expression almost of terror-it did not
make pleasant expression upon any
one who saw it. The bicycle face was
not the property of women alone, men
had it, too, but oddly enough, it was sell
dom seen on children. They, bless their
hearts. were too busy enjoying their
wheels TO have any powers to waste ON
worrying about anything.
That the bicycle face was not a neces-
sary accompaniment of wheeling was
proved by the fact that it was not uni
versal. More than that, it was usually
to be seen upon the unaccust0med and
timid rider. This was perhaps,
natural, but when the transient express
sion was permitted to become perma-
nent, it was either the result Of careless
ness or of lack of precaution of the eff
feet even passing mood may have on
the features, if the mood is repeated fire.
quently enough.
Perhaps it is matter of course that
when timid person learns to ride
wheel the lack of self confidence should
for the time being show in the face, but
this lack Of self confidence is not an
abiding thing. Unfortunately, however,
the look sometimes is. One can see that
in other than outdoor pursuits. Facial
tricks are easily acquired and even
when recognized are hard to shake off.
They are worse when their owner fails
to know they are in existence.
[ was amused one evening to observe
the expressions Of the faces OF several
persons who were sitting about room
engaged in various pursuits. At one
side OF the room an elderly man was
writing. All the while the pen moved
his lips moved also, repeating the
words he was writing, but tWitching
back and forth in measured fashion.
as if the thoughts of the brain had their
counterpart in the movements of the
lips.
Another member of the family read a
book in which she was deeply interested
and the play of the authors fancy was
melted by the motions of the readers
eyebrows. When there was something a
little unusual, or amusing, the brows
went up almost into the hair, when
there was pathOs or matter idignation
the brOWS were drawn together. It was
no wonder that the forehead was maze
of creases, longitudinal and vertical.
Next to the reader sat her sister crochet
ing. In and out went the needle and
every time the hook drew the wool
through loop the lips were pursed up.
While the mother of the girls, who sat
sewing snapped her eyes energetically
with every stitch she set.
Perhaps this may seem an exaggera-
ton, but let any one who questions the
possibility of such a set of expressions
in one household take the pains to give
little study to the facial tricks Of those
about her. Possibly the group I in
stanced may have had especially mobile
countanances, but there are plenty of
others. When we see this sort Of thing
provoked by ordinary indoor avocations.
is it any wonder that a more exciting
pursuit leaves its mark on the face?
While bicycling was one of the first
sports to receive the honour of having
an expression named after it, other
sports have followed in it's wake. I do
not refer now to the expressions gained
by athletes. The look of the football or
the baseball player, may, have a whole
range of expressions of it's own. And
there are other outdoor ways Of life that
leave their mark,-a mark that is not
We all know the gaze of
the sailor or Of the man accustomed to
looking off over wide spaces of prairie.
There is nothing unpleasant about
these. 1t is when the bicycle face
means set look Of anxiety or of peey-
ishness. when the fixing with the eve
of the hole to which the ball must be