Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-25
WOMEN WITH A HOBBY
Much Good to Be Derived From
Moderate Riding.
HoBBYHoRsIcAL EXTREMES
Objective Interests Expand q Wo-
mans Life Beyond Trifes.
MISTAKE TO GIVE UP MUSIC
World Has Made It's Progress
Through Attention to an Endless
Succession Of Hobbies.
MISTAKE TO GIVE UP MUSIC
Written for The Star.

there Is no more unhappy or undressing
creature than the woman who has no spe-
cial aim or object in life beyond the monot-
onous round of domestic or social occupa-
lions. Without the smallest intention of ir-
reverence. one can truthfully apply to her
the scriptural motto. 1.-The same yesterday.
today and forever" and If she happen to
be a member Of ones own intimate circle.
conclude with the deyout wish that she
were far otherwise.
On the other hand. 1t Is fact not to be
denied that women who have hobbies are
not infrequently great deal Of nuisance
to the good people who comprise their lit
tie world. What is called going to ex-
tremes'' Is. unfortunately. a characteristic
cally feminine trait. and the woman who
has q hobby is woefully apt to run it
into the ground" as the saying goes-to her
own ultimate undoing and the acute dis
comfort OF everybody around her. Instead
of possessing her hobby quietly and rea-
sonably she let's her hobby possess her.
And a hobby, like fire, makes an extremely
bad master, though 1t Is a most admirable
servant.
The sensible woman. however. manages
her hobby differently. Yes, sensible wom-
en- do have hobbies. and are the better for
having them: and often the world Is better
for It. too. There is Miss Helen Gould, for
instance. whose hobby is philanthropy. Of
the most comprehensive and far-reaching
kind. No one would dare to insinuate that
she is not eminently sensible woman. or
that she has not made her hobby produc-
| tive of infinite good. to herself no less
than to humanity, for 1t Is one Of the
blessings attaching to hobbies OF the altru-
istic order that they bring untold happi-
ness to their possessor.
Mrs. Russell Sage, who now enjoys the
distinction of being the richest woman in
America. If not in the world. has also made
philanthropy her hobby. although she has
never been able to do all or nearly all that
I,f,n I4r; IL xg,~ A.low fk~t1
But now. with at least eighty millions Of
dollars at her absolute disposal, she will be
in position to spend as much as she
pleases in the pursuit of her hobby-and the
spent foolishly.
Society Hobbies.
Almost every society woman Of any note
has hobby of her own. of one sort or an
other. With many it is the collection Of
costly jewels or laces. though among the
younger set motoring seems to have taken
precedence of all other fads. It is quite as
expensive as the jewel or lace hobby. and
the woman who once succumbs to Its al
lurements seems to have little leisure or
inclination for anything else.
Here and there, however, one encounters
the society belle who has found her hobby
in the pursuit Of one OF other Of the fine
arts. Mrs. Harry Payne Whitney, who was
Gertrude Vanderbilt before her marriage.
marked talent. At her husbands beautiful
summer place at Newport she has studio
built out a cliff overlooking the sea,
and there. when the mood for work seizes
her, she spends hours at a time alone with
her canvas and her inspiration.
Her sister-in-law. Mrs. Payne Whitney,
won recognition as a poetess while she was
still Helen Hay, the beautiful daughter of
a rarely gifted father. Now. as the happy
wife and devoted mother Of two little chill
dren. she writes verses that are exceeding
ly dainty and sweet.
Mrs Clarence Mackay, who, as charming
Kitty Duer, was one of the bellies of New
York-even as was her fair ancestress,
Lady Kitty Duer of colonial days-has
made name for herself in literature since
her marriage. Her novel. THE Stone Of
Destiny" made something of a sensation
two or three seasons ago. and she has
written tragedies that have been widely
criticised. Good government is another
hobby of hers. and not long since she as
tonished everybody in the vicinity of her
country home on Long Island by running
for Office on the village school board. She
was elected. too, and forthwith inaugurated
reforms that made the rest of that little
community sit up and take notice.
An Accomplished Horsewoman.
Mrs Theodore Roosevelt finds her hobby
in her home life. Naturally, as mistress of
the White House, her social obligations are
many and arduous, but nothing ever pre-
care to her children, or from being the
cheerful companion Of her husbands few
leisure hours. Both in Washington and
Oyster Bay the President goes for daily
ride on horseback. and 1t Is very rarely that
he is not accompanied by his charming
wife, who is an accomplished horsewoman.
For a woman who is much In the public
eye the domestic hobby is a very good one.
because it gives her just what she needs for
rounding out her womanly character and
the deepening of the finer qualities of mind
and heart. But for a woman whose whole
existence Is summed up In her duty to her
husband and children some interest outside
of the domestic circle is necessary for pur
poses of recreation.
The woman whose entire time and
thought and energy are given up to the de-
mands of the home will soon find herself
losing ground mentally. physically and
spiritually Life Is nothing better than
treadmill when one never steps outside of
its daily tasks and duties. If "all work and
no play makes Jack q dull boy" 1t Is
wholly disastrous to the intellect of the
wife and mother.
And 1t is disastrous to the health as well
as to the intellect 1t is the woman who
has permitted her work to get her into
rut who goes so terribly to pieces when
she does finally break down. as she must
tired Of this incessant work. work, work.
that I don't care much what happens!
you hear her exclaim now and then, and
SO you are not greatly surprised when, by
W
tors declare that they can do nothing
"She is worn out" they say, in that quiet
tone Of grim finality which they always
adopt when it is plainly OF no use to beat
about the bush.
Work Hard-Rest Sensibly.
And yet it is not work that wears one
out. AS a matter of fact the people who
work hard-and rest sensibly-almost in
variably outlive the idlers who spend their
lives in chasing pleasure and come sud-
denly to q stop to find themselves staring
into the face OF death. No. 1t Is not work
that kills. Sometimes 1t is worry: but
oftener It is nothing more or less than the
monotonous grind that life resolves itself
into when one must 60 endlessly over and
over the same duh routine OF work day in
and day out, year after year. Ambition
dies first, then hope, and after that it Is
simply question Of endurance
Even with home and family to look
after-and there IL no toll SO exacting or
so thankless as that OF housework-it IL
possible to avoid sinking to the level Of
drudge. But 1t demands system and plenty
of common sense. and the viii power to
keep oneself persistently ''up TO Time" No
woman can afford to ''let herself co. She
may make her home nest AZ dainty a. she