Evening star., 1926-06-20

spectators.
At the Institute Massena. where
she went to school. they gave a
course in classic Greek dancing.
This was her first physical train
ing course and she there acquired
am agility which was very useful
10 her when she began to play
tennis. Tennis and dancing 20 hand
I'm hand Rarely do you find good
tennis player who is not good
dancer.
At 10 she was a very fine swimmer
and absolutely unafraid of the water.
She would go far out into the ocean,
often much too far for the Deace or
mind of her family. She liked rid
ing horses, but her favorite amuse-
ment was her little TunisianAlonkey
whom she called Bob.
Bob was a pretty little animal and
fun of mischief When the presence
Of a rider on his back annoyed him
he would gallop forward and then
stop short. and his luckless rider
would find himself or the ground
nursing his bruised spots. Thus
began a battle between Suzanne and
Bob. in which Suzanne for q long
time came off second best. Finally
she mastered the little beast, who
became tired of throwing her. per-
hans. and he was one of her con-
stant companions She seldom
played with little girls of her own
age.
When her cousins came 10 pass
their vacations with her one OF thelr
fayorite pastimes was to play AT
being Indians. j. Fenimore Cooper
was their inspiration. They deco
rated themselves with feathers ana
embarked in boats upon the river
which ran through my estate.
There they had sham battles an
which the mortality was absolutely
dreadful-but not as dreadful as the
noise. This Indian life necessltated
tree climbing and Suzanne could
climb higher and faster than any
boy. She was good at getting UP
into the tree, but not so GOOD At
coming down. Between pulling her
and her cousins up out OF the river
and down out OF the Trees H1H
my hands full.
At first her health was not too
rood hut the outdoor life that she
loved SO much did wonders for her
and gave her fine sporting tempefa-
ment. This was of great beneHt 10
her. when she embarked upon her ten
mis- career. o,o
She began to play tennis in 1870 at
the age of II years. Her progress
was so rapid that three months aileI
her debut she carried of the SECOND
prize in the ladies handicap singles az
the tournament Of Chantilly Thls
unexpected victory made US take up
seriously her tennis training. she
nracticed at the Nice Lawn Tennis
Cvub under my direction
World Champion az Fifteen.
In 1912. she won the regional cham
nionships of Picardy, in singles ana III
mixed doubles, and several minor
CHAMPIONSHIPS in the north Of france
In 1918, she won the Nice Lawn len
mis- Club championship. At that time
the Nice Club was frequented by some
of the best players in the world
In 1914, at the age of 10, she WOE
her first championship of the worid
on hard courts, at the Stade FrahcdA9
at st. Cloud
Her progress from 1912 to 1914 was
absolutely marvellous. one can see
this by the fact that in March, l'L-,
O. Simond, the famous Enghsn UNI
pire and Handicapped of Riviera
tournaments, gave her a handicap OF
plus 80 Sc, and in March, 1914, two
Years later, she was given a handl-
can in the corresponding tournament
of minus 80 The figures speak Tor
themselves and need no comment.
At the St Cloud tournament her
opponent was Nine. Golding, one or
the best French players of that time.
Nine. Golding, then Mile. Regmer, had
met my daughter once, socially. 1t
was during a visit to my house some
IS years before. Suzanne was about
six days old Little did Nine. Gold |
ing think as she surveyed the infant
that that little mite of humanity
would one day separate her from a
championship of the world.
That tournament was the last in
which Anthony Wilding, the great
Australian champion. ever played in
France lie died gloriously in the
war, great tennis player and a
brave soldier At Vile d'Avray, he
stopped in the same hotel as Suzanne,
who was unable TO find anything but
a small uncomfortable room.
When Wilding heard of this he alb
solutely insisted that Suz nne change
rooms with him. Suzanne protested
vehemently. but to ma avail In less
time than it takes to tell of 1t, he had
moved himself out of his room and
had moved Suzanne in. The good
Wilding has left behind him only
the souvenirs of his kindness and
bravery.
Next A Sketch of Mile. Lenglen's