THE SPORTSWOMAN'S ENFORCED LEISURE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 281, 20 August 1908, Page 5

THE SPORTSWOMAN'S ENFORCED LEISURE.

* The'following little reflections by a sportswomanwho writes in an English paper would eeom" to apply to other women' who go in I so strongly for : various 'pursuits' that they do not cultivate the art of-reading. i ','To all people who hunt and who try to ride'to hounds at all it is'probable that a fall will come sooner or later. I fully grant that hunting is a most fascinating sport, and that when once it has taken hold of us life ficeiris ;vefy blank without it. Hunting, to those;'who , try to ride.to hounds and to understand something about the scienc« of it—as not a few .women do nowadays—occupies the mind as' we'l as the body. Yet,l could not help thinking when, a few weeks . ago,' I joined ;the rband of cripples: who, feoling full of health and'vigour, yet must perforce lie on their backs and more as little as possible, what, » more melancholy fate than mine—and;this accident lost me several good runs arid a much looked-forward-to visit t6 a'hnntinjg friend—was that- of those'who have no: other resources. Ido not reforto one's work that,' of course,.one;does if it is possible, b,ut to the long hours. ' "What do those people do who will not read? I think Sir Robert'Walpolc was right when he said that reading was a habit formed in youth. It is certainly ono 'that people should acquire while they are young.' I i was once staying in a.houso with a woman who .was by no-means stupid. At dinner she, could take her' share in 'the' talk .of, a rather clever'circle, but she could'not read. There was a frost, and, she asked for something to read. I handed her a novel. 'It , was that most delightful . 'Alice-for-Short.' 'Oh, no,' she said, 'I want something with pictures; I can't read unless' there are pic- . tures.'" I' do not say that there are not plenty of clever and amusing people who never/read books'; we have'Lord'Beacorisfield's authority for saying that there are: But Tam thankful that when I am laid by, and not only thenj'l can strew my 'couch with books of • all sorts- and take pleasure in 'them all. -I may'have 1 to give up hunting some day, T know; I shall bo' sorry, but I shall not'bo' dull." v' : ■