A WOMAN'S HOBBIES.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1329, 5 January 1912, Page 9

A WOMAN'S HOBBIES.

"Sir," said he, "to be able to play like that you must have neglected your business ,y In that speech, Herbert Spencer voiced the sentiment of half a century ago. Then, it was thought that for anyone to put his whole heart and soul into a game of any description, was littlo less than wicked. Our grandfathers thought it was good'that their daughters should engage in a, quito same on the lines of croquet very occasionally, but to really exert themselves in any pastime was very bad form indeed. If any recreation called for spirited movement on the part of its followers, then it was immediately dubbed "unladylike," and it was left severely alone, for who among the girls of 50 years ago would have dared to incur the disapprobation, of her seniors for indulging in unladylike games? Today, however, tho word unladylike has an entirely different meaning. Everyone now admits that it is well that all girls should have some hobby or other to beguile their leisure moments. Nowadays, when women are forced to go out, and earn their own bread, they need a recreation in their sparo time, that will take their minds from the worries cf the desk, •a recreation that will better fit them for the duties of the. morrow. Who is there now to sny that tennis is unladylike? Where is the man to. bo found who will contend that rowing is not the exercise for ft woman? In this twentieth century it would bo difficult to discover the l'ndiridual who would oppose cycling for women, and in tho days to come it will bo hard to find anyone to oppose girls indulging in the wilder delights of hockey. I', is well for anyone, men and women alike, to have a hobby, provided always that it is ridden with discretion. When a hobby takes the bit between its teeth, and dashes awny with the rider, then it is no longer a hobby, but a task-master, and tho rider merely a slave.