rung--the frame
would not stand the tension. I do not think a racket should be lighter
than 13-1/2 oz., which is the normal weight for ladies. Myself, I prefer
and always play with a 14-oz., and hold that unless there is a weakness
of the wrist, or some personal reason why the player should knock off
the extra half-ounce, this weight is the best for ladies to use. I like
my racket slightly weighted in the head, but I think most players
prefer one evenly balanced. The latter may be recommended to a beginner.

The handle should be about five inches in circumference--at least, that
is what I use and recommend for a natural and easy grip. Of course the
circumference must vary a little according to the size of the player's
hand or length of her fingers, but I counsel all ladies to fight shy of
the handle that is abnormally large. I am quite sure it is a mistake; it
tends to tire and stiffen the hand. Endeavour to standardize your
requirements. Find out by careful trial what weight, what size of
handle, and what stringing suits your game best; and then you will find,
when you use a new racket for the first time, that the tool is familiar
and has a friendly influence over your strokes. What more embarrassing
experience than to play a match with a racket you cannot recognize?

You should always take a wet-weather racket with you when you go to
tournaments; it is, like a pair of steel-pointed shoes, a necessary item
in your tennis bag. In England, with such variable weather, it is
necessary to play in the rain, or at any rate on a wet ground, and with
sodden balls; and the very best gut in the world cannot stand rough
usage. It is a good plan, too, to take to tournaments at least two
rackets as much alike as possible. If anything goes wrong with one, you
will have a good substitute, one that is not strange to you.

Always take great care of your rackets. They are very susceptible both
to damp and excessive dry heat, and should always be kept in a press
when not in use. A warped frame is fatal. If you do not use a tennis
bag, your racket should be protected in a waterproof case. It is a good
plan, after use in the wet, to rub the surface of the strings with a
little beeswax or varnish. Most makers keep a special preservative in
stock.

And now for a few remarks on dress. There has been a great improvement
during the last few years in the costumes worn by those who take part in
tournaments held all over the country. First-class