"Just over twenty years ago," Miss Roberts informed an Evening Times representative, "I was born at North Carlton, a suburb of Melbourne. I was brought up without any idea of billiards. My father didn't play, nor any of those at home, and Charles Memmott, my uncle, lived right over at Brisbane, so I seldom heard or saw anything of him.
Then about six years ago Uncle Charlie quite unexpectedly came to live at Melbourne, and I saw more of him. There was no talk of billiards for more than a year though, until one day uncle had a letter from a lady asking him to teach her the game. It was then that the idea occurred to uncle to teach me, and after twelve months' tuition I was giving lessons myself.
I liked the game from the first, and I adore it now.
There is nothing so fine and exciting as billiards, especially if you can play well, as I hope to do one day.
After about eighteen months' play my average break had grown to be thirty, and then, I tell you, I did just think I was getting on! I played matches in private and gave lessons, and kept on improving until I got to the hundred break. My highest break was 168 off the red.
I had beaten all the Australian lady players worth meeting, when in September in last year Mr. John Roberts came to Melbourne. He heard of me, and asked to see me play, and though I was horribly nervous and made an awfully bad show—my highest break was only about thirty —he was good enough to say he liked my play, and invited me to finish his tour with him, and continue in London.
We went to Colombo and Penang, and all over the Malay States. I played twenty-five matches—with the best gentlemen amateurs in the districts to which we went— winning seventeen and losing eight. My play suffered a lot on tour in consequence of the tables being in such a dreadful condition. It will take me quite a time to regain my lost form."
Miss Eva Collins, of Southsea, has just won a billiard match of 500 up against Mr. Bert Brickwood. The match, which was on level terms, was played at the Central Conservative Club, Portsmouth, and the lady was successful by 50 points.
Miss Isabel Jay has just completed her last week in London in musical comedy. "It is to be a real retirement," Miss Jay (Mrs. Frank Curzon in private life) assuring an Evening News representative, who adds that Miss Jay is going to take up billiards. She has had a special table fixed up, and is taking lessons, and making fine progress with the cue." I shall soon be clever enough to challenge Gray, " she said. "I play left-handed, and that would perhaps bother him a bit."
It is always a pleasant time when the gentlemen join the ladies in the drawing room, and if there is a billiard room the ladies can return the compliment by joining the gentlemen there.
Public billiards by ladies in America is a more paying thing, apparently, than has hitherto been found to be the case in this country. The New York Morning Telegraph states that on the occasion of the pool contest between Mrs.
Bertha May King and "Babe" Clearwater, the 16-year-old Pittsburgh girl, fully 2,000 persons were unable to gain admittance.