[Illustration: "MY SISTERS AND MYSELF" _A picture postcard sent to Mrs.
Lambert-Chambers by Miss May Sutton from her home in California_.]

It is an excellent plan for members of the committee to drop in at some
of the tournaments and see how things are done there. Developments may
have occurred of which they know nothing, and they could pick up many a
wrinkle by a tour of inspection. Before one secretary of a fairly large
tournament went to Wimbledon he had never seen a canvas background.




CHAPTER VI


SOME PERSONAL REMINISCENCES

I have been asked to write what I can remember of my earliest tennis
days. This is rather difficult, as it is now thirteen years since I
entered for my first tournament in 1896. It is never easy or pleasant to
write one's own biography, but I have been assured that readers will be
interested to hear something of my career in court.

I have said that 1896 was the first year I entered for a tournament,
which is quite true; but I always reckon that my tournament experience
did not really start until the year 1898, because in the two previous
years I only entered for one tournament (The Gipsy), and only in the
handicap at that, and I came out first round. In 1898 I played in three
tournaments, and in more events at each one.