Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1848-12-21
[From the Picaynne.l
The Ten-Pin Alley,

NeA'>5 ." III PiAt III
throughout the United States, is nearly
the same as the English game called sskit-
tIes,' which is played generally with nine
pins. In England it is considered rather
a vulgar game, as it commonly INDUCED
in by the lower classes. of society. Even
the prisoners used to have their "skittIe
grounds" and poor debtors were wont to
knock about the balls and bowl down the
pins, as if every one was a remorseless
creditor. Here playing at ten-pins is a
~favorite amusement, and, affording exer-
else. is induIged in by all classes of socie-
ty. To see the game played it would seem
as easy as winking to roll the balls down
the centre of the smoothly planed, level
alley, and knock over every pin of the
set; but there is more in it than meets the
eye. Take a peep into Caldwell's or
Murphy's, or Johnson's, of an evening,
and see the game played. Stretching out
before you, for fifty, sixty, or seventy feet
are rows of narrow planked alleys, raised
half foot from the ground, and about
four feet wide. Between the various al
leys, separated by what are called cutters,
is an inclined grooved way, for the pur-
pose of rolling down the balls from the
head of the alley to the bowler. At the
extreme end of the alley is a small, ragged
urchin. placed there for the purpose of
setting up the pins. About the foot of the
alley are a number of arm chairs, in which
the players or spectators are seated, with
coats off, sleeves rolled up, and othe rwise
prepared to ''go in and win." You will
find men of all professions, trades and
calIipgs, but it is very rare to hear any
betting-in fact, the rules of the alleys
expressly state that gambling is prohibi-
ted.
See that tall, spare looking man. with
google eyes and thin arms. He is about
to bowl. He tucks up his sleeves, selects
a ball with great care, dampens bis hand
on the sponge, and with an admonition to
the boy to ''look out!" away goes the
ball. Bang! it comes down on the alley,
and after rolling ~diagonally for a few feet,
slips off into the butter. The companions
of the thin man cry "A spare ball!' laugh
or praise him ironically, while the keeper
of the alley growls out "No lobbing!" to
which the thin man, coloring up, STAN.
mers out "SIipped!!" and prepares for the
second trial. He takes a second ball, and
hurls it at the inoffensiye pins in a spiteful
manner, but with very little success, for
by the time it reaches the head pin it
eccentricalIy darts off on one side. A
third ball follows the other two, and the
poor bowler is made miserable by the
of his companions; he vainly
endeavors to lay the blame upon 'sthe al
or 'the lights" a 'stiff shoulder" or
other cause which will not reflect
upon his skill. He is succeeded by a
second bowler, who with his three balls
succeeds in getting the entire lot-a pretty
roll. He is followed by a third-the
gentleman whose hair is very much
greased-the one who is so evidently got
up for effect. Poor fellow! he lost a rela-
tive by the Grape upon bis hat. Oh, no,
not he; that's the style. He addresses the
imp at the head of the alley with, why
don't yer set 'em upthere, Number Four?'
He takes his cigar from his mouth and
spits, replaces it, and takes a ball with a
c%arleess air. $50 ahead!" shouts the imp,
jumping out of the way of the balls upon
little shelf. "Why-r-r!!" goes the ball, and
C-r~-rash!"go all the pins in a heap. "Ten
yelps the boy, as he turns a
from his perch on to the allev.
The bowler takes another pull at his
and sits down again, having two
balls to roll. An active little man
next takes hold. He makes a prodigious
deal of preparation, and rushing half way
down to the pins, dispatches his ball,
slices some five feet further, and then
squatting down as if he was "making a
for leap-frog, watches the effect