The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-11-21

ploCO VI bNiuullHK b-DOHb play lu PUBIC
rooms with strangers, but confne yourself to
your clubs, or play with your friends.
We may notice. In conclusion. some of the
books that have been written on billiards. Mr..
Kentfed of Brighton better known as "Jona-
than,n has given us a sumptuous folio with
magnificent diagrams, which are for the most
part, useful ones. A still better book-the best,
in fact, for the learner, which has been written
on the game-is that of Mr.. Mardon a friend
and pupil of the great Jonathan, which contains
much excellent advice, aud a number of clever
and thoroughly practical diagrams. Captain
Crawley" has also written two books on the
game one a small manual published at half
crown, aud more pretentious work. called
"The Billiard Book, which, however, is
scarcely more valuable than the
book called practical Billiards" is eminently
impractical, and although that clever player,
Mr.. Dufton, has given his name to it, we cannot
believe he is responsible for all the nonsense it
contains. The last book out is a practical
manual by Mr.. John Roberts, the champion,
which, coming from so great master of the
cue is q valuable addition to the literature of
the game. 1t contains much sound practical
advice by the champion himself but 1t has been
badly edited by some one else, who has cram
med it with a great deal of foolish irrelevant
matter-stories cut from magazines, aud the
like, which are quite out of place IN practical
book.
The 'glories of cricket and OF football have
been sung in stirring strains, but billiards yet
awaits its sacred bard. Here, however, are some
verses descriptive of our experiences when play-
ing with a young lady. We have called them
"A Billiard Lesson
Twas pleasant on the winter nights
To see, beneath the shaded lights,
Her golden head bent low:
TO watch her snowy fingers make
tiny "bridge'-and count each ''break,"
or such gentle foe.
And though she said it was sin
To beat ner-I conld always win,
TO bear such pretty blame:
And still while winning strokes made,
1t seemed to me as II played
very losing game.
There's kudOS in the rafting strokes
You make amid fire cf jokes
From chafing fellow-men;
And yet when beauty turns away
And pouts at your more skilful play,
You've other feelings then.
No "hazsrd," that my cunning cue,
With all my greatest oare could do,
Or lucky "huke' might get,
Could ever equal that ran
In Ilaying-mserable man =
With such flirting pet.
.AndEthoug hi lost such heaps OF gloves
In betting with her-when one loves
Such losing bets are blest.
And since she teased me night and day,
Ionly get billiard-play
The chances of a rest"
The cannon" on the table green
Will to Canon come ween,
Who'll tie me to a wife,
And she, with hackers not q few,
will quietly put on the ''screw,"
And 'pocket" me for life!
We confess that we are enthusiasts of the
| game: there is no other game, in our eyes, can
compare with it. Now, we are happy to say,
that private table takes its place in every we'll
ordered mansion and the ladies of the family
are founu to be skilful wielders of the cue,
much of the stigma that once attached to it has
passed away. Other games and other pleasures
may justly find admirers
"Sunt quos curriculo pulverem:
COllegisse juvat;'
but be ours the pleasures of hotly contested
game, wellplayed pyramid or social poll
the charms of the shaded lamps, the we'll
balanced cue, the smooth green table, and the
ivory balls.
-Rat-killing is reported to be the flvorite
Sunday amusement of the citizens of Keokuk,
Iowa.
The Faculty of the East Alabama G pllege
propose to give free tuition to one student from
each county in that State.