Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1873-09-18
Croquet ut Grafton.


VILLAGE WITH \ SPECIALLY.
The romantic drive OF dozen mile.
over a charming road brought US, in a
little over two hours, to Grafton, the
prettiest of Vermont villages, nestled in
the great hills with innumerab blc brooks
around it. and the little Saxton's River
babbling through the midst ot it. When
We reached the piazza OF the hostelry
after dark our friends were awaiting US.
We dismountcd. Like Mr.. Maguu.,
we looked after the red bag, the strip
ed bag, the leathern hatbox and brown
paper parcel or their equivalents.
Then with a flourish we drew forth,
looking as unconscious as possible, our
croquet mallets. 'Croquct!' exclaimed
one Of our friends, the author OF the
'Brawnville Papers, in the tone in
which an April-iooer cries sold. when
his victim takes his bait. What could
1t mean. Every body else on the piazza
Joined IN general echo of croquet!
Then there was laugh, and we were in
the painful predicament OF a man at
whose eXpencc everybody else is having
fun, but who can not find out what there
i 30 ridiculous in his situation 1t
seems thar croquet is Crafton's specially
There is not a patch of bare ground in
the village on which set OF wickets
might be planted that does not contain
one. Every yard has its croquct ground
ii 1t has to abolish its potato patch.
They even play croquet under the caves
OF the church-under the very drop
pings OF the sanctuary. Old men tot er
out to play croquct, babies learn it next
to walking. One elderly gentleman in
his enthusiasm shOveled away the snow
last winter, and drove his cold arches
into frozen ground that he might have
the pleasure of handling his frosty mallet
and tight-croqueting his opponents S
chilly ball into snow-drift. Our Alder
manic landlord, who knows how to
keep hotel and who is Sheriff of the
county, can arrest an opponents ball
without a writ, and send it up into the
penitentary of the currant-bushes for a
long term. He generally acts as mas
ter Of ceremonies at funerals, and they
say thst he once advised the singers on
one Of these solemn occasions to take a
posish' on the stairs. have not been to
church yet, but fully expect the usher
to tell me to play for position up toward
the pulpit somewhere Everybody in
this town is infatuated about the game.
The trout streams are neglected. The
only question asked Oh the street is,
How did such game come outT l
walked out innocently to play my first
game, and, to my surprise, found half
the village leaning over the fence to see
how the stranger could play. Instead
of quiet game it was q public tOurna-
ment. 1t was only fOur.handed game,
| but it took three hours and half to fight
| it out. have seen several four-handed
games since that were contested with
the greatest excitement for more than
four hours, crowd of villagers watch
ing the play, and grave elderly men
leaving their business every now and
! then to learn how il was coming on.
These people play in the night with lam
terms. In the winter they shovel snow
IS said. When it rains they hold um.
| brellss over them. While Iwrite it is
raining, and yet l hear the cracking OF
crOquet balls. How or when these Will
ayers make living can not tell. One
merchant here deliberately closed his
store, the other day, while he PLAYED q
game lasting four hOnrs. The enthus.
iasn extends to neighboring towns.
Two champions drove up in buggy
since began this article, and defied the
lsraelites Of Grafton, whereupOn our
two best players-business men-in the
| village, took them in hand and whipped
them handsomely. In the adjoining