The Osceola times., 1875-07-17
MR.. COLLINS CROQUET SET.
How his Hot Biscuit for Tea was
Lost for an Evening "A Fam
ilv Jar that was not I'M
like Very Manv 9th
er Family Jars.
Frnm the Danbnrv NeMs.

A'''A''''''y
Croquet, that eminontly fascina-
ting game, was introduced on the
promises Of the Collins's Friday
In the attcrnoon Podee's boy
brought up the et,1a,,d Just before
tea Mrs Collins arranged The wick
cts. Collins had learned to play
when visiting in Glovershiro, last
summer and Mrs. Collins acquired
an indifferent knowledge Of the
game from two elderly maiden Sis
ters in Paxton street. And so on
that delicious Friday afternoon
they took out their mallets and
balls and c, mmenccd the game.
"Now, EmelInc," playtully OBJ
served Mr.. Collins, don't you be-
gin cheating at the start. If you
do the game will be prostituted to
mere gambling, and We'll injure
our moral natures in trying to fill
up our physical
people who are so ready to
charge against others may need
close watching themselves, young
man. she said in the same spirit,
and | mean to keep Il sharp eye
on YOU
Then they both laughed.
But 1t will be a good thing for
you,' he said with a unge of ten
dcrness in his voice, you are kept
cooped pm the house SO ;hat you
hardly &c. Il breath Of fresh air.
This will give you exercise, and
keep you out of doors too
you are always thinking of me
said she, us her eyes grew moist.
Iou need the outdoor air as much
as / do, but You are too unseliish
to think of yourself.
And thus exchanging sentiments
that dad credit to both their hearts,
the game progressed.
After passing through the centre
wicket, Mr.. Collins used her ball
to help himself through the other
wicket to the upper stake. Then
he lett her near the first wicket
and struck for the stake, which,
being about eight inches distant,
made mm confident. The ball
missed by about the eighth oe an
inch.
Il Declare he exclaimed in vex-
alton.
Then she, having watched his
ra Did progress, now struck for HIM
and hit him, and minute later his
ball was spinning through the grass
TO the o,her end of the ground.
She was now in position for her
wicket, and passed through it and
the Others to the stake, but missed
it. Then he came up by well dI-
rectcd blow TO WITHIN two inches
Of the stake. But she went for him
again, and when sho got through
she was three wIckets beyond the
stake, and his bail was at the 9TH
er end OF the ground again, and
his brow was finely corrugated.
He stepped nervousIy toward it.
1t was quite evident that he was
not unrutiled. When his turn
came again he drove back to the
stake but struck Il wicket, and re-
bounded so close to her that she
easily hit him, and again intro
| duccd through wickets he was not
for, and then sent him flying again.
Her success caused her TO laugh
and he heard it.
you think you are pretty smart,
but I'll get even with YOU he
said, without smiling.
You'll have to play be,t2r than
you have DONE she pertinently
suggested.
i think | know as much about
croquet as you do,' he said, still
with a straight face. If you had
any fairness about you, you'd let
me have that st o ie over, when ]
was up TO the stake. You knew !
slipped as well as | did, he said
getting red in the face.
No | didn't know anything
about it, she replied, taking on &
little color.
q say you did
And | say | didn't. But if you
are going to play this game why
don you 60 ahead 2
I'Il play when get ready he
answered tuning white around the
mouth.
Ifyou amt going to play you'd
better 90 INTO the house and shut
up she suggested, raising hel
voice.
Don't talk to me that way he