The star. (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1874-1875, 1875-07-05
Mr.. Collins Croouet Set.

Croquet, that eminently fascinating
game, was introduced on the premises
Of the Collins, Friday. In the afternoon
Podge's boy brought up the set, and Just
before tea Mrs. Collfns arranged the
wickets. Collins had learned TO play
when visiting in Glovershire, last sum
mer. and Mrs. Collins acquired an indif
ferent knowledge of the game from two
elderly maiden sisters in Paxton street
And so on that delicious Friday after.
ternoon they took out their mallets and
Dalls and commenced the game.
Now, Emmeline," playfully observed
Mr: Collins, "don't you begin cheating
at the start. II you do, the game viii
be prostituted to mere gambling, an,
Wen inJure our moral natures in Trying
to build up our physical"
"feople who are 30 ready to charge
against others may need close watching
themselves, young man." said she, in
the same spirit, land mean to keep q
| sharp eye on you."
Then they both laughed.
"But it will be good thing for you,''
with tinge Of tenderness in his voice
''you are kept cooped up in The house SO
that you hardly get a breath OF fresh air
Ihis Will give you exercise, and keep
you out of doors, too"
| NV "i""yo UnlHhluB OI me,
| said she, as her eyes grew moist. "YOu
need the out door air as much as do,
but you are too unselfish 10 think of our.
self"
Ana thus exchanging sentiments
| which did credit to both their hearts,
they both progressed.
After passing through the center
wicket, MIR. Collins used her balls to
help himself through the other wicket to
| the upper stake. Then he left her near
the first wicket, and struck for. the
stake, which, being about eight inches
distant, made him confident. The ball
missed by about an eighth of an inch.
| II declare," he exclaimed in vexation.
Then she, having watched his rapid
progress, now struck Tor him and hit
him, and minute later his ball was
| spinning through the grass to the other
| end OF the ground. Sne was now in DO
sition, and passed through it and the
others to the stake, but missed it, Then
he came up by a welldirected blow to
within TWO inches OF the stake. But she
went for him again, and when she got
| thrnngh she was three wickets beyond
the stake, and his ball was at the other
end OF the ground again, and his brow
was finely corrugated. He stepped ner-
yously toward it. 1t was quite evident
that lie was not unruffied. When his
turn came again he drove back to the
stake, but struck wicket, and re-
bounded SO close to her that she
easily hit him, and again introduced
him through wickets he was not for, and
then sent him flying again. Her su cess
caused her to laugh, and he heard 1T.
You think you are pretty smart, but
Pll get even with you," he said without
smiling.
"You will have to play better than you
have done," she pertinenty suggested.
II think l know as much about Gro.
quet as you do" he said, still with a
straight lace. .sIf you had any fairness
about you, you'd let me have that stroke
over, when was up to the stake. You
knew slipped as well as l did," he said,
growing red in the face.
"No, didn't know anything about it,"
she replied taking on u little color.
~ say you did"
''And | say didn't. But If you are
70 a6eadp
"rll play when get ready,"- he an.
swered, turning white about the mouth.
"Ifyou amt going to play, you'd bet
ter 60 into the house and smut up,o she
suggested, raising her voice.
"Dont you talk to ME IN that way"
he crled, "or I'll make you sorry for 1t,
you brazen faced hussy."
"Hussy, hussyw she screamed. Saint
you ashamed OF yourself, John Jacob
Collihs, to call your wife hussy Hussy
am l, you old villain. Hussy, is it, YOU
miserable brute. Pm to be called a
hussy, am l, after working my knuckles
off tor you, and slaving for thirty years
after your crooked carcass. There"
she cried in paroxysm, throwing the
mallet on the ground. stake your old
croquet and shove 1t down your lying
throat and choke yourself to death with
it, if you want to, you miserable old
wretch. And don't you ever ask me to
play with you again, or Pll tell you
you'll remember the longest
day you live, you old devil.'
And then she bounded into the hou 9
leaving him standing there and rubbing
his head, in benumbed SORT of way,
But almost immediately after she thrust
her head out OF the window and
snapped out:
"You needn't think you are going to
get any hot biscuit for your tea in this
house this night, young man, and you
can put that in your pipe aud smoke it
Just as soon as you have mind to-"