The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-02-17
Lawn Tennis.


Games, like dogs, have their day land
the day of croquet, that favorite dissi-
patton Of mild. eyed curates and senti-.
mental young ladies, seems to be we'll
high over. Lawn tennis has usurpeu
Its place, and paterfamilias, strolling
about his grounds in the twilight to
ENJOY the post prandial cigar,no longer
falls prey to tho malignant hoop.
There are many reasons why lawn ten
mis- should win greater degree of
popularity. than its predecessor. Per-
mitting equally that mingling of the
sexes which must add to tho charms Of
any outdoor sport, as an exercise 1t Is
at once more picturesque and more in-
vigorating,while, as a game, 1T involves
much greater degree Of skill and con-
sequently Of interest. AS its name
implies, it is al adaptation of the an
cient game Of tennis-tho royal game,
as 1t has been called-the jeu de paume
familiar to all readers Of the early
French chronicles. With the French
kings, indeed, it was always prime
favorite, and in the time of Louis XIV
that grand monarch had hiss choice of
10 less than 1l5 tennis courts wherein
to try ''a set' with graceless Richelleu
or gay Lauzun. The last of these
courts was pulled down to make way
for the Partisan Grand opera house.
Tennis was played in Il court much
like racket court, such as we have
here at the corner of 'Twcnty-sixth
nd Cixyt I, Il
much more scientific and difficult game
than rackets. 1t was we'll called Il
royal sport, for only rich men could
afford 1t. 10 build the court alone cost
from SIS, 900 to $4,000. Originally
played In the courtyard Of some old
have followed the plan Of the original
with more than Chinese fidelity. AS
In the first court, Tor example, there
chanced to be an angle one Of the side
walls, 50 in all subsequent tennis
courts The same angle Is carefully re-
produced In what is known as the
''tahbour." So, too, a little grated
window which chanccd to bc in one of
the end walls is preserved, and, under
the name Of "grille," Is made to play
an important part in the game.
Tennis (Supposed to haye derived its
name from the number Of players,
originally five OIL each siuc) Is played
like lawn tennis, with balls, ,rackets and
net; but In other respects bears only
nsupcrtlcial resemblance to it's outdoor
representative. What with its bewilu-
ering confusion Of chases and galleries,
chase one, close the door, first gallery,
last gal lcry, the door hazard side, and
so OH it, con plitat,d system Of GO
ring; the difficulty impaired to it by
" visiting" the ball against the side
walls, much us II ball is "Englished"
at billiards, tennis must have been al
together too much like Il scientific
problem worked out with hard phvsi-
cal labor to bc very attractive, TO fair
players at least. Indeed, it was not
without It's dangers, too; the impact
OF heavy tennis ball propelled by II
strong and skilllul arm was by no
means to be sncCzcd at; ana it was long
tradition OF the court which former
ly stood in the London Hay market
that duck had been killed there by a
stroke from ball. So the ladies, at
least, have reason to bless the II emory
Of that duke of Beaufort who one day
had the happy Inspiration to put up Il
net Ill the plcturt-gal!cry Of his house
at Badmlnton, and SO first played the
game called Badminton battledorc."
hat
ton was easy.
Long before that, however, the idea
had been anticipated by the earl of
Hertford, who, when lie entertained
Queen Elizabeth, chad ten of his SER
wants, in square green court before
her maJesty's window, hanging up
lines squaring out the form OF Il ten
his court and makirga crosse line in
the middle, where they played five to
five with h anu-ball ut 'boru and cord
rs they tcalmc tito the q eat liking of
her highnt S." Strut even infcrs.
from an entry In the register of lIenry
WIS expenditures, that the open. air
game was known as early rs the reign
OF that monarch. However that may
be, or to wh0msocycr we arc in.
debted for the hal py thought, our fair
readers may be thankful for an addition
to their list of out door pastimes which
is Lot only hcalthlul and graceful and
In an eminent degree, hut affords a
fresh and admirable field for the dis
play Of miracles Of millinery and mar
Vels of hosiery without which any
pastime would be to them but stale and
Improbable.