The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-06-23
THE SEASON IN NEW YORK
Tow the People Spend the Hot Days
and Nights, INDOORS and Out.
Return of Edwin Booth Extraordinary
Clerical Scandal-Scenes in Court
Notes by the Way.
rorresnopaence of me Indiananolis journal

days of the year the season for out-of-door
smusements reaches its height Theatres are
osed, balls are thing of the past and every
me is out of town; but there are few who
md sufficient enjoyment in the contempla-
ion of nature on the sea-shore or among the
verlasting hills. They want some amuse-
nent to help them kill the time that hangs
ieavy on their hands, and so horse-races re-
atlas and ball-matches are the order of the
ay with some, and croquet, lawn-tennis and
irchery with Others Now, as for me, never
sould see much real enjoyment in standing
q noisy, ill-smelling crowd for an hour
fust to see two horses run like scared rabbits
or two or three minutes-though Mrs.
.angtry does it every day. Nor can 1 see
my particular bliss in standing in the hot
sun an hour, playing battledore and shuttle
cock over screen of netting I'd thou
sand times rather lounge in hammock,
in some shady nook, and read the
Journal, or one of F. Marion Crawford's
novels. But everyone to his own
taste. suppose there are persons who en-
joy getting drunk and lying in the gutter
else why do so many do it?
But l was writing about out-of-door
games. Lawn-tennis is easily first in popu-
larity, judging by the number of players. A
leading dealer tells me that in this city more
than 10000 sets of instruments for the game
have been sold. In Prospect Park Brook
lya, there are eighty grounds or courts"
in Central Park, New York, nearly as many;
st st. Georges Hoboken, twenty; on Staten
Island. ten; at Orange, nine; at Flushing,
nine. And on every pleasant day these
courts are occupied nearly all day. Why
the game IS popular is a mystery to me.
There is no beauty or science in it. 1t is
merely battledore and shuttlecock, or
skinny" over fence. However, it gives
both ladies and gentlemen a chance to dis
play the graces of their figures in picturesque
costumes.
Now croquet, which holds its own nobly
against all rivals, is, to my mind, the finest
outdoor game ever invented, 1t is COM
Portable game; you don't have to skip around
like peas on hot stove as in base ball and
tennis. 1t is scientific game; the best play
ers are those whose eyes and brains can
best measure angles, estimate distances,
and calculate the momentum of moving
can carry on q rational conversation
while you are playing it, And so l am glad
TO see that croquet holds its own. Seventy
FIVE acres in Prospect Park are devoted to it.
and they are well covered every afternoon.
Not by the sort of people who play tennis,
however | can tell party of croQuet play
ers from party of tennis players as far as 1
can see or hear them. The former are always
we'll and sensibly dressed; they converse
nationally; they play with interest and en-
thusiasm. The latter are sure to be dressed
in ultra English style; they talk on milk
and-water subjects with a drawl, or by fits
and jerks, ending every sentence with
'y'know" or 'bai sove," and they play the
game as though conscious of being stared at,
and as though that were their only object.
OF course, | don't suppose all tennis players
are of that stamp; but nine-tenths of 'em are
here.
Archery never gained much of a footing
here. and has now lost about all it ever had
/ don't suppose hundred persons practice
it in a week at Prospect Park, as against
10, 900 who play croquet. It's 3 pity, too.
for archery has some decided advantages over
tennis. But then, it requires thought and
judgment to play it well-fatal impediments
in the way of the dude and dudelette.
EDWIN BOOTHS RETURN.
The theaters being mostly closed, and the
actors out of town with every one else, only
few persons gathered on the wharf, on
Monday, to greet Edwin Booth when he ar
rived on the Gallia. There was another rea-
son for the smallness of the company: Mr..
Booth had requested it. Always of quiet,
not to say sad, disposition, since the death of
his wife he has studiously Stunned publicity
off the stage; and this winter more than
ever because of the trouble and sorrow his
Dlxy oh haIn i
bear. So he wrote some weeks ago to his
friends here asking that there be no demon
STATIONS over his landing, and positively for
bidding them to get up the great public re-
ception in the Academy of Music which they
had planned So, there were only score of
us to welcome him home, and the greetings,
though hearty, were brief, for Mr.. Booth
quickly got into the carriage which Mr.. Cal
vert Vaux had waiting for him, and hurried
away to the latter's house, where he is now
staying, and where succeeded in cornering
him soon afterward. He was looking trihe
paer and thinner / thought than when he
went away but his fine physique carefully
preserved by life of temperance and cor
rect habits, showed no signs of impairment.
Eyes, | had pleasant time over there"
be said, particularly in Germany. 1t
s had been the dream of my life to
play Shakespeare, and especially Ham
let in Berlin. Well my dream has
been fulfilled and with a success far
beyond my highest hopes. 1 think
my German audiences were the most appre-
ciative ever had, and | did before them
perhaps the best playing of my whole
career"
You spoke English lines, while your
company spoke German?"
'Yes; and was very anxious about the
effect. BUTT went off we'll, the audience
taking it philosophically."
stTO Won think Vou will ayar oo hon
there?'
81 think I will; and that before long. My
success was too fattering for me to stay
away"
Meanwhile, what are your plans for this
country"