New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-04-09
MONTH md CUE

II has sometimes been remarked by billiard
players to laxative spectators who sit on the
outside TO criticise the game aud give informa-
ton as to how it ought to he played that 1T is
n great deal easier to play the game with your
mouth than with a cue.' Occasionally talka
tive spectator and oHicious adviser has ac-
cepted the challenge, and, with something OF a
flourish. taken the cue in hand in order to
show how it can be done" But 1t is per-
Torrance ordinarily which convulses the spec
tators with laughter at the same time that 1t
demonstrates the truth of The observation ahoye
quoted concerning the difference between play
ing the game with the mouth and with the cue.
ror it sometimes happens that the too COM
petent critic, suddenly wrought up with
sense of responsibility in his changed relations,
puts so much weight upon his cue and 20 much
thrust to his shot that lie misses the ball he
aimed at and fires himself ingloriously under
the table.
Something of this sort seems to have hap
pened to our old friend Governor Butler OF
Massachusetts,. He has been for many years
an interested watcher of the game of politics in
Massachusetts. He has commented with
great yigor and entire freedom upon the
methods of the players, their mistaken play,
and the manner In which each handled his
cue. OF all the spectators he has been the
most voluble and the most fanlt-lndlng.
Nothing went to suit him. At every play he
said " Why, this is nothing but an amateurs
game; and very young amateurs Mt that. Why
. dome they give the professionals a chancef
"Oh, if could only get hold of a cue myself
here for about five minutes I'd show them
some round-the-table shots and some bill
liant play. These fellows don't understand
y the first principles of the game" After he
had been carrying on this sort OF comment
and wearyiDg the Massachusetts public with
his garrulity and querulOusness tor several
years, there was what was called popular
uprising" and the cue was put in his hands.
To those who haye watched the perform
ance since he undertook the eams, who have
observed the force with which he has thrown
himself upon his cue, and noted the effect of
his powerful thrust, he seems to have fully car
red out the figure. If anybody ever missed
his shot and fired himself under the table to
the merriment of the spectators, Governor Bnt-
Ter has. Just at this moment he lice there III
very much tumbled condition from the effect
of q shot aimed Mt the whole Massachusetts
Legislature, which turned out TO be serious
miss and the entire commonwealth is in a
condition of bowling hilarity over his mishap.
After all, lie is only representing his party.
The Democratic party has been doing the same
thing for the past twenty years. Forever
criticising and finding fault with the game as
played by Republicans, it has been on two OF
three occasions endowed with a cue by the
people just to see what it would do with it.
And it has never yet failed to fire itself under
the table.
Governor Butler is slowly finding out that
lit is easier to play the game with his mouth
than with cue" And his party. it it ever
gains the capacity to learn anything from ex-
perience, will by and by find out the SAME
thing.