Barbour County index., 1884-01-25
The Rage for Bowling.


"NinepinS. tcnDinS and skittlcs--it' :
pretty much the same what YOU call
them-arc coming To be the fashionable
means Of recreation of the davr' The
speaker was little hump-l ked man.
a woOd-turner in South Fifth avenue.
and the subject of bow inw was brought
about by complimentary expression
from representative Of the Mini and
EJpreSS. who stood by, concerning the
care necessary to produce the perfect
contour Of the lignum-vita ball then in
the lathe. You see. sir" continued
the man. 1.-the time was when a bowl
ing alley rated rs on a par with a
gambling room; in fact. il was looked
upon rs one Of the most demoralizing
sports of the day. Ii a man happeued
to be good bowler or skitte PLAYER he
was generally regarded as but little bet
never To be found anywhere except i'm
or along side of baer hall, and none
were supposed to indulge in what is now
recognized as one OF the most healthful
of games, e INT such as had but slight
regard for ;ir reputation Perhaps
YOU remember. sir, of the war waged in
the various States many years ago
against ninepins, and the special enact
ment of laws making it crime to in
dulge in that game? No! Well, such
is the fact, however, and it was found
necessary, in order to ENJOY the sport at
all. To completely remodel the game.
This was done by adding one more pin
and calling the game tenpins, by which
name il is still known. This was sue
cessful evasion of the law"
''When was it that the game was first
looked upon. with favor?''
THAT is harl one. Bv sensible
persons il was always so regarded, but
fanatics even TO this day discourage its
Introduction into Christian homes.r
But did | not understand YOU TO say
it was being SO introduced.
"Ycu did. This very ball is TO make
one of a set for an Episcopal clergyman.
For many years he has been a sufferer
from dyspepsia and insomnia. and on
the advice of his physician he Eeyan
bowling "a remedy. 30 successful
was the exercise thus secured that he
went to his bed the first night after
playing and slept for seven hours-a
blessing he had not enjoyed for over q
year. His dyspepsia has now diSap-
peared, and his first care is his bowling
alley, after which comes his parish
work. This is so. because the first is ne
esSarv to success in the latter"
What is the cost of fitting up good
alley.'
THAT is something that those desir-
ing alleys control themselves. We
never build the alley. we only turn
the pins and balls. An alley is like a
dwelling. You can spend much or lit
tie on its erection. The pins and balls
are like the furniture of dwelling, but
admit of less expenditure in the matter
If ornamentation. We aim to make a
lasting and perfeo$y true sphere, that
is all, for which we charge according
to number. size, weight and stock
How does it happen that the game
has at last sprung into favorP"
"Wel, 1 think we owe the Germans
the most praise therefor, as they have
always been inveterate bowlers. They
have kept the game before the public
They have demonstrated its superiori-
y over other indoor athletic sports, and
they have known it to be q simple.
hermless and invigorating exercise. /
am no doctor, but they tell me bowling
and horseback riding are the only two
sports wherein all the four hundred
muscles of the body are brought into
full play. The public bowling-alleys
are not only increasing. but many
private honses ere baing lifted IN with
Gag galleries IN lhe basemsak 81.