Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1885-06-19
SwiDg.SkittIes.
Lonoon Saturday Review.

The good old Eglish game CT skit>
ties, perhaps from its constantly being
associated with the idea of beer, ranks
somewhat low among popular amuse
ments; its chief votarles will be found
among the frequent visitors to sub
urban tea gardens or of roadside pub>
lie houses. 1t is useful in its way as
providing opportunities for the dis
play of certain amount of address,
combined with more or less physical
exercise, according 10 the energy of
the players; but there is general
roughnes and want of nicely about
the game which will account for its
not having made its vay into favor
as an adjunct to our country house
gardens, especially as these defects
render it i'll adapted for the gentler
sex. The American form of the game,
the bowling or ten pin alley is a very
good improvement. The necessity for
physical strength is reduced, while
that of skill is increased, thereby
making it better adapted for both
sexes; but it must be played indoors,
or at all events in covered alley, in
order to prevent the table" from
being damaged by exposure to the
weather; and, moreover, the weight
of the ball and the lengths of the
ground render the construction of
this table" somewhat costly. Fur
Their, it is almost impossible to play
for any length of time without having
a boy constantly at the end of the
alley to pick up the pins ard send
beck the balls to the players. In
southern Germany different form
of game is very much in vogue; the
ball, instead of being BOWED, is
swung by rope suspended from a
sort of gallows, and thus returns by
its own momentum to the players
hand after every stroke. Nothing in
the way of table is required beyond
small square frame on which the
pins stand, and this may be made of
stone or wood sufficiently strong to
defy the weather. The pins and all
the adjuncts OF the game can be made
by any ordinary VILLAGE carpenter,
and may be left out of doors during
the whole summer without taking
any damage. a very small space is
required, a plot of ground twenty four
feet long with a breadth of sixteen
feet being amply sufficient; thus there
is scarcely any garden in which a
corner ma ght not be found with room
enough. This game is to be seen in
the gardens of almost every "Wirth-
schaft" in the Black gardens
that differ very much from those of
our punch houses in hat they are
frequented and civilized by the pres
eRce of the wives and daughters of
the men of the lower and middle
classes. who after working hours
spend the long summer evenings in
these resorts. Many of the hotels
have one of these skittle grounds at
tached to them in some shady nook,
adding much to the attractions of the
lazy life of an enforced sojourn at
German bad; and they are frequent
" also to be seen in the gardens of
private residences. showing that the
game is by no means practiced only
by the lower classes. 1t has been long
known in England on the toy and
miniature seals, and has even in IFS
fulneSs bean sometimes imported here
by some of those who have found it
an agreeble pastime in Germany; and
wherever it has been introduced it has
met with favor IN the neighborhood.