The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1886-06-13

'oh, don't mention II, said Moore C0ldly ".
"By the way, as the afternoon Il getting on,
the committee have decided that the two
remaining competitions are 10 I've played
simultaneously" With which he walked
of.
The Captains face darkeued at this news ;
for he meant to superintend the play of his
sister.in-law and his son, and feared that
IL they were engaged at the same time each
would be embarrassed by anxiety for the
other. He went 10 the committee and stoutly
protested against the new arrangement, but
in vain. Two additional umpires mounted
the chairs at the second court, which was
alongside the other, and the competitors
we're summoned TO take their places.
Courage, Lonie," said the Captain.
"You can beat Edith Reed into a cooked hat,
IL you only keep cool.'
With shiver and pteous look at her
sister, Miss Hubbard rose, racquet in hand
In order TO reach her place she had to pass
IN front of the whole line of spectators; and
as she did 80, white faced, trembling, ierky
in her walk, and with certain pitable air Of
pride, there was n general hutter of fans aud
sunshades, and much Whispering and tittering
behind them. AS there is no kindness so
kind as a woman's, so also is their cruelty
the most cruel. This unfortunate girl
WINGED and quiverd beneath them; she
stumbled, and nearly fell, but recovered
herself and went on again. She knew the
meaning of that smothered laughter aud
those cutting remarks very audibly uttered,
but the men behind did not. They saw
that her very short and shabby dress hung
like limp rag upon her thin aud angular
figure, and they afterwards noticed that she
ran about with singular freedom, hut how
should they know the reason9 Whatever
1t was that excited so much comment the
responsibility rested with the Captain.
An athletic contest between two ladies' ia
never pretty sight; 1t was positively pain
FIJI today. Notwithstanding the encourage
ment of her many friends. Filth Reed, a
saucy little girl in a Zig hat turned MP at
the brim looked almost as distressed a. her
opponent; they confronted one another with
smiles on their white faces, and who shall
say what feelings In their hearts. Godfrey,
who was opposed Ivy George Carmichael, o
muscular little bulldog of man, with I'M
failing nerve, was at the same end of the
ground "a his aunt, aud close to her. The
Captain stood behind, their only supporter,
except his anxious wife sitting over yonder
by herself
A slow twiser to Miss Hubbard opened
the game. Sh. advanced to inset 1t.
Back, Louie, back" roarsd the Captain,
gesticulating wildly. ''Fcr mercy's sake,
girl, get further away from it. There, of
course, it has done for" added he, as she
made a frightened scoop at ths ball, which
darted at her like a snake. "Didn't tell
yon to keep back Right on the edge of the
COURT
Captain Wigram," said the umpire,
"woula you he good enough not to interfere
with the playersi"
There was an instantaneous silence. Would
h. show fight, they wondered, this mean old
fellow who was trying so hard and 80 I'M
fairly to get few more pounds To add to his
hoard He looked desperate enough. But,
bowling his gray head to the umpire, he
drew back and leaned against tho wall,
where for some time he watched the progress
of both games in silence.
The score was called "love--one" against
Miss Hubbard, who was playing very badly.
She seemed quite to lose heart when the
second game also went against her; and no
wonder, considering the value of the prize to
her. The heat aud glare from the concrete
were trying enough, but not so trying as
that battery of unfrendly eyes or the cheers
given to her opponent, who WAS improving
every moment. They rose to quite shout
of triumph when Miss Reed gained her third
consecutive success.
The Captain could stand It no longer. AT
the commencement of the next game he
seized his hat by tlis brim aud rushed for
ward, waving it in the air, and crying:
"Well played, Ionic, we'll played indeed.
Get back from that one--back, back, for
heavens sake, back! Good, Louie, very
good! Now, over in the tar corner with it.
Well done, my girl, bravo!"
'Upon my word, Captain Wigram," called
nlt oil NIL, 4:
umpire, otis too bad; it is really, though.
must request you to go away and kesp
quiet"
"Mnst yon Then why don't you sac
fair playS Ii the other side is allowed to
cheer, I'll cheer; by heavsnsl will. Go
ahead, Louie, you sla'n't lose for want of
shouting, any way"
but hem-what do yOu mean about
fair playf Cheering is one thing, but dane
ing abont the court and giving advice is
well. it's another, yon know"
"lf yon choose your way of giving encour.
agelnent, Tll choose mine. Ifyou don't like
that arrangement, let the game bs played in
silence"
"Very WE'LL" said the umpire.
SO the Captain crushed his hat on HIS
head, and once more withdrew to the wall.
Bat Miss Hubbard continued to play 30 badly
to speak shonld become too powerful. He
scarfsly kpew when she was beaten, so quiet
had the spectators hscome. There were not
a few men present who ptisd that poor, limp
thing, as she dragged herself back to her
sister's side.
The other competition was more closely
contested. Carmichael. playing with con.
GOODNESS, sent the balls flying like
so many bullets but nearly half of them
We're stopped by the net, fortunately for God
frey, who was kept rushing from one end of
the conrt to til. other. Though inferior in
skill, tho lad was quick and active. So the
score rose very evenly until at last 1t stood
at Give all" Carmichael, having the ser
vic., won the next game.
whats the valns of this prize 7" asked
the Captain In a hoarss whisper of Ons of
the eager spectators who were pressing
arOund. aUt
''rwsnty five pounds"
Twenty five pounds Why, they ooull
lys iGr three months on that, and bsfore
then his pension T0nil hs dns and here it
was 10 bs lost or won ny 4 stTOLs 9f rae
qust He felt his strength going az his
voics had gone already so he crept away TO
his wife and sat down between her and her
sister, not one of the three being able TO give
even a smile of encouragement to the fright
ensd lad who was standing but few feat
from them.
1t was long since Overbury had witnessed
such an exciting scene. For tina moment
everything was forgotten except what was
taking place on that dazzling concrete slab
around which the spectators were gathered,
or sitting. As Godfrey raised his
racquet there was a brsathless silence, fol-
lowed by sigh Of relief, as the ball struck
the net. His hand was shaking so that his
next service was equally unsuccessful.
"Lovs-gfteou, announced Basil Moore,
now acting ms umpire at this eopr.
After another conpls of failures, then fol-
lowed u smart rally which Godfrey won
and then another, most desperately fought
anl eagerly watched, which foil to Car
michael The sogra, tbsralGrs. atood at
'iiIteen-forty." Godfrey then got fast
ball over the net. II was fssbly returned,
and he was about to send It back just as
fr.lly, straight to Carmichael, who was
waiting with grim smile to rsceiveit.
II waa more tEan flesh and blood could en-
durs to ses game thrown away like that
and do nothing to save II. The Captain
sprapg up, geslicnlating and moving his lips
as il he WAS shouting, though his hoarse
tones Wsrs scargrly auaibl.