, 1888-06-14

II, almost in the jaws of
it, and directly wired from the ball in the
cage and from the other balls. Mr.. ia
cobus struck the further wire of the cor
ner wicket, carro,Ecd from it, going
through the Grch, and nit the ball resting
with such apparent security in the cage
1t is not oit>n, however, that games are
Won by such sensational shots. 1t is
steady, accurate play and good manage
ment that tell in the long run.
had often wished for n standard Of
comparison between persons who play n
good ordinary game Ike myself and the
real experts. | made the comparison the
other day, and it came ont just as l ex-
pected. In nine out of ten games the man
who is called n splendid player by
his very ordinary competitors would
make Gbout two arches playing with Mr.
Jacobus, OF DR. Reed, or Mr.. Botsford, or
any other of the cracks - and the chances
are that he would not get hold of the balls
at all during the game With weeks
practice, and after becoming used to the
ground and the narrow arches, he might
do better, and bother the expert seriously,
but he would not be likely tC win single
game the first year.
OUGHT TO DE ABLE.
Furthermore, 10 man has any business
tc try to play on such ground who can
not hit II ball almost infalIibly at dozen
or fifteen feet, and wlib cannot, after get
ting ball TO play On, make the circuit of
the arches on an ordinary ground once out
of three or four times at least. He ought
also TO lie able TO make the different sorts
of roluctS-to send the driven ball q long
distance while his own only moves n few
feet, to send the two along together, and
to send his own further than the driven
ball. 1t is very handy, too, on occasion,
to be able to make Jump shot"-that
is, TO jump over n ball yCu are dead" on
and hit another one beyond and in line
with it,
According to the rules in force III the
National association, Il ball is in play IS
soon rs it is placed ut the starting point
ready fer the first tap. 1t is usual among
The experts not to attempt the first wicket
OH the first shot-thc consequences of
failure wo,ild be too seEicus-but to knock
down u the far corner, where the follow
ing player is not likely TO get hold of him.
The great thing, of course, is to get hold
of the balls, send your antagonists next
ball behind n wicket, and keep your own
balls well together, making wickets when
you can, and never allowing him to get a
shot except from behind wire.
When the game is played in this way,
it may be finished in ten or fifteen min
utes, but if the players get hold of the
balls alternately, and maze errors once in
q while, rs all merely human beings Will,
occasionally, the game may last for seven
hours, us one of the games at-the tourna-
ment did last August.
AS yet but very few ladies attempt
scientific croquct, but there is no reason
why they should not. The short handled
maIlets necessitate rather ungracefUl
positions, but ladies need not use short
handled mallets if they prefer grace to
accuracy. But this kind of croquet is
not an exhibition game, adapted to The
display of graceful attitudes and pretty
dresses, and meant only to bring people
together in pleasant social relations No
one can play it who does not love the
game for its own sake, and whose
thoughts are not directed, for the time,
wholly to the business in hand.-W. =.
Platt in New York Mail and Express.