Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-11-16
Tournament at Nuggleton.

seen or heard of this fellow Smasher
befOre?'
NO, Gus, | have never seen him
play. | have seen his name in the
papers once or twice, but that is all L
know of him. | never thought Of him
for Il moment as likely to- give us all
Such surprise as this"
''Well, am jolly glad he has done it.
1t does these chaps who have had it
all their own way for so long no end of
good to have the cOnceit taken out of
them at last"
This conversation took place on the
day after that exciting day at Wimble-
don, 50 memorable to all interested in
lawn tennis, when the mighty cham
pion of six years standing had been
thorou gh1y and fairly beaten by a
youthful and comparatively unknown
player, after a long and exciting strug-
gle. Full reports, of course, appeared
in the papers, and the news had just
reached the remote country town OF
MuggletOn, whose inhabitants, or, at
any rate, whose tennis players are
quite as much if not more, excited the
next day after the event than those
thousands who witnessed the struggle
or the all-England championship court
at Wimbledon.
Arthur PrlShingtOn was the secretary
of the Lawn Tennis club at MuggletOn,
and Augustus HowiSthat was the Mug
gletOn champion. Everybody agrees
that it is entirely owing to the in
domitable energy of Mr.. PushingtOn
thlt the Muggleton Lawn Tennis club
is as successful as it is, and if there
is one thing MuggletOn prides itself on
it is its tennis club. The club has it's
enemies, course, like everything
truly great, whether an institution or
an individuals; enemies such as the
clubs of the neighboring towns and
villages round about which cannot pro-
duce Il player who comes within chal-
longing distance of the Muggleton
champion.
The members of these ill-natured
clubs may talk as they like and say
that the reason for the pre-eminence
OF the NLuggletOnians in tennis is ow-
ing to their being nothing else for the
inhabitants to do, and that if it were
not for the annual lawn tennis tOurna-
ment held there the MuggletoniaEs
would never be more than half awake.
But no one heedS malevOlent ISLANDERS
OF this character and each member of
the NLuggleton club and especially the
honorary secretary himself thinks he
is engaged i'll promoting the interests
of and raising the standard of play in
the great national game.
For some years past Muggleton has
annually held a grand tennis tourna-
ment, open to all amateur lawn ten
mis- players, with special events for 10
cal players; but up to the time OF our
story the entries for the open and dis
trict events had been wOfully similar
In spite of circulars and programmes
being sent yearly to all the known
players in the world, it is a remark
able fact that none of the illuStriOus
cracks had ever thought it worth their
while to compete with Mr.. Howisthat
for the diamond championship badge,
presented to the Muggleton Tennis club
by Sir Henry Portliman, NJ. F., the
Squire of Portly Hall.
My dearest Bertha, have you heard
the news?"
The quostioner was Miss ANGELA
Jones. who had dashed, brea thleSS and
excited, into her friend Miss Marshalls
draWingroom some few weeks after
the Wimbledon meeting
THE news, my dear? What news?"
asked Miss Marshall.
About the new champion"
DO you mean Smasher, the all
England champion? Of course
know he won the match at Wimble-
don"
Yes; but do you know he has en-
tered for the tournament-ou tourna-
ment-at Muggleton? They are hold
ing a committee meeting now. Get
on your things, my dear, and let us so.
l am longing to hAar about it,
Such Il temptation was not to be re-
sisted, and Miss Marshall was not long
in arranging her outdoor costume, and
the two young ladies hurried to the
ground, just in time to hear the secre-
tary read the champions letter for
the twentieth time. 1t ran:
| have heard often of your open
tournament and of the admirable way
IN which it is managed. Pushington
coughed slightly here.) I shall De in
your neighbOrhOod at the time for
which your meeting is advertised and
should esteem it Il favor if you would
enter me for all ->Ae open events and
find me partners for the doubles.
Would you mind letting me now about
the hotels? Which is the best to put
up at?
1t was unanimously agreed that this
was the most delightful letter ever
written, and there are some who say
that when the letter was passed round
for inspection Miss Jones furtively
raised it to her lips, but she was al
ways impulSive and passionate and in
the general excitement nothing was
said about it.
The question for consideration was
what was to be done under the cir
cumstances? To allow the illustrous
Smasher to go to the Dog and Duck,
Muggleton's one inn, was out of the
question.
Somebody must put him up" said
the secretary, 'and who so likely to do
it as the president Sir Henry Portli-
man? Is he not always eager to enter