Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1893-11-17

Henry and ask him to entertain the
great champion who has done the club
so great an honor
This proposition was received with
loud cheers and carried nem. con.
Sir Henry. who was member OF pan
lament for the district, was only too
delighted to do anything that promised
a little eelat and popularity, and an
| invitation was accordingly sent and
graciously accepted by the great
Smasher. Time went ON with leslden
steps to the ;eNcfted Muggletonisans
but ut last the day before the great
tournament arrived. Thh champion
was expected ut noon. having signitied
! his wish to see something of the pic
turesque part of Muggleton before set
| Ting down to the serious business of
the hour. Once more Miss Jones had
| the delightful task of telling her bosom
| friend the latest news
L have just seen him driving I'D to
the hall. He is entrancingly handsome
and looks so strong and active |
could have told he was a player and
Il great player, if l had not known it
was he
What luck you have exclaimed
her friend. rs he at all like his Dor
traits in the illustrated papers? They
are often mere vile Caricatures.''
''rhc portraits do him no justice ut
all, my dear. He is perfectly delight
full, and l ann to play with him in the
doubles. They are to be drawn this
afternoon. l only hope he won't look
at me much with those lovely dark
eyes, or l shall never be able to play"
Next morning the local papers were
full OF the great event, The thoughtful
secretary had not forgotten to send a
detailed account of the draw to the
county papers and others OF wider
circulation, so that all the world might
know, and envy the good fortune of
lne Muggleton club in securing the
presence of the player of the day. 1t
would seem, in fact, as though every
member of the club had read all the
accounts i'll adj the papers, for they ap-
pcared to be swelling with pride and
Importance us they assembled on the
ground very early. Alrayed in all the
glory of spotless tiannels on the part
of the men and on that of the ladies
the smartest costumes that female i'll
genuity could devise
1T had been raining hard during the
night, but the hot sun and 4 stiff breeze
had succeeded in drying the courts APP
parently for the very purpose (as Miss
Jones observed to Augustus HowistlGaD
of showing to the best advantage the
terrific hard hitting of SmaSher. the
redoubtable champion There had been
a dinner party at the hall the previous
nj CHIT
All, Mr.. UowiSthat,' said Miss |
Jones, With much modesty, you can
not tell how l trembled with fear and
delight wnen | found it was my lot
to sit next to him at dinner. | felt |
that all the burden of the conversation !
would fail upon me- for Lady Portli !
man could not be expected to know |
much about tennis: indeed. | overheard |
her make Il dreadful remark about Il
biSqIc, which he either did not hear
very thankful
''Well, | could not hear much of his !
conversation, seeing | as right at the
other end of the table" rejoined her
companion in rather an agSrieyed tone,
but [ was told he did not talk much
about Tennis
no | think he imagined we should |
have enough tennis during the week, !
so he turned the conversation into an
other channel, and talked most de-
on every subject. All, there
he is!'
1t WAS rather 4 shock to the Aluggle-
ton tennis players when the mighty
champion appeared on the ground, for
he was arrayed in Il faultless, cool gray !
suit, carrying his gloves and stick, and
with no suggestion about his costume
of playing tennis. He, however, talked
very affably with his acquaintances
of the night before, especially with
Miss Jones, and displayed great inter
est in the draw" from which he
learned that he was to play Mr.. How
isthat i'll the first round this afternoon.
Mr.. PushingtOn suggested that 800
would be a convenient time for the
match, when all the elite of the neigh
borhood will have assembled on the
ground. SmaShcr consented without
demur and then proceeded to discuss
with Miss Jones the merit of the local
players who wore contending for the
district events.
'Ah my dear BERTHA said Miss
Jones to her friend when Mr.. Smashcr
had left the ground and gone up to
the hall for lunch. is the most
perfect gentleman 7 ever met. Did You
notice how grave and polite he looked
when we were watching that dread
full Mrs. Knockabout making such an
idiot of herself ON the cOurtT
How a married woman of her age
and size can play in tournaments, as
she does, / cannot think She is Il
disgrace tC our club, and [ am sure
any one with a smaller mind that MI.
SmaSher would have laughed outright
when she fell down and went right
Through the net-One of our new nets,
too, Just bought for the tournament"
We'll" remarked the Muggleton
champion, who had just Joined them,
and was beginning to get rather sick
of the new hero, 81 wish he would
wake up and show US Little OF his
form. We have not even seen him
touch a racket yet, and however much
of champion he may be, he certainly
does not look like player at all in my