The Washington times., 1895-04-02

1t is so pretty and SO seldom displayed ex-
cept on holidays
Right under the flag some one lays
small rubber ball. 1t is bigger than golf
bail; we like ours fully nine inches in
circumference. The players line themselves
up. There are twelve players in full
field, six on side, and out beyond there
are goal tenders; but more about them by
and by.
Az soon as the ball is laid on the ground,
two of the players begin to tussle for it.
This is called facing" One of the girls
call her Tessie Williams, say-tries to loft
the ball and pitch it upon her crosse toward
our goal; but the other side, which is
represented by Allie Mayfield, tries also
to loft il so as TO pitch it toward their
goal. Tessie and Allie struggle together
with the ball, until finally, with a cry of
Joy, Tessie succeeds in raising it little
and hurrahl she has given it grand
whack with her crosse and behold, it is
flying fast towards our goal, 125 feet
back of our opponents on the other side of
the field. Our goal lies back of them.
Now comes the interesting and scientific
part of lacrosse and part wholly lacking in
football There it is all brute force, but
here il must be science and accuracy. AS
the ball goes spinning through the air over
the heads of those facing US, they try to
stop it, but Tessie has lofted it very high
and they cannot reach il. They are clever
girls, too, for they have placed their
longest armed members close to the flag, so
as to jump into the air and catch the ball
with the long handled crosses before it
has sailed well skyward. But, ah, Tessie
knows them well: and, as she lofted, she
gave straight upward blow that sent
the rubber sphere 40 feet into the air.
She knows it is not going to get through
that stupid goal so far away, but it has
started toward it.
TWO HOURS FOR PLAY.
And now, with the true college yell,
famed forever with those who have heard
1t, we dart away, over on the territory
of the opposing party, and when the ball
comes down we Try to be there to drive
1t still farther on its way Now there
comes the trouble. The Others are clever
also. And they hit hard and true; and
Just as we think we are having things
our own way and can make a point, there
is whack and a whizzing sound; and
the ball goes flying over our heads; and
back of us on the ether side of the flag.
We run over to stop it, for at that end
of the field lies the enemies goal. And
so lacrosse goes on.
is too hard work. And the object is to
make the most goals. When a goal is
made il means that the ball passes
clear to the end of the field and goes
out OF the ground through a gate made
for ii. The gate consists Of two upright
posts seven feet apart and six feet high,
with stout twiDe tied across the top
to form a door. Sometimes there is a
strip of board nailed across, and then the
entire goal can be lifted up like door
and carried somewhere else, If it is de-
sirabe TO make new lacrosse field.
One of our amusements is the making
OF the crosses" These, at first sight,
look like tennis rackets. But they are,
oh, so different The handles may be of
any length agreed upon. A very lady
like length is four feet, but we are suf-
ficiently athletic to like the six foot
crosses. The handles are quite straight
and the end OF the stick is bent. This
gives the frame work for a netting Of