Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-04-04


1t would seem, in fact. as though
every member Of the club had read al
lAe acc0cntS in the papers, for they
appeared to 10 swelling with pr; Z
AID Importance as they assembled OIL
The ground very early, arrayed in al
the glory of spOtlesS fannels on the
part of the men, and on the part OF
The ladies the smartest costumes thai
female ingenuity could devise. There
had been a dinner party at the hail
the previous night.
"Ah, Mr.. Howisthat," said Miss
Jones, with such modesty, you can
not tell how | tremGle with fear and
delight when L found it was ny Iot
to sit next TO him at dinner. l felt that
all the burden of the conversation
would fall upon me, for Lady Porti-
man could not be expected to know
much about tennis.
well, [ could not hear much of his
conversation, seeing 1 was right at the
other end of the table," rejoined her
companion in rather an aggrieved
tone. "But l was told he did not talk
mQcn 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-
lightfully or every subject. All, there
he isl"
1t was rather a shock to the Muggle-
ton tennis players when the mighty
champion appeared on the ground, for
be was arrayed in a faultless cool gray
suit, carrying his gloves and a stick,
and with no suggestion about his cos
tune of playing tennis.
He, however, talked very affably
with his acQuaintances Of the night be-
fore, especially with Miss Jones, and
displayed great interest in the "draw,''
from which he learned that he WAS to
play Mr.. Howisthat in the first round
this afternoon.
"Ah, my dear Bertha said Miss
Jones to her friend. when Mr.. Smasher
had left the ground and gone up to the
hall for lunch, she is the most perfect
gentleman | ever met.
"Did you notice how grave and polite
ne looked when we were watching
that dreadful Mrs. Knockab0ut making
such an idiot Of herself on the court?
How a married woman of her age and
size can play in tournament, as She
does, | cannot think.
"She is 4 disgrace to our club, and |
am sur any one with a smaller mind
than Mr.. SmaSher would have laughed
outright when she fell down and went
nets, too, just bought for the tourna-
ment."
The afternoons play at last COM
menced in earnest. The wind, which
had troubled all the players a good
deal in the morning, and more par
ticularly the energetic Mrs. Knock
about, dropped completely, and left
the blazing sun in full possession.
In spite of the short notice, the news
of the champions arrival had spread
round the country side, and all the
country squires, with their wives and
families, assembled in force, totally
ignorant, as most of them were, about
the game.
About 3 o'clock the carriage from the
hall arrived, and Sir Henry aud Lady
POrtliman got out. The spectators
looked in vain for the interesting guest,
but the secretary learned from Sir
Henry that Mr.. Smasher had gone for
a stroll after lunch and had promised
to turn up at the ground in time to
play his match at $50.
Mr.. Augustus Howisthat was OBJ
served to be growing considerably
Dalcr us the time Went on and the hour
of his certain humiliation approached.
A quarter past three chimes from the
church clock. and there was not a seat
to be had round the championship
court.
Half-past three struck, and still the
champion tarried. The little secretary
true to his energetic character, had
been doing abnormal feats of agility
in the way of being in several places
at once, and was much hotter than the
hardest-pressed player, not even eX-
Guiding Mrs. Knockabout.
He was extremely harassed by the
incessant inquiries after the champion
and was just wondering whether the
game he was playing was worth all the
trouble he was giving it, when a tele-
gram was placed in his hands.
1t purported to come from sd.
Smasher." and inqr ired why that in
dividual's name had appeared in the
papers as having entered for the Mug
gletOn tournament.
Poor little Mr.. PushingtOn wiped the
p~erspiratiOn from his brow and gazed
at the clock. 1t was past t, and there
were still no signs Of the champion.
With a horrible foreboding the little
secretary took the telegram which he
had received to Sir Henry Por5Iiman
and suggested that some one should be
sent up to the hall to inquire after
Mr.. Smasher. Sir Henry insisted on
driving off for the purpose himself.
Ten minutes later he was standing
in the guest chamber lately occupied
by Mr.. Smasher, reading a letter he
had found on the dressing table. 1t
read thus:
IF every one enjoys the Muggleton
tournament as much as l have done,
and gets as much profit out of the
meeting. it will be an unqualified sue
cess. | have taken the diamond badge,
as we'll as her ladyship's jewels, partly
because 1 thought it a pity that the
champion should lose the prize because
he had to leave earlier than was eE-