New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-09-29

as shown by the black heads and braided halr OF
the performers, shadows forth a possible ana
plausible theory Of evolution for the present-day
Rusies and the romantic Mr.. Casey. ana VINO
knows but that the Egyptians OF the Fourth
DYNASTY were the fathers Of the curve p!tcH
with It's confusing gyrations. or maybe the
mothers. to hold exactly b the gender OF the re-
stored picture from Ben-Hassan. Homer de-
scrbes n ball contest before Alcinous, lnduigeu III
by Ualius and Loadamas II simply consisted In
one Of them throwing the ball high In the air and
ii caught by the other as ne leaped into the
air a nd before his feet reached the ground again
The Egyptians played this game with success
They also juggled with three and four balls FOR
the Egyptian games the ball was made or bran or
corn husks covered with pieces or leather cut III
rhom bodal shape and sewed longitudnally TO
common point at the end. and the pieces or eathsr
were sometimes Of different cOlors. Thus historic
man rubs shoulders with his brother OF the nine
teenth century. for many IS the ball country ladS
have made in this same fashion. saving the oran
and husl.s of corn. There was always plenty or
old wOOen stockings In farmhouse 70 De UNI
ravelIed for the yarn that in them. There
was always bit Of rubber handy as a reOoundlng
centre and no farmhouse was ever completely
stocked unless II had thread and wax and boot
legs galore for ball covers and these covers were
made for all the world like those of the Egyptians
THE MODERN YOUTHS ADVANTAGE.
Yet the modern youth has the best Of 1t by
scantv margin for Load lmas never revelled In
the delights of an exciting game Of "one-old-
cat" or town ball" or long ball" or barn
door ball" or that other reminiscent game
known 10 every youth OF the broad countryside
as ''antony over" or "antny over as II was
abbreviated In the boys dictionary. There was
a game that would have tickled the old spar
tans to the very core. for It carried the element
Of 81 IL and swift reward Of merit right Win
It a. 70 time But in the first place there were
no barns In those days with their great STOP
ing roofs and cosey hiding places in the lofty
haynow for the nesting hens 70 hide their eggs
away from searching housewife ana lnqulsl-
tive boys with a love for climbing ana an appe-
lite for eggs in the raw. The Greeks never SID
down havstack and of course they never
nIavad "antn'v over" The Egyptians might
have played ii around the Pyramids, but there
is no evidence that they ever did. This game
was one Of the boys delights In the last genera
ton Two could play It. John got on one side
the big barn and Jack on the other. John
threw the ball high up Over the towering ROOF
and az ne threw It shouted 'antny over.
That was the signal for Jack to be on the look
out When it came down Jack tried To eaten
Il and II he did. which generally the case
why. the fun began. He started full tilt around
the barn his bare legs twinkling In the sunlight
as he fairly few to his reward. which was The
privilege Of seeking" John with the ball II ne
could get near enough and could throw straight
enough But depend up)n II, John was not Idly
waiting punishment. He also was on the alert,
warned by the awful silence that had fallen
upon the face of nature after his warning cry
OF "antn'y over" With the unannounced sud
denness Of a cyclone in full fettle Jack would
appear round one corner of the barn just IS
John was lengthening his legs for the shelter
Of the other Then Jack would poise for an IN
slant and with a grit Of his teeth and a venom
Gus grunt would launch 'he sphere at John. II
he got him there would be answering grunt,
followed by a shrek OF aboriginal delight from
Jack That was 'antn'y over" but the Greeks
never played it. nor did the Egyptians and they
missed lot Of fun The same is true Of those
who have not tried boccie