Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1895-04-04

have told he was player, and great
player, II | had not known it was he."
"What luck you have!" exclaimed
her friend. us he at all like his por-
trait In the illustrated papersT
"The portraits do him no Justice at
all, my dear. He Is perfectly delight
full, and am to play with him In the
doubles. They are to be drawn this
afternoon. only hope he won't look
at me much with those lovely dark
eyes, or ! shall never be able to play"
Next morning the local papers were
full Of the great event. The tkocSsA :
ful secretary had not forgotten to send
a detailed account Of the draw to the
county papers and others of wider cIr-
cIlation.
1t would seem, in fact, as though
every member Of the club had read all
the accounts in the papers, for they
appeared to be swelling with pride
and importance as they assembled on
The ground very early, arrayed In all
the glory of spotless flannels on the
part Of the men, and on the part OF
The ladies the smartest costumes that
female ingenuity could devise. There
had been dinner party at the hall
the previous night.
I "Ah, Mr.. Howisthat" said Miss
Jones, with such modesty, "you can
not tell how | tremble with fear and
delight when ! found 1t was my lot
to sit next 10 him at dinner. felt that
all the burden of the conversatio ton
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 was right at the
other end Of the table" rejoined her
companion in rather an aggricved
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-
lightfully ON every subject. All, there
he Isl"
1t was rather n shock to the MugSlc-
ton TERMS players when the mighty
champion appeared on the ground, for
he was arraycd in n faultless cool gray
suit, carrying his gloves and n stick,
and with no suggestion about his cos
tune of playing tennis.
He, however, talked very affably
with his acqualntanccs 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.. IIowisthat in the first round
this afternoon.
"Ah, my dear Bertha" said Miss
Jones to her frlchd. when Mr.. Smashcr
had left the grorEd and gone up to the
hall for lunch, she Is the most perfect
gentleman | ever met
"Did you notice how grave and polite
he looked when we were watching
that dreadful Mrs Knockahout making
such an IDIOT of herself on the court?
How Il married woman of her age and
size can play In tournament, rs she
does, cannot think.
"Shc s Il Disgrace to our club, and
am sure any one with smaller mind
than Mr.. Smashcr would have laughed
outright when she fell down and went
right through the net one Of our new
nets, too, Just bought for the tourna-
ment."
The afternoons play at last COM
menccd In earnest. The wind which
had troubled all the plG yers a good
deal In the morning, aud 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,
Ahout o'clock the carriage from the
hall arrived, and Sir Henry and Lacy
Porlliman got out. The spectators
looked in vain for the interesting guest,
but the secretary learned trom Sir
Henry thar Mr. SmaShcr had gone Tor
II stroll after lunch and had promised
ia turn up at the ground In time TO
play his match at 800,
Mr.. Augustus llowisthat was oh.
served to be growing considerably
paler as the time went on and the hour
of his certain annihihtion approached.
A quarter past three chimes from the
church clock, and there WAS not Il seat
to be had round the championship
court.
lalf-pst three struck. and still the
champion tarried. The little secretary
true to- his energetic character, had
been doing abnormal fcats OF agility
in the way of being In several places
at once, and was much hotter than the
hardcst-prcSSed player not even ex
Guiding Mrs knockabout.
He was extremely harassed by the
inccssant inquiries after the champion
and was just wondering whether the
game he was playing was worth all the
trouble he was giving II, when Il tele-
gram was placed In his hands
t.A.N