The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1895-11-24

BY JoYe, erred the banker, "he
missed, Didn'tput enough stick behind
it. That comes of being too blamed
sure. Shouldn't wonder but there is
going to be a turn Of luck. Perhaps
you'H prove mascot, Mr.. Saunders"
He placed the old man on anelevated
seat at the back. There was a buzz OF
talk as young Saunders stood there
challling his cue, apparently 10th to
begin.
Hammond mixed among the crowd,
and spoke eagerly now to one now SO
another. Old Saunders said to the man
next him:
What is IT all about? Is this an inn
portant match?"
Important You bet IL is. / suppose
there's more money ON this game than
was ever put up on billiard match be-
fore. Why, julie Hammond alone has
$4,000 ON Saunders"
The old man gave a quivering sigh
Of relief. lie was beginning to under
stand. The $4,000. then, was not the
figures of a defalcation.
YES" continued the other. it's the
great match for the cup There's been
a series of games, and this is the Gull
minating one. PrognOr has won one.
p
ties it. Prognor is the man of the
High Fliers' Club. He's good one.
Saunders won the cup for this clublast
year. so they can't kick much if they
lose it now. They've never had a man
TO touch Saunders in this club since it
began. | doubt if there's another anna
teur like him in this country. He's a
man to be proud Of, although ne seem
ed to go to pieces tonight. They'll all
be down on him tomorrow il they lose
their money, although he don't make
anything one way or another. / be-
lieve it's the high betting that's made
him so anxious and spoiled his play"
Hush, hushl" was whispered around
the room. Young Saunders had begun
to play. Prognor stood by with SUI
perior smile on his lips. He was GER
tain TO go out when his turn came
again.
Saunders played very carefully, taxi
ing no risks, and his father watched
him with absorbed, breathless interest.
Though he knew nothing of the game,
he soon began to see how points were
made. The boy never looked up from
the gren cloth and the balls. He step
ped around the table to his different
positions without hurry. and yet with
out undue hardness. All eyes were
fastened on his play, and there was not
a sound in the large rooom buttthe ever
recurring of the click-clack of the
balls. The father marvelled at the al
most magical command the player had
over the ivory spheres They came
and went, rebounded and struck, seem
ingly because he willed this result or
that. There was a deXterity of touch,
an accurate measurement of force,
correct estimate of angles, truth of
the eye, and muscular control that
left the old man amazed that the COM
bination of all these delicate niceties
were concentrated i'm one person, and
that person his own son.
At last two of the balls lay close to-
gether, and the young man, playing
very deity, appeared to be able to
keep them in that position as if he
might go on scoring indefinitely. He
went on i'm this way for some time
when suddenly the silence was broken
by Prognor crying out:
II don't call that billiards. It's baby
play"
Instantly there was an uproar. Saun-
ders grounded his cue on the floor and
stood calmly amidst the storm, his eyes
fixed on the green cloth. There were
shouts of you were not interrupted"
That's for the umpires to decide"
play your game, Saunders" Don't
be bluffed" The old man stood up
with the rest, and his natural combat
! iveness urged him to take part in the
fray and call for fair play. The UNI
pire rose and demanded order. When
the tumult had subsidized, he sat down.
Some of the High Filters, however,
cried, Decision! Decision!' I.
There is nothing to decide" said the
umpire. seyereiy. Go on with your
play, Mr.. Saunders" 4
Then young Saunders did a thing
that took away the breath of his
friends. He deliberately struck the
balls with his cue bali and scattered
them far and wide A simultaneous
sigh seemed to rise from the breasts
of the True Blues.
THAT is magnificent, but il is not
war said the man beside old Saun-
ders. ''IIe has no right to throw away
single chance when ne is so far be-
hind"
"Oh he's not SO far behind. Look
at the score" put in a man on the
right.
Saunders carefully nursed the balls
up together once more, scored off them
for awhile, and again he struck them
far apart. This he did three times. He
apparently seemed bent on showing
how completely he had the table under
control. Suddenly great cheer broke
out, and young Saunders rested as be-
fore without taking his eyes from the
cloth.
"What does that mean? ." cried the
old man, eXcitedly, with dry lips.
why, don't you see? He's tied the
score. | imagine this is an almost UNI
precedented run. believe he's got
Prognor on toast, if you ask me-"
Hammond came up with flushed face
and grasped the old man by the arm
with a vigor that made him vince.
Did you ever see anything grander
than that?" he said, under cover of the
momentary applause. I'm willing to
lose my $4,000 now without murmur.
You see Won are a mascot after all. +"