Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-04-29
happen in their houses.

| happen in their houses.
The result is that at last somebody
| proposes drawing-rOcm games which
! sooner or later must end in mere romp-
ing and sometimes in bad accidents.
Billiard buff for instance, is a favorite
amusement in lively circles, and as it
| consists in a rapid chase Of a woman
by a man, both blindfolded, over, I'M
! der. or around d bilIia"f table. until at
last, bre8thless and lated, they tum-
bic by accident into each others arms,
it may easily be imagined that such
incidents as one of the performers roll
ing by mistake of: the billiard table
and alighting Oh some easily injured
portion of the body, OF knocking the
/ head violently against some unsym-
pathetic portion Of the table in the ex-
element Of the chase, are all quite pos
sible, and have been known to lay the
victim up for the rest of the visit. For
these sufferers one would feel more
commiseration were it not that it is
their rampant folly which is to blame
for their misfortune Another joyful
sport which is usually included in an
indoor gymkhana is that of tOboggan-
ing down the great staircase on tea
trays. For this purpose a solid oak or
marble staircase is very convenient
| and if it should be provided about half
way down with a sharp bend, which
will give the competitors an oppo1tun-
ity to exhibit their steering powers,
with the alternative of being bumped
rather violently against the wall if
they fail to negotiate the difficulty, so
much the better
The most scientific method of play
ing this game is to use a big dinner
! tray, and send the performers down in
pairs of both sexes. This plan has the
advantage that it doubles the difficulty
of steering, and therefore insures a
number of spills. The spectacle of.
| pretty young woman and her masculine
escort rolling out hear over heels and
over one another, and completing the
| descent in that impromptu manner. is
regarded as quite triumph of art and
humOr, not to mention good taste.
Perhaps it is not surprising that this
SpOAS, WV Lcio SOlISlllu6S resulted III
broken limbs and severe Commissions.
1t would really not be very astounding
II 1t occasionally led to a broken en-
gagement as we'll For some men are
so odd, and, however amusing they
may think this kind of sport when
carried on by other mems girls" thew
might draw the line at participation on
no M Of hi,
ball is pastime which presents vast
possibilities of enjoyment What can
be fairer than the simple ARRANGEMENT
that the ladies should be permitted to
mack or trip at pleasure and that the
men should only be allowed to collar
the ladies Tin the Rugby sense of the
Word); and what more calculated to
enhance the manly feeling of respect
FOR the dignity of womanhOod? Tt is
advisable, moreover, where possible
that this game should be played up
stairs in a long corridor terminating
IN two staircases. The latter will be
very convenient for goals. and, more
over will afford a fine opportunity for
real devotees of the game after sharp
"7'' "''r9 hot pursuit on
the other side, to fall headlong from
top to bottom clasped in each others
arms. On the other hand, there is the
bally-rag pure and simple 1t may be
urged that the difference between the
sports mentioned above and the bailey
rag must require an experienced eye
to detect But the fact is that the
essence of the bally-rag is that it
should be the outcome of the moment,
and be governed by no rules what-so
and be governed by no rules what-so
ever. 1t may take the primitive form
of cushion fight; it may develop into
war dances, wherein the high kicking
practiced at the "halls" may be deftly
blended with the reels so dear to the
gatherings" "Apple-pie beds and
''booby-traps" may be another express
ion Of this phase of feeling, and great
sport may lie derived by mixing up all
the boots, or transposing the positions
of a masculine and feminine wardrobe