The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-05-31
RUFF eio1L1 . ytLLIARD BALLS.
They Were Not Ivory or Ceiluloid and
We're Mover Turned,

They Were Not Ivory or Ceiluloid and
We're Never Turned.
How does it come that you have red,
white and blue billiard balls?" asked
the whip salesman of Rufe Eisele, who
keeps the Brant House at Sloop Greek.
''Tls kinder extraordinary, amt it?'
said Rufe. "But somehow or another
extraordinary things happen down here
You wouldn't believe it if l told you
that l had them balls afore l had the
table l bought the table for $40 from
Bart Greenleaf, and he won it at rattle
up to Asbury, That tables with plum
$3.50, and the balls is just gift of ma
ture-come by special act Of Provi-
dence, you might say. You never see
balls just like them before They amt
ivory, and they amt celluloid. If they
was celluloid, they wouldn't be here
now. They amt this patent putty COM
position that they make cheap pool balls
Of either. just what they are | amt
prepared to say, and 'spect that tie
nature Of the material these wero made
from is changed from what it was at
first.
"I'll tell you how como by EN-, and
you'll learn what extraordinary things
can happen down hercaways. A year
ago the 18th Of June there was a party
of Brooklyn fellows down here, and
they set out for good time. They
fetched cards and chips with them and
lowed to play poker until O'Clock in
the morning and then go fishing. | sot
up with them and took hand in the
game We wero Getting at that round
table, and it was pushed over in the cor
ner between them windows. Long
about II O'Clock | was mixing drinks
for the crowd, when heard thunder and
mutterin and see flashes of lightning
/ told them fellows they'd better move
away from the windows, but they
laughed at me.
zone follow had been winning right
straight along He had q big pile of
chips in front Of him, and they was in
his way. So he began stacking them up
according TO color and laid rs Of each
kind in stacks side by side on the win.
dow sill. Meanwhile the storm broke
and the lightning played hob around
the house. The party got kinder scared
and jumped up promptly when I pro.
posed to all to 80 to the bar and have
drink. was just setting out the glasses
when there was a swish CT Lightning
that turned the whole air blue. didn't
hear any thunder, but sec big balls Of
fire dancing round tho room, and one
Of them hit me right on the breast and
knocked me down behind the bar EY-
cry man in the room was hit plumb in
the gizzard with ball Of fire and
knocked fat. l don't know how long it
was before we all como to and took our
drinks, but / do know that the storm
had passed. / locked round and was
surprised to find that nothing had been
hurt, After the fellows all took their
drinks they wanted to play poker again
and started for the table There the fell
low that had won most of the chips put
up holler about them. He said some.
body had got EN-.
Il didn't b'lievc that possible. and l
told him that the lightning had prob.
ably knocked them often the window
sill Then he looked OH the floor under
the table and said, Idou't see no chips,
but here's billiard ball, and he picked |
up red ball, Now never had a hiI-
lard ball In my house before, and / |
thought that he WAS Dlayinlr n trick on |