The evening times., 1898-06-30
KITE PARTIES
ARE CUTE
Just the Thing for a Summer
Evenings Sport.
To De Thoroughly Int resting the
Game Must BE "a Feature Of COun-
try Honsc Entertainments.

Did you think. remembering your boy
hood or gilihood and recalling what you
have recently read in magazines. that
kite flying was simply youthfui
amusement on the one hand. and new
science on the other? If you did you are
very far wrong. Kite flying has not yet
risen to the dignity of great national
diversion. it is true, nor is it likely TO.
but the latest phase of 1t Is that society
has taken il up as pleasing pastime.
II is necessarily a sport for country
house parties for I'm town there is no
space. Even the most commodious roof
top is too limited in area to do any kite
flying that is at all interesting Be
sides. ii is no niminy- -piminy little Kites
that society is flying on these parties.
bur ki,es of a goodly size, and box kites,
at that of the elaborate sort. made so
popular in the recent scientific expert
ments.
These parties are generally given at
country houses peculiarly well situated
for this sport. from being either upon
or close to a hill that somewhat COM
n,ands the country. or at houses In the
center of a broad. level plain. or at
houses on The seashirc. for it is essential
that all the circumstances and surround
ings be favorable to kite flying. especial
ly since the kite flyers of both sexes
are very new at this game.
A fine, breezy night is chosen, and the
party marching forth separate into
couDies There are half as many kites
as there are men and girls, and at the
start a kite Is assigned to each couple.
The rules and regulations are that two
men or two girls shall never be working
a any kite and this is strictly adhered
to.
At the signal the kites are started.
Some by force of luck or by skill in
handling. catch the breeze at once, and
dash along in the air. pulling at the
kite string vigorously. As these sue
cessful kites swing high above with many
a swirl and dip they look strikinSly pie
turesque especially if the night be very
clear and well moonliu. the candle light
cleaning through their sides in faint
rays.
Ii is a science. this flying of box kites,
harder than most people would suspect
and few get their kites up at either the
first, second or third attempt WITHOUT
much difficulty. Chance Complicates the
competition. The element of luck Is very
pronounced. and even those most sili!lful
fail in SOME particular time and again.
All are up at last for the unfortunate
plavers who cannot manage TO raise their
kites will after Il while be rescued from
their predicament and helped out. Then.
with = dozen OF these unwieldly boxes
thar seem SO strange in the kite world
pirouetting at the same moment in the
air gyrating Enthusiastically. the picture
is one Of much novelty.
Once up aloft with these kites the
great problem IS TO keep the candles
a-light \ third or half have their lights
suddenly extinguished, and the beauty
and strangeness of these great floating
glowworms of the air is partially. at
least. lost. II is an hour of delightful
uncertainty. The turn of fortune with
perfectly managed kite may see its light
go out: badly controlled kite may see
its light until IL Is finally pulled to the
ground; but on the other hand. a misad-
vised jerk may end that kites career for
the night and leave il hanging. black
mass in midair-New York Herald.