Omaha daily bee., 1898-02-06
SCOTS ROARIN' WINTER GAME
Curling Takes Firm Hold an omaha's
Exiled scotchmnn.
COLD DAYS PUT IN WI STANe AND BtSoS
Brief Description of the Pnstime that
Holds Men All Day on the Ice
Despite of Cold or
Hunger. .- ~

purposes of which were hidden from the
understanding of the average American.
The attraction of 1t was acknowledged, how
ever, when it was observed that meu were
willing to stand on the ice all day, dinner
less, without thought Of hunger or cold.
The game has been played so constantly on
the lagoon since that time that 1t has come
to be an object of an intelligent public in
terest and people are beginning to under
stand what is meant by channel stones
crampets (aat pieces O! iron with spurs to
brace the feeO and the blossoms so green
with which the rink is swept.
The Omaha Curling club was organized
about two months ago and has grown to an
organization Of about forty members. 1t
has an abundant supply of stones and other
equipment and is in the habit of meeting
for play ou Saturday afternoons and often
during the week If there has been "cauld
caud frosty weather." sufficient for their
purpose. The membership is made up en-
tirely of natives of the land Of cakes and
curriers' and for the most part of Gordon
clansmen. All of them are enthusiastic
and many experts, and all unite in the praise
OF the game as promoter OF mental en-
joyment, bodily health and the best Of good
fellowship. The club has lately begun ne
gotiations for a charter from the Royal
Caledonian Curling club, with headquarters
at Edinburgh, Scotland. The only member
tho city is p. l.. Forgan, vice president OF
the Omaha club, who has the grip and pass
word oil the Caledonian club as well as
four medals won at different contests.
DATA OF THE GAME
The Caledonian Curling club is an ex-
tensivo organization with branches all over
the world In all there are not less than
.I,f f,h off tod wit hH
central body, fifty of which are in the prov
inco of Ontario Canada In Scotland almost
every parish has its club, which meets in
occasional contests, and annually there is a
great game, semi-natiCual in character, be-
tween teams north and south of the River
Forth An annual is published under the
direction of thG club giving the rules of the
game and lists of members, together with
curling songs and other literature connected
with the game. .n
AS outlined in the rules, the game is
played on Z rink few yards wide and forty-
two yards long. The engines are round
stones, which weigh about forty pounds and
are fitted with handles for their better pro-
pulson The stones are hurled along the
ice, and it is the object OF each player to
cover the goal, or tee, or to lie as close as
possible Frequently he may consider that
his stcne is a winner" when a rival mis-
sile ''up the rink like Jehu roars' and ruins
the results of his care and skin. About the
tee are circles to a radius Of seven feet and
q stone must lie within the outermost in
order to have a chance of counting. one
sixth of the distance from each tee is marked
a hog line, which denotes the division be-
yond which stones exhibiting a pig-like lag
gardneGs are cast aside Jas distractions to
the game. Curling may be played by two
participants but ordinarily there are four on
each side. two hurting at either end for
total score of 81. Each side is in charge OF
a skip who keeps the score and gives ad-
vice. directing when to "soop it up" by the
vigorous application of broom in front OF
tho approaching stone and warning the
sweeper to deGist when 1T Will be too soon
here
There are a number Of difficult plays in
the game, the accomplishment OF which go
to distinguish player as a master ana
sometimes as "the king o a the core"
Among these "wicking" or Infringing takes
the first rank. 1t is adopted when an op-
ponent'e winning stone Is hedged about by
others. "This play" wrote Sir Richard
Broun, bart. "the prettiest and most scien-
tiflc point in the game, is to take the spot
and leave yourself behind the rampant when
to all appearance the winner was impregna-
BILE 1t is done by taking an inner angle OH
2 side shot in such a manner as to change
and direct the course of your stone upon the
one to be projected" Another difficult play
is termed "rebutting." On an occasion whel
an opponents stone is so securely protected
that II is Impossible 10 ulsloiSe IL ny o'N'
nary means the skip directs his man to put
plenty OF powder in your horn,' and the
stone Is sent along the rinks with tre-
mendous force dislodging everything In its
path and occasionally ending winner
ALMOST AS OLD AS GOLF.
Curling in its present maturity is the re-
suit OF a long evolution. There Is record
Of its existence for many hundred years
In a description by Camden OF the Orkney
Isles in 1907 he says that one OF the ISLANDS
supplies plenty OF excellent stones for the
game called curling" The game has been
so closely interviewer with Scotch history
since that time that it is as much scot
tish pastime as the rough bur thistle is
the national emblem. In the old days be-
fore Rannochburn the stones were misshapen
granite blocks bored to let in the thumD OF
the primitive curler Ossian, who fiourlshed
about the second century, is even quoted as
c-gnizant OF the ancient game, and the quo
taton is made half seriously ely, son OF
Mcrven, fly, amid the circle CT stones
Swaren bends at the stone of might some
excellent curling verse has been written by
Scottish bards, principally by Burns ana the
Ettrlck Shepherd. One spirited curling song
IA written to the air of Come Under MY
Plaidie," and IS as follows:
A. nicht 1t was freezin', a NIGHT / was
TAX care" quo' the wife, "gudeman, o.
A fig for the sneezin hurrah for the
freezin',
For the day we're TO play the boaspiel on
tho loch
Then get w, my Draw Teddy, the breakfast
max ready,
For the sun on the snaw drifts beginnin
to blink;
Gle me- bannocks or brothan I'm aft to the
lochan ~ 'I
To max the stanes flee to the 'T' o the
rink ~ uBI
Then hurrah for the curling frae Girvan TO
Stirling
Hurrah for the lads o. the besom ana
stane. f.. .
Ready noo Soop 1t up! fClap a guard!
Steady, moo! gdl
Oh. curling abune a. The games StahuS
alane!
The ice II is splendid. IL Gamma be mended;
Like n glass We can glpwif in t an shave
aft your beard. ~.