The evening times., 1898-06-30
"PUYTING" Is
VERY POPULAR
This Latest Lawn Game Is
the Seasons Favorite.
1t Is a Phase of Golf. but Less Fa-
tiRuinE< and More Interesting
in Every Way.

Has golf lost any OF its prestige? Is
1t just the least little shade less fash
| ionabie than it was last season? It's
popularity is unquestioned, but. then.
popularity is often a danger signal.
Any sport that reaches the top-notch of
the public fancy is in a dangerous con-
dition. That top-notch is not perma-
nent resting place. by any manner of
means; indeed. is on 4 mos narrow.
slippery and insecure foothold.
Bicycling. for instance. lost Its hold
on popular fancy the moment it became
a craze. Every woman who can rides
a wheel now, a matter of course.
but everybody who is anybody is no
longer seen out early and late. The
crowds of bicyclists still haunt the
thoroughfares. but rarely are the faces
and forms recognized as belonging to
the smart set except at certain hours
of the day.
Indoor bicycling the mos fashionable
winter fad for many. many years. died
an unnatural death just as soon as clubs
by the score We're organized. although
there We're many formerly astute indi-
viduais who had confidently predicted
that bicycling as a fashionable exercise
would never. could never get out of fash
ion.
And it never has. but it is an excep-
tion.
The fate of tennis is we'll known
Tennis tournaments last season at many
of the watering places where they were
a part of the summer gayety. were utter
failures. The players did their best. and
good playing it was. too. but there was
not the slightest enthusiasm evinced
even among the limited audiences.
Tennis. however. is not killed only
..sco.ched as it were and Will have
great revival before many years. for the
opportunities 1t gives in amusement and
Irritation combined cannot even in these
work-a-Gay times be ignored for long
Last season rumors We're heard to the
effect that croquet was coming into fash
ion again. The English society papers
had much to say about the croquet party
at Lady This or Lady That's, and the
smart gowns worn were described at
length. Over on this side of the water the
game did not become fashionable. but it
was certainly played far more than it had
been for a long time, and this year the
crOquet lawns are receiving considerable
attention from the gardeners.
"Oh. Just to amuse the children" is Civ
en- as an excuse, when excuse is needed
but the most convincing proof that the
fashion Is coming in is that the dressmak-
ers are making croquet gowns, and such
smart and becoming gowns that the fem
mime part of the population will find 1t
hard to resist them. Older people are
finding croquet possible, too- There has
been through all the chances and changes
in the sport, a club-several clubs. in
fact-of older men who are mad on the
subject of croquet. They hold tourna-
rnents all over the country. play the most
scientific sort of game, and are not for one
moment led astray by any new game.
such as tennis or golf. 1t is to these men
that the new revival of interest is due.
for they are influencing their friends all
the time. and do succeed in putting forth
most convincing arguments
A croquet lawn is much more attainable
by the average landowner than is a pri-
vate golf course. Croquet can be played
under the shade of trees and in view OF
ones own veranda. whereas golf necessi-
tates no end of exposure to the sun, and