The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-02-03

ing once shut himself up IN Il pliiiaiu-
room with another born gambler like
himself. where he played for two nights
and the intervening day; at the end OF
which he had lost or won q forget
which. and it does not matter. Tor Wheth-
er on any particular occasion he win or
lose, the gamblers end is always the
same) a large sum of money; and there
are many similar tales. But without in
duIging in such disreputable orgies as
these, a youth, void of self-restraint,
may easily suffer in health, pocket and
reputation from an excessive devotion to
q game which, played with discretion,
might have contributed to the enjoyment
and legitimate relaxation of q long and
virtuous life. Cavete juveneSi
AN ANCIENT GAME.
Billiards, though probably quite mod
ern as compared with the immense an
tiquity of chess, is an ancient game. OF
its actual origin comparatively little is
known. Some contend that it was in
vented in France, the birthplace of ten
mis- and other games of skill; others that
it was an Improvement on the part of
that nation of a more ancient pastime
once in vogue with their neighbours
that billiards, like so many more modern
things, was made in Germany. French
authorities even are divided on the sub
ject, some writer's attributing its inven-
ton Cor adaptation as the, case may be)
TO one GtSlt!lQue DehlSHe; WIZ ilouilSH-
ed in the reign of Charles IN, while +he
Academic deS JeuX aScribeS the honour
of its actual invention to the English.
I5ruillet also in his article on the game in
the Dictionnaire Universal remarks that
billiards would seem to have been de-
rived from the game of bowls, that it
was invented in England and imported
into France for the diversion of Louis
NV, whose physicians recommended the
gentle exercise it affords. Spain and tia
ly, too, l believe, both claim the origin
of the game.
We may. 1 think, take it as certain that
billiards Ias q variation or adaptation Of
some olde~ pastime. Strut. III his Sports
and Pastimes of the People of England,
considers that it was the game Of Paiile
Maille elevated to 4 table from the
ground or floor. This Pail Mall, by the
way, is q. o supposed to have contained
the germ of croquet, and possibly Of
cricket itself, Mall being obviously an
Authorization of mallet. an instrument
which may credibly have been evolution
lied both into the mace with which the
game OF billiards was first played and
the cricket bat. At first the game seems
to have consisted i'll driving the ball
through a. ring which, when struck, re-
volved on pin fixed in the bed Of the
table; while in Il book called the School
of Recreation, published in ITO, there is
SStiitGtlpii tl d IaDlp OH winch TWO
players are engaged in playing two balls
through a pair of little arches placed
near the centre of the board. The game
was certainly known in England in
Shakespeare's time, though it is probably
with a fine anachronism that he refers
it back to the days of Cleopatra, who
proposes TO divert with it her ennui while
awaiting the coming of her royal lover
Let us to billiards:
Come, CHAIRMAN
HOW THEY PLAY IN AMERICA.
The billiard table seems formerly TO
have varied much in size and shape, be-
ing occasionally oval, or even round. The
French game, as ali know. is played on
a pocketless table, generally SKA feet, and
OF course the scoring is by cannons.
There is also a variation called the Bri-
cole game, in which every stroke must
be played off a cushion. The American
game is played with four ballS-two
white and two colored-wnpinS hazards
and cannons alone being scored; and
there is also a Russian game, called Car
line, which closely resembles the Amer
lean. But the English game '.all in on
a full-siZed table. l2XG feet inside the
cushions, is the best of them all; ard
trough there are actually but four
strokes in billiards. viz: The central or
fun stroke, the side stroke the screw,
and the following stroke the combina-
tons of the game are infinite, the
angles of incidence and reflection SO va
rious. that it cannot ever become monot-
onous tbarring the spot stroke. which,
however, requires so much practice that
II is never perpetrated ad naUSeam by
the amateur), and consequently the game
Is one that, like cricket, never pals, but
rather increases in power of fascination
the more one plays it.
Billiards is without doubt difficult
l.,,- l., a,JJ, ~,
playing that is not sol; but there is lit
tie actual drudgery in learning it. since
from the first the tyro takes an absorb
ing interest in his attempted strokes.
There are several manuals of instruction
written by leading PLAYERS, from: almost
c. ely one Of which much may be learn
ed; but more useful than any printed in
strucuons are a few hints from one who
Encws the game, even if himself but
very moderate performer. In the study
of any game, sport or art much time is
often wasted by the beginner neglecting
TO avail himself of the results of eX-
pcrlelice- IN archery, cricket or rowing,
for Instance. it is most important to start
STisht by getting some expert to place
You in right juXtaposition to your bow,
bat CT oar. and advise YOU when you de-
TART therefrom: after which success be-
comes merely a matter of practice, aid
ed by such opportunities as may present
themselves of observing the methods of
the adept. Whereas if You start wrong
~, there is the additional labor of I'M
learning what YOU have enormously
taught yourself Therefore, get some one
10 show YOU how to make your bridge
anc hold your cue, the rest being a mat
ter of aim and ..stTenStI." which can on
" be acquired by coEstent practice.
EXPENSE GREAT
Delightful as the game is. billiards can
never be so universally PLAYED as its
merits would seem to justify on account
of It's expense a good table by one of
the best makers costs anything between
$50 and G25e though u secondhand one,
practically as good as new. may often be
Obtained for Very much smaller sum-
But the chief difficulty is the room IN
houses OF moderate size one large.
enough can rarely be spared for the pur-
pose. This difficulty, however might be
generally obviated by the adoption OF al
miniature table. which when equally well
built. with everything in Just proportion
affords Il game little, II at all, inferior to
the tuil-siZed. Indeed, am inclined TO
think that for Very many players in this
mEopic age II is even superior. the posi-
ton of the balls at its further end be-
ing naturally somewhat more easy to
discern X should CT course be as near
the regulation size as the dimensions of
~,