The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1901-06-25
PING PONG.

.Tsn't the weather awful?' said
Muisie.
Il couldn't get a cab or anything at
the station, SO | had to walk"
81 suppose you're o bit dampf'
.Just a trile." My hat had made a
small pool.
ooh, I'm dreadfniiy bored. Do make
haste and set those wet things off. l
want you to play ping pong with me-"
'ssWhat OH earth is that?"
sssYou don't known she asked incred-
ulously. "Oh, hurry up"
And l did, Maisie is always charm
ing. l had not seen her for several
months, and l had had something on
my mind for a considerable time. She
was waiting for me as l came down
stairs.
"Come along" she said, and she took
me to one of the rooms where a six
foot dining table was cleared, say for
a tiny net seven or eight inches high
stretched across the middle.
"What's that for" I asked.
"Ping pong" she laughed.
Sounds Chinese"
"No. it's English. Just like tennis"
"Well?"
"You've got to play"
"But I don't like Tennis" I remon-
strated.
I think it's a inicky game.
"I'm going to teach you ping pong"
she replied.
/ succumbed.
every WE'LL" I murmured.
She gave me a ridiculous little bat
tledore with parchment sides.
"You don't know how to play tennis.
don't your
l nodded.
"Ping pong is almost the same" she
concluded.
"But l wanted to nave a chat with
you, Maisie," l demonstrated.
"Afterward. if you are a good boy"
And she smiled so sweetly that | drop
ped the battledore and went toward
her.
'T4ook, you've dropped it." she called
quickly, and l returned crestfallen.
Then the excitement began.
Do you know ping pong? You play
with celluloid balls and b%attledores on
a table instead of a tennis court. The
little balls naturally bounce abnormally
when hit by the parchment sided bat.
tledore.
My first bail went straight for the
portrait of one of Maisie's ancestors. !
was alarmed. but Maisie only laughed.
"You hit too hard" she said.
l tried gentler methods II succeed
ed in hitting the ceiling and almost ev
erything in the room, but in vain did
endeayor to return the balls into Mai
sizes court or side of the table.
I have the reputation of being a goot
slogger at cricket. The little balls tev
about like bullets. and Maisie bobbet
every now and hen to let them pas
her head. At last I had TO more ball
: to hit.
"Now you must gather them" sal,
Maisie. 81 think you're improving"
I smiled and crawled beneath chairs
cropping with my hands i'll dusty COZ
ners. 1t was really wonderful wher
those balls rolled to. When I emerged
Maisie said:
INOW SOu III NY dud VIZ l4C hSA
set
ssDon't you think we might have
rest?" | suggested.
"Afterward," she smiled.
Ping pong evidently produced enthr
/ siasts.
believe | improved. for l almos
won the next game, and then Maisi
passed me and just crept up to the ent
"Confolnd it!' | said and brought M
b%attledore down on the corner of til
table.
p "Ohr' shrieked Maisie. pointing
my weapon. There was a cash throus
both sides.
"I'm afraid I've broken it," l apol,
gized.
"And haven't got another" sai
Maisie. $50 you must play on wit
that"
I did as l was told.
Maisie kept on winning. and W
came to the last game of the set. l W:
serving.
"Love-4O," called Maisie.
Iput down my battledore.
'Ill give you this game" said.
You're beaten, she laughed.
Son this condition" | added, ignoril
her retort. that as you have the
you'll let me have the love-"
She laughed, but a tinge of red su
fused he! cheeks.
'tYou agree?" l asked.
you'll learn ping pong?' she pa
ried.
"Of course"
s'When you beat me- she started.
"Well?" | stretched out my hand.
"Then you cal ask me again" Al
she ran out of the room.
Maisie is almost as exasperating
the ping pong balls.-King.
Hindoo Belief.
When the land is contaminated, m
should at the time Of milking cows
the milk fall directly on the ground a