Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1901-09-05
PING PONG.

isn't the weather awful:' said
Maisie.
Il couldn't get cab or anything at
the station. 50 | had to walk
Il suppose you're a BIT damp?"
Just a trife." My hat had made a
small pool
"Oh. I'm dreadfully bored. Do make
haste and get those wet things of. l
want you 20 play ping pong with me-"
what en- earth is that?'
You don't know?" she asked incred-
ulously. "Oh. hurry up"
And did Maisie is always charm
ing. | 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 | came down
stairs
Come along.' she said. and she took
me TO one of the rooms where a six
foot dining table was cleared, save for
tiny net seven or eight inches high
stretched across the middle.
whats that for?" l asked.
"Ping pong" she laughed
sounds Chinese"
"No. it's English. Just like tennis"
"Well?"
you've got to play"
"But l don't like tennis" 1 remon-
strated.
l think it's finicky game.
I'm going to teach you ping pong"
she replied.
| succumbed.
Every Well" l murmured.
She gave me a ridiculous little bat
tledore with parchment sides.
You don't know how to play tennis,
don't your
/ nodded.
ping pong is almost the same" she
concluded.
But l wanted to have 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.
Look. you've dropped it." she called
quickly, and l returned erestfallen.
Then the excitement began.
Do you know ping pong? You play
with celluloid balls and battledores on
a table instead of 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 and succeed
oil in hitting the ceiling and almost ev-
erything in the ROOM but in vain did
endeavor to return the balls into Mai
sizes court or side of the table.
have the reputation of being good
slogger at cricket. The little balls few
about like bullets. and Maisie bobbed
every now and then 10 let them pass
her head. At last l had no more balls
to hit.
Now you must gather them" said
Maisie Il think you're improving"
/ smiled and crawled beneath chairs,
cropping with my hands in dusty cor
ners. 1t was really wonderful where
those balls rolled to. When | emerged.
Maisie said:
Now you must try and win the next
set"
Don't you think we might have a
rest?' | suggested.
"Afterward," she smiled.
Ping pong evidently produced enthu-
siasts.
believe l improved, for I almost
won the next game. and then Maisie
passed me and just crept up to the end
"Confound it, / said and brought my
battledore down on the corner of the
table.
"Ohw shrieked Maisie. pointing to
my weapon. There was a cash through
both sides.
I'm afraid I've broken it." apollo
gized.
and I haven't got another" said
Maisie. 80 you must play on with
that
did as was told.
Maisie kept on winning and we
came to the last game Of the set. l was
serving.
"Love-40." called Maisie.
put down my battledore.
III give you this game" | said
you're beaten she laughed
ION this condition. added, ignoring
her retort. that as you have the 40
you'll let me have the love"
She laughed. but a tinge of red suf-
fused her cheeks.
You agree?" asked.
You'll learn ping pong?" she par
ried.
"Of course"
when you beat me- she started.
'Well| ] stretched out my hand.
Then you can ask me again." And
she ran out or the room.
MaisIe is almost as exasperating as