Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1901-07-11
The Daily Short Story +;
PING PONG.


isn't the weather awful?" said
Maisie.
Ell couldn't get cab or anything at
tie station, so had to walk"
u SUPPOSE you're n bit damp?"
Just trihe." My hat had made
small pool.
"oh, I'm dreadfully bored. Do make
haste and get those wet things of. 1
want you to play ping pong with me-"
What on 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 1 had had something on
my mind for a considerable time. She
was waiting for me as 1 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" 1 asked.
'Ping pong" she laughed.
Sounds Chinese
mo, it's English. Just like tennis"
"Well"
you've got to play"
But 1 don't like tennis" / remon-
strated.
1 think it's n finicky game.
I'm going to teach you ping pong"
she replied.
/ succumbed.
Every WELL" murmured.
She gave me Il 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 1 wanted to have n chat with
you. Maisie." / demonstrated.
"Afterward, If you are 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 returned crestfallen.
Then the excitement began.
Do you know ping pong? You play
with celluloid balls and battledores on
a table instead of a tennis court. The
little balls naturally bounce abnormally
Il
| tledore.
Ny 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.
tried gentler methods and succeed
ed 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 a good
slogger at cricket. The little balls flew
about like bullets. and Maisie bobbed
every now and then to let them, pass
her head. At last 1 had no more balls
to hit.
Now you must gather them" said
Maisie. Il think you're improving"
1 smiled and crawled beneath chairs
cropping with my hands in dusty cor
ners. 1t was really wonderful where
| those balls rolled to. When l emerged
Maisie said:
Now you must try and win the next
| set
Don't you think we might have a
rest?" l suggested.
"Afterward," she smiled.
Ping pong evidently produced enthu
/ siasts.
/ believe / improved. for I almost
won the next game, and then Maisie
| passed me and just crept up to the end
"Confound itp' 1 said and brought my
| battledore down on the corner of the
| table.
ooh" shrieked Maisie, pointing to
my weapon. There was n cash through
both sides.
I'm afraid I've broken it," 1 apollo
| gized.
"And 1 haven't got another" said
| Malsie. $50 you must play on with
| that"
did as was told.
AIaisie kept on winning, and we
| came to the last game of the set. 1 was
| serving.
"Love-4O," called Maisie. +
put down my battledore.
"I'll give you this game" said.
you're beaten" she laughed.
"On this condition" 1 added, ignoring
her retort. that as you have the 4O
| 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
| rled.
"Of course"
"When you beat me- she started.
4 ssWpllf" / stretched ont my hand