Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1902-12-25

Noel how to serve into the double
edges Of the big mahogany table whieh
we borrowed from the vicar. It was
just the right size (nine feet by Ape>,
but the double edges gave sort Of
piQuancy to the play which I thought
would be lacking in mere ordinary
table from professional place. Miriam
da was to look after the tea, and was
to lead off against the vicar, who, in
stead of prachcing, went to the British
museum to hunt up ancient authorities.
He said that before undertaking so Sc
rious task he wanted to see whether
the Athenians had ever played the
game under another name. But, in
spite Of his putting it in that way, he
grew just as keen about pingpong as
anybody else and actually made his
wife practice with him one evening.
They Quarreled for the first time in
their lives because she would serve into
his waistcoat, and he said it was tax
ing mean advantage.
When the eventful evening came, we
had the old sewing clubwomen on one
side of the room and the blanket fund
old men on the Observation-Disclosures and
Capulets," the Rev. Arthur called
them. Burridges and Hindleys would
have been nearer the mark. Then the
vicar opened the proceedings in his
usual absentminded way, as if he were
at a penny reading, and from mere
force Of habit announced that "Mr.
poNffotS0r rir D.
fore he could be prevented young
Smith began on "It was at Flores, in
the Hazores," and Noel was the only
person present who had the pluck to
stop him. He has hated her ever since.
We started with myself and the VIC
ar, and he didn't play badly for be-
ginner, although between serves" he
frequently stopped to explain that he
had seen picture of prehistoric Ping
pong" in Punch and that if any one
would give him Mr.. Reeds address he
would communicate with him on the
subject, as even prehistoric animals
had their feelings and could doubtless
be Influenced for good if treated with
kindness When he lost, he became a
little testy; so we played it all over
again, and let him, as Noel said,
'romp home an easy winner" That
dear child is learning the most ex-
traordinary expressions from her bos-
ON friend the landlord of the Spotted
Dog.
After Miranda had won her game
against the churchwarden no one else
in the village professed to understand
pingpong or to have the hardihood to
play it in public, so about 9 o'clock we
came to the Capulets and Montagues,
the Burridges and the Hindleys, the
blanket fund and the sewing club.
Noel told me afterward, with seraph-
1c smile, that she and the landlord of
the Spotted Dog had arranged with
the villagers that they were not to in
terfere. The landlord had dim sort
OF idea what Miss Jarvis was going to
do, and he worshiped Noel to such an
extent that the child believed that if
he could have "got at" the Rev. Ar
thurs modest glass of table beer he
Ghe landlor0 would have 'hocused"
the poor curate or painted his Bit"
whatever that may mean.
When old Mrs. Burridge's name was
called, she smiled at Miss Jarvis and
said, do e tell the gentry, dearie, as
his reverence is goin' to play for me,
and God be good to us all" She went
to sleep again, and old Hindley got up
and said, Little missile be a-goin' to
play for 1, and I've got four quarts on
herr!
Then this seraphic child, with eyes
Of heavenly blue she's only twelve),
her golden hair flowing down her back
(blue ribbon). white tennis things, blue
sash round her dainty waist, white
doeskin shoes and another blue rib
bon at her pretty throat, f1oated up to
the table, produced a lucky penny with
hole in it from her pocket and held
it out to the Rev. Arthur, with smile
so sweet, so pure, so holy, that old
Mrs. CANNED burst into tears and said
"the pretty creetur' is mort too good
for this world. and it do seem savage
like for grit big man to worrit her
So"
"Wwhat's that for?" asked the Rev.
Arthur, taken aback.
'Toss for service, please" said Noel.
"Your call"
The Rev. Arthur called, "Head."
Tail, think" said Noel politely.
eyes, tail 1t is. serve"
"Cer-certainly. By all means, Miss
Noel" said the Rev. Arthur.
You go to the other end" said Noel,
"and, mind you, keep within tho lines
of the table,"
"I-I don't see any lines" protested
the Rev. Arthur.
Noel explained.
"You-you won't think me unkind If
I winr' asked the Rev. Arthur, who is
the tenderest hearted man in the
world.
Certainly not" replied Noel.
Twouldn't be sportsmanlike."
II think we are ready to begin"
said the Rev. Arthur after bewil-
dered pause.
81 have been ready for the last five
minutes" Noel declared.
am 1,o,,u 1o.x.s.o >,