The daily Alaskan., 1905-06-13
A LOVE GAME
orlelnall

IherN are tnfNc CT US ooSVtn ltitiNo Nho understand one another perfectly Tom Allison. Bob Turnlcc and my self. We are forever chafllng ono an- other, posing fun, rldicullng, abusing tn short, doing everything but prais- Ing. At times Tom and Bob will unite to hammer me numerically; then it will be Tom and against Bob or Bob and against Tom.
 When Lydia first saw us together she held her breath. expecting 10 sec me land a blow plumb between Toms eyes. Then she expected to see Tom pick up a poker and brain me. But when the process was repeated be- tween Tom and Bob sbe began to won der what it an meant FiHally SIC be- came fascinated with it
 "Im going to try it with Mae she said Co me.
 Better not Women won't stand that sort of thing" sald to her.
 "rd like to know why. They can stand it just as well as men-that iS II they want to-"
 That's It exactly; they don't want to"
 Il shah explain it all to Mae; then ven lpgin."
 "YouW lose your friend. I tell you what you do. Begin with man Spe- ciansts going In for n dangerous cX. pertinent first try it on a dog. | win bc your dog in this instance"
 "You don't seem to have a very high opinion of yourself"
 Never mind that You wish Co be on what I win call abusive terms with very dear friend. After you have proved that you can stand such trcat. mcut yourself t win ho time enough Co try 1t on Mac. When shah we be- giny'
 "Now,"
 "very well: now it Is. We win play . rubber cf plnrpong, Twin treat you exactly as do Tom and Rob IT | offend you during two games, you give up your attempt with Mac"
 She accepted the terms and we went to the table she served the ball At the first serve it struck the line be- tween the courts
 "Gct that squint out of your eye" | remarked, and put the ball in the court"
 could see the blood mount Co her cheek, but. with a sDasmodic effort, she controlled herself and gave me the next bah properly. l am very expert at piugpong; when returned it land ed it In her eye
 You did that on purpose" she said hotly.
 "Of course I did, and m do it again If you give me another such balL That's not your side of the table stand on the other side"
 She dartcd an angry glance at mo, but bethought herself, and, biting her lip, proccciod with the game. We had a number Of spirited returns, and at last she missed the bah and 1t rolled under a sofa. She waited for me to get it. Since I was playing with a woman and it vas only-in words that l was Co treat her as a man. l com piled. But I gave the usual Crumhle, "If you cant do any better than that, m send c balloon at you"
 Again she bit her ln. but said nOth- ing except to count, making a mistake.
 Fifteen love"
 See here" I said, laying my racket on the table. "If you can't win the game by a fair count you'd better give it up"
 q meant love-hfteen; you know very well l did. You're trying to az gravate me I'll aCgravate you and see how you like it."
 She served the ball viciously, and it fell clear Of the table.
 "There you-you horrid thing"
 That's fine repartce. You'd make a good end man at a minstrel show"
 By this time her eye shone with sun. pressed anger and her checks were flaming. The game had only been be gun. and | considered it ungenerous Co push her too hard, so l let her alone till we stood forty deuce; then | began Q little prodding. She had very lugu- brious look on her face, partly from anger and partly from injured inno- cence.
 Come. Mrs. Dismal" I said "why don't you weep a few tearsy They'd blind your eyes and give me the game. 20
 "I don't care. You're acting horri- bly. I never heard you talk this way before. even to Tom or Bob"
 "wen. now, like that. This would be peaches and cream to either Of 'em. Vantage outr'
 She was so lustered that she missed, though I had put the bah in the center of her court.