Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-10-19
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT AND
THE BISHOP OF LONDON


There was @ fine Favor of ancient roy
atty iu that swift and startling game
OF lavn-teuuis in which the Lord Bish-
op of London had The honor 30 van-
quish the president Of the United
states. 10 recalled the golden days Of
Franco when the king played az
Tongue paume' ou the green courts of
Nereallles. and fair ladies and gallant
men stood 10y TO applaud his maJesty's
winning smaslCs over the net.
The present game recalled the royal
ana ancient contests chiefly by cone
trast While the Lord Bishops mission
90 America was a special manifestation
OF Great Britains amity to us, u WAS
as friend and sportsman that he met
our chief executive in the arena. Far
from enjoying the applause OF "a distiu-
guised gallery. the host TOOK special
pains Co. exclude all witnesses. Indeed.
The precautions 90 ensure secrecy could
not have been greater II the illustrious
protagonists were To- face each other
on the field OF honor The court is hid
den from the gaze ~ the general pub
Tic by "a screen OF green canvas II feet
high The general understanding iu
Washington was that the great game
would be played On Saturday, bat early
Friday morning the court keeper 20 the
clay, swayed taunt the guys that stay
the net and renewed with eXJctitudc
the dazzling white boundary lines.
Within an hour after his arrival in
Washington on Friday afternoon. the
Right Reverend Arthur Foley Winning
ton-lngram presented himself at the
White House. Promptly at o'clock the
illustTious contestants emerged from
the presidents Office IN the White
House into the court hard by. They
were the president Asst Atty-Gcn
Cooley, James A. Garfield. secretary OF
the interior, an in conventional tennis
costume, and the Lord Bishop OF Lon
don, no longer in shovel-hat and gail
ters. but clothed In LONG naunels OF
spotess white. There was one witness
of the contest-Silas McBee. editor of
the ChurChman.
An informal game was played first
so that the visitor might measure tho
strength, SIKH, and strategy Of the 9TH
or players. Then half-dollar was
tossed IN air.
Heads cried the bishop. as the
coin spun TO the ground
Heads she lies. responded the prcsi-
dent inspecting the silver. This gave
the bishop first choice Of partners and
he chose TO retain Mr.. Cooley. who had
been his partner I'm the preliminary
sNrmish
q NAf A'AlANHA NOW UEEaIl ITO earnest.
ana lasted until twilight The bishop
vas as agile as a panther His siuewy
arm, barred 10 the elbow showed
strong muscular development. and his
service was hard and extraordinarily
accurate. He drove the ball first TO
the back court with unerring strokes.
then lobbcd Il over the net so tantaliz-
ingly near and yet so far He never
ran, but always appeared just where
he wanted to be. And It was said Of his
partner, who Is usually OF the ruthless
type Of player. that he seemed 70 gath
er conservatism and dignity FROM his
lllustrious co-player, and dropped the
BAH here and there with the precision
and accuracy of a theologian stating a
syllogism."
Now could be heard the exulting cry
of Mr.. McBee: We'll played bishop,
Played. sir" and anon the ringing
shout of the president TO his partner.
"A hot one, Jimmy! Close TO the net,
old man, and Wen get 'em,"
The chilly wind OF the late afternoon
brought a glow to the checks Of the
players as they ran, jumped, and skid
ded across the court in their endeayor
10 hit the elusive white balls. II took
the president only short time to realize
that, In colloquial parlance. he was up
against il good and hard. However
he put up a stiif fight. but 10 those who
had vantage points from which TO mark
the progress OF the game-mainly the
windows OF the state. war. and navy
departments building across the way
II seemed that. somehow or other
the presidents racquet was just a tri-
fle too short IN some instance and
not quite wide enough In others 10 en-
able him TO return the drives Of his
lordship and his partner No sooner
had the game closed than the restless
wave Of conjecture swept across the
world. The doubles match at Newport
never aroused the interest that AT once
arose I'm this contest, and the question.
Who won2' was asked throughout
America and England But Tor long
there was no answer. IL was said that.
by arrangement the result Of the
match should be clouded in mystery
Inquiries were made in the high places
of the government, but stll there was
no answer. BY this time the world was
on tiptce Then his lordship. on his
way To Richmond TO attend the Tri-
ennial convention Of the Episcopal
church, let the long-oXpected cat out OF
the bag. When he was asked whether
he would ten who had won the match
be replied. Certainly / viii, / did" So
the world may come down upon the
soles OF its feet and wait for the next
matter Of importance.-Harper's Week