The Washington herald., 1908-07-12

tree, we'll wrought and carved. with elsht
great slSrewes and eighteen small
skrewes."
New Oval Table.
II Is said that old billiard tables were OF
many and various shapes. so that the
new oval table now enjoying great popu-
larity in England may not be so very new
after all. This innovation, Il Is declared.
does away with the possibility Of nurs-
Ing and top % The table play. and gives
a more scientific basis 10 the game. be-
sides furnishing greater opportunity for
exhibitions OF skill, calculation, dehcacy
OF touch. and execution OF stroke.
The English architect who designed this
oval table planned IL 50 that the balls
would always be mere accessible. the
rest or bridge. seldom being required,
and to obviate the necessity for assuming
different attitudes when making a stroke.
The oval table also affords excellent op-
portunides for posing as well as flirting,
especially whese Il becomes necessary 10
hold feminine hands while teaching ANA
teurs tho technicallties OF the cue.
y Few peopla have Frencn markers,
with a dial 40 register scores, set IN the
70 the Chinese button and wire. A touch
Of the cue sends the buttons flying to
the end of the string and a glance at
II shows the score. Where mantel mark
ers ave employed these often INCLUDE
mirrors. in which players may admire
the reflection OF their pretty strokes.
Many wish that ell reflections were az
silent during the progress CT a game.
Various cloths have served their tern
as covers fer billiard tables all clinging
faithfully 90 a green color possibly as a
reminder that billiards was evoved from
game once played upon the turf. some
what analogous 10 bowling and called
'baiyards, name meaning ball and
stick" For centuries the cue was known
as the mast" stick and mace.
and the modern billiard table had its
somewhat crude prototype In 1914 Bill
Hard cloth is made in Veryier. Belgium.
and is known as Simon!s cloth This af-
fords tho most perfect medium for the
progress OF the balls OF ivory. out Of
which the best billiard balls are made,
Tor no other substance. experts affirm.
possesses such elasticity The same re-
suits cannot be obtained with compost
tion balls. Balls for pool are often made
OF a composition of oelluloid and other
ingredients. the qualities and proper
tions Of which are held sacred.
Qualities Demanded by billiards.
In order to play a good game Of bill
liords one must possess excellent; sight.
steady nerves. alert mental faculties. and
the ability 10 make rapid combinations
% meet exigencics Of ever new positions
OF the balls Billiards demands the quail
tiles necessary 10 good chess playing and
those imperative IN fencing In the first
case. planning ahead and calculating
strokes and counterstrol1es cannot be
/ INDUCED in deliberately. as IN chess. but
must usually be the work of an instant
Here come into play the attributes Of an
expert fencer-alertness of mind and mo-
| ton, suppleness OF limb. and a trained
/ eye. educated 10 see an attack and for
mulate a couEtercharge al the same in
/ stant: 10 estimate distance. describe an
giles. and take in points The billiard
player obtains physical exercise and men
4 tai relaxation at the same time. and In.
| sensibly and inevitably trains all his
4 faculties 20 a wonderful degree Nc
game is superior to IL in the development
\ Of skill calculation. precision. and dex.
! terity
! The billiard player is usually quick al
/ rcpartee and spirited in conversation. Tn,
game he PLAYS teaches a man much NOR,
/ than how TO drive bail successfully snC
a woman more than the art OF moving
! gracefully as she wields her cue. WomeI
make good billiard PLAYERS, and many
| one declares that her husband enjoys he,
! compsniOnahip more because she is abI
/ 20 beat him az billiards.
The weight OF cues depends upon IN,
/ fancy OF the player who uses that I,
which he has accustomed himself Elk
perts play with a cue that weighs from
/ nineteen 10 twenty ounces and the shat
/ Of maple Is preferred TO any other kind
/ In England those uf ebony still have Z
! vogue. The standard one IS four fee
aIne inches IN length. with maple shat
and butt Of rosewood. ebony. California
! rosewo6d-indeed. any wood that Is deco
rative in hue and texture.
Evolution of the Cue.
Ivory tips are OF ancient origin. bu
/ leather ones and the use OF chalk upo,
them 10 prevent their slipping upon IN,
balls were not introduced until 1896 Older
cues went through various evolution
such as perfectly nat ends: points. some
times Of ivory. In 1760. the obliuue cut
that rounded upon one side. and TN
beveled cue Persons often use cues in
laid with pearl and with fancy gold an,
silver name plates. once IN a while. som
player is presented with iawel set cue
but he keeps such souvenirs and t-ophie
for ornament rather than service
Practically every nobleman's house s.
England and every chauteau in Franc
had its billiard table, and the game va
popular in England for more than cen
tury before il was introduced in America
Prior TO the nineteenth century the onl,
billiard table In New York was owned b,
an Irishman on Whitehall dock. and New
York'S first billiard room was opened Il
iS0S-one hundred years ago.
So fashionable did the game becom
later that among men who We'd with on
another IN the beauty OF their billlar
appointments was Alexander Hamilton
who possessed q richly carved six pocke
mahogany table. y by feet in size.
modern dsvCtee TO the pastime was tn
late Henry Ward Beecher. who praise
the game as a noble" one. TO be en-
couraged in all safe ways" and who sal
that billiards must be regarded as on
Of the most charming games invented
statement to which every player yield
hearty assent