Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-11-01

are lined up along the wall and there
they stay One may occasionally soak
an opponent with a cue. Men have
been known to dig long, ragged fur
rows in the green cloth of the table
top. But there is no record of a chair
ever having been moved a fraction Of
an inch.
The chair itself has the appearance
of having begun life as a metal wicker
, basket and then given up when it
found how hopelessly 1t was bungling
the job. and retired on pension. Each
chair is made of metal. When the oc-
cupant moves, the chair sways with a
gentle signing noise like an old row.
boat in an ocean swell. Each chair ac-
commodities about three-quarters of
an ordinary-sized man. Hence he
tucks his knees under his chin and
breathes gently lest he push the arms
off the chair and get into trouble with
one of the officials
After the Observer had gotten fairly
accustomed to his surroundings he
looked around cautiously Beside him,
cur1ed around in the attitude of a well
fed boa constructor, sat a lean gentle
man Who despite the heat Of the room,
insisted upon wearing his overcoat.
This man had a way of cooking his
as though aiming gun and holding
this attitude until the shot which had
attracted him was completed.
X
The Observer watched him with pro-
found interest. If he had only pointed
his thumb at the table he would have
passed anywhere for an art critic. This
man clearly was an expert. 1t would
be well to talk with him.
So the expert and the Observer fell
into conversation over the peculiarities
OF the game. simultaneously their at
tentlon became riveted on an enor-
mously stout man who brought his
mastodonic abdominal proportions in
to sharp relief by wearing a plaid vest.
This individual had thrust his cue be-
mind him and backed up against the
| table. Farther and farther back he
leaned with the cue still behind him.
He breathed like an elderly, liverish
grampus which had overfed itself.
Great beads of perspiration stood upon
his Redeemed face. Back--back--
We had better hurry for doctor.
said the Observer, excitedly. If that
elephant leans another half inch more
his spine will crack"
The expert ignored him. He was
squirting, all interest.
Just at that moment the corpulent pool
player gave gargantuan lunge and
hit the cue ball in defiance of all the
laws Of chance. The cue ball gently
tapped another ball, which slid reluct-
antly into the pocket
Got it," said the fat man in tones of
unctuous satisfaction.
There was a slight ripple of applause
The game proceeded and the expert
and the Observer were able to resume
their conversation.
He shouldn't have made the shot
that way" said the expert in mourn
full voice.
You bet your life he shouldn't"
agreed the Observer heartily WHY if
that man keeps on like that he's going
and"
1T put him in bad position" stated
the expert.
Exactly" said the Observer. over
5oyed at being so easily understood. Il
can see that you and l as intelligent
men can discuss this business intelli-
gently. To me his position, as he back
ed against that table, was acutely imi-
tative of a Zeppelin dirigible caught in
the limbs of tree. I might add
"Aw, shucks." said the expert. in
tones of disgust, Il meant the position
of the cue ball. If he'd shot across the
tabie-banked the ball-he'd been in
position for his next shot. AS it is he
has tangled himself up"
Vaguely the Observer felt a sense of
disappointment steal over him. He had
fooled his approach.
But that didn't worry the expert.
Forthwith he deluged the Observer
| with wild-eyed polysyllabic technicali-
ties of a most astonishing nature. He
! talked about English and reverse-Eng-
lish-which the Observer took to mean
the Irish-and carom shots and balks.