The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1921-08-18
REVIVAL OF cRoQUET.
Quiet Pastime is Coming Back to Pop
ular Favor.

The news that the game Of croquet
is undergoing revival leads one to won
der if the hoop skirt and the hustle
will return with it. So many of those
lovely ladies, swinging their gentle
mallets in the pictures Of the careful.
ly edited pages of Harper's Monthly
Magazine, and Harper's Bazaar, were
arrayed for the sport that it is diff.
cult for the survivors Of a generation
no longer young to imagine the pas
time without these picturesque habili-
| ments.
The SCARED hero of the polo field or
the football game may scoff at this
more quiet pastime. Yet it too has
its wounded veterans Well do we re-
call friend, still with the quick, who
lost three teeth and carries a bad scar
an his lips to this day. because of a
spirited match in which he played, a
young woman being his opponent. Per
haps the hot sun had melted the glue.
At all events. in an effort to drive her
ball from one end of the lawn to the
other, off flew the head of her croquet
mallet and hit him full in the mouth.
No game with such possibilities should
be laughed out Of court
1t also has the advantage of being
easily taken up after long lapse from
training. Few tennis players care to
play before a gallery. when they have
not touched racquet for years. They
know that remarks will be made that
would in no way add to their pleasure
-
general vanity should they hear them.
Looking aeeusinRly at the racquet as
If il were entirely to blame Ia only
good for about the first game and
half in set. Pretending that ones
new tennis shoes are also responsible
is likewise a vain maneuver Shouts
of I'm off my game horribly to-day
fool no one. What should be pure
pleasure becomes an embarrassing and
humiliating experience.
Even at golf it is seldom that the
links are so deserted that there will
not be someone around to observe the
turf flying through the air in place
of the ball, or many of the other lit
tie idiosyncrscies that are so apt to
develop If one does not every day Join
the innumerable caravan that moves
TO the links. II is difficult to play in
secret.
But with eroquet the novice is by
no means SO inclined TO feel that all |
eyes are upon him in amusement and |
iisapproval no matter which one Of |
the many possible shots he may at
tempt. Even il he only manages to
20 through the first OF the two wick
It's which should have been made with |
he opening drive he is not apt TO be
greatly derided. Missing the stake is
not considered a crime II has al
vays seemed 10 us a game where pleas
irs is the main object.
OF course we are here speaking of
lie common lawn variety and not of
hat highly scientif game played upon
court rolled to the smoothness OF a
billiard table with the wickets--or SO
has always appeared to us-just
bout half-inch narrower than the
'alls that are supposed 20 pass
through them. That is for those who
axe life and sport seriously and pro-
cheney must be their reward.
But of the old.fsshioned game we
ave many pleasant memories. Played
n the late afternoon with cool shad
ws and refreshing breezes, the ending
{ the game left one with exactly the
orreet thirst for the delightful drinks
hat were so apt to be served at its
onclusion. Alas, the game may in
eed be coming back to popular ia !
or TO end, a. do so many things these /
avs, in lemonade and grape juice. II
ill not seem the same.-Hsrper's | /
ourant. II