The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1921-08-29
discuss remiss plays as does the whist

discuss remiss plays as does the whist
player.
This has been merely description of
the play by the regulars" There is
much more concerning the croquet
games of Newfane, however, which are
worthy of notice In the fall and spring
court session the law solons of southern
Vermont have as much concern for their
croqltet form as they have for their abil-
ity to press or defend cases involving
the finest points of law.
During working hours" they are
within the walls of the beautiful little
court house with its immaculate white
walls and it's Grecian pillars. But when
sessions are adjourned or recess IS de.
clared. oftentimes the diningrOoms of
Newfane Inn or the Windham County
House. the latter an adjunct to the
county Jail. see dignihed jurists and at
torneys hurrying their 'vittles" so that
they may spare an extra minute or two
for the game which follows.
And during the early eyenlg. or late
! afternoon. everything else is sidetracked
| for croquet. and the game goes soberly on,
with Judge. contending counsel, plant
! iff and defendant or respondent alike out
upon the greensward, contending for the
! honor of taking the next game.
! There have been pauses when the jury
! is out celebrating, or when they are off
somewhere taking Il view. At such
times the pauses are employed in the
same manner. and such things as iti-
CATION, criminal prosecutions or grand
! jury deliberations are thought of not
at all.
Jury Waits for End of Game.
Some time ago a defendant appeared
who likewise enjoyed the reputation OF
| being one of the most fashy croquet
players in the state. Being out on bail
| he did not have to bother with sheriffs
or the like when court was not in SEES
sion. and he was in the habit of taking
on all Corners when the occasion pre-
scented itself. The jury finally went out
and from the time it took to pursue Its
deliberations everyone believed it had
gone out for good,
This bothered the defendant, the
judge or the cOntending attorneys not
at all. According to local tradition the
four of them grabbed mallets rs soon as
the judge could divest himself of his le
gal robes, and they were hard at it
| The game proceeded slowly, and evenly
| and when one of the deputies came out
and announced to the judge that the
! jury was ready to report he looked NJ
with irritation and declared that court
would have to wait
And wait it did. All four players
were engaged in negotiating the last side
! wicket with the two end wIcketS and
/ the stake following. That was no time
/ to announce that a jury was ready tC
! return. ana everyone. particularly tl'
engrossed defendant, recognized the fact
: Accordingly the game went on. Will
the judge and defendant coming up t
the stake neck to neck, the attorneys
! following n step in the rear. FevcriShiy
Z the game waged. first in favor of one
+ then in favor of the other. Finally
with a brilliant squirt. the defendant
caught the advantage. and rompct
through to a well-deserved victory.
You win observed the Judge Will
"a sigh. Now lets go in and see what
i that fool jury has to say
Newport may have its tennis, Ekwa
nOk and other swagger places may have
their golf. Myopia can brag all it pleases
of its pony polo classics. But II mile.
, up the West river valley from Rrattle
bOro the picturesque little town of New
| fame. boasting the title of shire town
likewise takes pride in its croquct class
les. Other towns can turn out bal
i players who become heroes in the worlc
/ series they can develop football players
who defat Yale, Harvard, or make th'
! AlI-American.
! Newfane cares not whoop for al
/ this So long as the court house parl
offers a scene for CrOQuet competition q
! a purely local sort. just 50 long will the
/ town be satisfied with its institutions
! IF the county authorities decided to move
! the county seat to BrattleborO. as the'
/ have often threatened. it is doubtful i
, such an event would cause any NOR
/ commotion than an effort To abOlisl
4, these croQuct games. They are tow
classics and accordingly they are dcs
tined to outlive the youngest inhabitant