Year: 1875

[From the Danbury News,l


Croquet, that eminently fascinating
game, was introduced on the premises
OF the Collins Friday. In the after
noon Podge's boy brought up the set,
and just before tea Mrs Collins arrang-
ed the wickets. Collins had learned to
play when visiting in Glovershire, last
summer, and Mrs. Collins acquired an
Indifferent knowledge of the game from
two elderly maiden sisters in Paxon
street. And so on that delicious Friday
afternoon, they TOOK out their mallets
and balls and commenced the game


Now, Emmeline, playfully observed
Mr.. Collins, don't you begin cheating
at the start. If you do, the game will
be prostituted to mere gambling, an
we'll iniure our moral natures in trying
to build up our physical


4sPrupIe who are so ready to charge
against others may need close watching
themselves, young man, said she, in the
same spirit, and L mean to keep sharp
eye on you.


Then they both laughed.


But it will be good thing for you,'
he said, with a tinge of tenderness In his
voice; you are kept cooped up in the
house so that you hardly get breath of
fresh air. This will give you exercise,
and keep you. out doors, too


You are always thinking of me, said
she, as her eyes grew moist. You need
the outdoor air as much as do, but you
are too unselfish to think of yourself


And thus exchanging sentiments
which did credit to both their hearts,
tie game progressed.


After passing through the center
wicket, Mr.. Collins used her ball to help
himself through the other wicket to the
upper stake. Then he left her near the
first wicket, and struck for the stake,
which, being about eight inches distant,
made him confident. The ball missed
by about an eighth of an inch.


declare, he exclaimed, in vexation.


Then she, having watched his rapid
progress, now struck for him and hit
him, and a minute later his ball was
spinning through the grass to the other
end of the gound. She was now in
position for her wicket, and passed
through it and the others to the stake,
but missed it. Then came up by well
directed blow to within two inches of
the stake. But she went for him again,
and when she got through, she was three
wickets beyond the stake, and his ball
was at the other end of the ground
again, and his brow was finely corruga-
ted. He stepped nervously toward it.
1t was quite evident that he was not I'M
ruffied. When his turn came again, he
drove back to the stake, but struck
wicket, and rebounded so close to her
that she easily hit him, and again intro
duced him through wickets he was not
for, and then sent him flying again.
Her success caused her to laugh and he
heard it.


You think you are pretty smart, but
III get even with you, he said, without
smiling.


You'll have to play better than you
have done, she pertinently suggested.


81 think know as much about GRO
quet as you do, he said, still with a
straight face. sIf you had any fairness
about you, you'd let me have that stroke
over, when [ was up to the stake. You
knew slipped as well as I did, he said
growing red in the face.


No, [ didn't know anything about it,
she replied taking on little color.


L say you did


And [ say didn't. But if you are
going to play this game, why don't you
go ahead?'


I'll play when I get ready he an
swered, turning white about the mouth.


IF you amt going to play, you'd bet
ter go into the house and shut up she
suggested raising her voice.


Don't you talk to me that way he
cried, 'or I'll make you sorry for it, you
brazen-faced hussy.'


'Hussy, hussyi' she screamed. sAin't
you ashamed of yourself, John Jacob
Collins to call your wife hussy? Hussy
am I, you old villain. Hussy is it, you
miserable brute. I'm to be called q
hussy, am I, after working my knuckles
off for you, and shaving for thirty years
after your crooked carcass. There she
cried In proxysm, throwing the mallet
on the ground, take your old croquet
and shove it down your lying throat and
choke yourself to death with it, If you
want to, you miserable old wretch.
And don't you ever ask me to play with
you again, or I'll tell you something
you'll remember the longest day YOU
live, you old devil


And then she bounced into the house.
leaving him standing there and rubbing
his head, in benumbed sort of way.
But almost Immediately after, she thrust
her head out of the window and snapped
out:


You needn't think you are going to
get any hot biscuit for tea in this house
this night, young man, and you can put
that In your pipe and smoke it, just as
soon as you have mind to-