DTS eptibaeeNeaee ; : =~ : “s . : popsticrrts: . 7 conan sate sn 7 - ; BN ne . ‘ ee Rs on eS igechae iy ; ISERIES ire ore PSA AG ACS ei PLES RNa Inara Sawn tos eS dew agama SO te: fats Ss fe THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS LIBRARY 72G.3D4 “The person charging this material is re- sponsible for its return to the library from which it was withdrawn on or before the Latest Date stamped below. Theft, mutilation, and underlining of books are reasons for disciplinary action and may result in dismissal from the University. To renew call Telephone Center, 333-8400 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS LIBRARY AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN s : - z ee). ae ee eee 2 eee 22 1 2 2 7 i : 5 ge Wty % L161—O-1096 ’ Py ' Fs i‘ i Mi d . ‘ + i, ad . Ea. na - i mo th mae ; \ ‘ 4 4 = , med i y rath 5 & ‘aa 4 ’ i ‘ 4 ‘ i Z i * *, é h ef Ay |e © ide : ty \ “7 , ‘ ‘ x \ j i aah Ny ° . 45] _ " f Ju =" pee ee , ya ‘ i ee 2 i Le | a i 1 r y - 4 = Fe i J v “ - ww ‘a Vite 4 a i ey ‘ Q ’ if } ue *, aL | Gi sa) ue ty a ‘ Moss} ee Sey Ve OE ae LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY oF ILLINOIS Sra a wn Cat | NIRS NC ww | Ww RS SSS \ wy WHT i, Sey es hod \. é LAP i HU) As ALAA, A AMEELL 44/7 a 24 Ae ALIS, som 4A ae 4 a te j Ztifigy [Midi SA WW ) YE! / Y- a ee Y/Y “Ae OEE ae, Vs LL) WLLL D4 LIE BOY : VS \ \ OK '& ra) ) r 7 as { THE GAME OF CROQUET: ITS _ APPOINTMENT AND LAWS; WITH DESCRIPTIVE ILLUSTRATIONS. By R. FELLOW. NEW YORK: PUBLISHED BY HURD AND HOUGHTON. 401 BROADWAY, Cor. WALKER STREET. 1865. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1865, by HurD AND HoucGHTon, in the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern District of New York. RIVERSIDE, CAMBRIDGE? ‘“STEREOTYPED AND PRINTED BY H. 0. HOUGHTON AND COMPANY. REMOTE STORAGE PREFACE. ——~¢—— In the following handbook I have endeavored to give a concise but thorough and intelligent account of the method in which the game of Croquet is played, the laws that regulate it, and the best form that the implements take. ‘The game is so simple and easily understood, that only the ingenuity of ambitious commentators can invest it with any ap- pearance of difficulty. Whilst, therefore, in the Laws, I have wished to cover all contingencies, I have not thought it either necessary or helpful to the player to burden him with a formidable array of regulations ; besides, it would be a pity to strip Croquet of one of its liveliest features, namely, the trial of wits to settle delicate questions. It is hoped that exactness of description, absence of confusing and useless tech- nicalities, and comprehensiveness unite to make the handbook as accurate and thorough as the existing state of the game will permit; but perfection cannot be hoped for in the infancy of Croquet, and I shall be happy to receive suggestions of improvement from any expert. R. F. 56/60 | CONTENTS. —_e—. I. INTRODUCTION . ; F : : Il. IMpLEMENTsS. : 2 : ; F 3 ds BALis.”: : . ‘ 2. MALLETS . 3. 4, ARCHES ‘ STAKES . . ; Ill. Croquet GRouND . ’ a : IV. ConpuctT oF THE GAME . : é VY. Laws ND MO Pf & WH . THE START . ORDER OF PLAY. ; : . ARCHES . STAKES . . RoQuET . CROQUET . ROVER 8. INTERRUPTION AND DISPLACEMENT . VI. VARIATIONS OF THE GAME VII. Hints yo PLayers Vill. Terms . CROQUET. —e—. Ir is the charm of .Croquet that it is so simple that.a looker-on even may learn the car- Introduc- dinal points in a single game, and yet so °™ perpetually fresh that one may see a party that has played all the afternoon, groping about in the dusk and knocking the balls almost at random for the sake of one more game, or rushing out of doors at the first holding up of a rain-storm, clad in water-proofs and india-rubbers, to start the balls on their mazy round. Happy those who make up the party, and not wholly unblest those who watch the game, for there is nothing in it to mystify a beholder, — no in- scrutable bowlings and runnings, and jargon of slang, such as makes the ignorant spectator of cricket stu- pidly wonder at the inexplicable enthusiasm of the cricketers. The popularity of Croquet is easier to account for than its origin. All of a sudden there appear upon the surface of England, and now also here and there in America, numberless little arches and stakes, while excited people armed with mallets drive colored balls 8 CROQUET. through the arches and at the stakes hour after hour. Nobody knows how the game started; they only know that it is great fun. Nobody even knows why this ingenious combination should be called Croguét at all. In vain the Frenchman bows to the Eng- lishman and thanks him for the game, and would he be so kind as to say what possible connection there can be between knocking the balls about in the pre- scribed manner, and the process of crackling, of devouring, of making a first sketch in drawing, of filching or pilfering, — all of which significations the verb croguét enjoys? ‘The Englishman thanks the Frenchman for the word, and can only offer the still more mysterious explanation afforded by the noun croquét, a hard gingerbread nut. toquet serves us no better, for what likeness is there between a pug- dog and that musical sound of the clacking of two balls ? We must leave the name and origin of the game . to be fought over in Notes and Queries; and as for the significance of it, we wait patiently for some philosopher to expound the subtle manner in which the game sets forth the epic course of life, where each player starts like the rest, each makes the arches of triumph or affliction, each passes the critical turn- ing stake, and each at last goes out as a dead bail, while all, friends or enemies, exert or are subject to influence from one another. We leave to the mor- CROQUET. 9 alist to expatiate on the value of the game as a trial of virtue. ‘To what sudden perils is one exposed of sing his amiability ; how trying it is when one’s b Il is in some hardly earned position, to see it ruth- lestly knocked to the end of the field by a merciless enelay, and how much harder to have it displaced by some \officious and blundering friend, on whom we must continue to smile, though he — pray it may be she ! —has ruined a dazzling prospect. What num- berless otcasions, too, are given for the exhibition of gallantry. \ How flattering to one’s sense of impor- tance to be entreated on all sides to do something or not to do something else, and how vainly the good- natured man strives to please everybody. Who can resist the appeal of some charmer supplicating him to step out of his course, just to make matters straight for her approaching turn? but then, to what re- proaches is some luckless fellow liable, when in the anxiety of the moment he commits some dreadful blunder! The best consolation is that the fortune of the game constantly is shifting, and the final arbit- rament, when one rover after another has retired, reflects almost as much glory on the vanquished as on the victor. In short, the nice adjustment of chance and skill make the game invariably interesting, and whilst a skilful player has abundant opportunity to do himself honor, an indifferent one manages to stum- ble through in creditable fashion, and do considerable 10 CROQUET. damage to the enemy and favor to his friends by the way. There is no reason why Croquet should not pre- serve and extend its popularity. It has, as every- body soon discovers, the great advantage of being an out-door game, not too fatiguing for a delicate girl, nor too tame for the most adventurous boy. Even a child can readily learn to play it artfully, and we should like to see the old gentleman who could resist its attractions very long. The only objection which can reasonably be urged against it is the un- necessarily high cost of the implements for sale by the toy-makers, and that objection will soon vanish when the toy-makers discover, as they soon will, that they must reduce their prices, or else purchasers will adopt the simple expedient, already successfully em- ployed, of ordering their sets directly of turners and cabinet-makers. Croquet only needs to be known to be generally introduced, and we hail the advent of every new set (if properly made) as the promoter of genuine enjoyment, healthy amusement, and the - lively interests of society. The implements required in the game of Croquet are Balls, Mallets, Arches, and Stakes. So much of the pleasure of the game depends upon the fitness of these implements, that we give a Implements. detailed description which will guide the buyer in his selection of a Croquet Box, or in giving orders for the construction of a set. | CROQUET. 11 The Balls, eight in number, should be spherical, with a circumference of ten inches; if larger, they become too heavy to admit of delicate play; if smaller, firmness of stroke will be lost and croqueting will be awkward. Turkey box- Balls. wood is perhaps the best material, owing to its dense- ness and durability, but it is expensive; of native woods, rock-maple is the best, and answers well the qualifications of toughness and weight; if the wood be less dense, it will be liable to split; a heavier wood will not allow sufficient elasticity in the Croquet. The balls are distinguished by a separate color, best laid on in a belt, which should be painted with three coats, since the exposure of the balls soon dulls the paint. ‘The best colors are those which are most distinct, — black, white, yellowish green, bright blue, brown, pink, scarlet, and yellow. The Mallets, also eight in number, should be in pro- portion to the weight of the balls; where the ball is such as we have described, the head of the mallet should be made of the same ma- Mallets. terial, cylindrical in shape, with the side slightly hol- lowed, something after the fashion of a dice-box, four inches long, and seven inches in circumference 12 CROQUET. on the faces, which should be slightly convex. This form gives a better balance to the mallet-head, and should especially be preferred to the barrel - shape sometimes adopted. ‘T'he handle should be perfectly straight, and may be turned from the ash, which is an excellent wood for the purpose; to be easily grasped, it should be about three inches in circumference at the top, very gradually decreasing to the point of insertion in the head. ‘Three feet is the best length, since this suits both those who use two hands and those who use one: circular tracings upon that part of the handle that is grasped are of some assistance in giving a firmer hold. Each mallet should have a color corresponding to its ball, painted on the handle near its insertion in the head; these colors are not so much for the sake of keeping the mallets and balls in pairs, as for the purpose of distinguishing the players. The Arches, ten in number, should be made of round rod-iron, three-eighths of an inch in thickness, and should stand, when fixed in the ground, twelve inches high, with a width between the sides of ten inches. The sides should be upright, _ and sharpened at the ends, to allow of being easily fixed in the earth. It is an advantage to have the arches painted white, that they may be easily dis- tinguished, especially at nightfall when they, act as snares to the excited players of some closing game, Arches. CROQUET. 13 . tripping them up in their heedless hurry. It is no advantage to paint them of separate colors, as has been recommended, to aid the memory of the player; any one so inattentive or so weak in memory as to forget his arch would only be bewildered by the addi- tion of a color: so, too, Croquet clips, to mark one’s progress, are useless encumbrances, which no player in earnest would need or care to be troubled with, and which cannot be satisfactory as umpires, since the placing of them also depends upon the memory and gives rise to new disputes. There are two Stakes, which should be two feet long and about the thickness of the mallet- handles, rounded at the top and sharpened at the bottom, so as easily to be driven into the ground. The upper half of the Stakes are painted alike with the eight colors in con- Stakes. tiguous rings, and these may be best laid on in the following order, beginning at the top: black, white, yellowish green, bright blue, brown, pink, scarlet, yellow. A perfect Croquet ground would be one laid out permanently for the use of the game. A situation would be chosen, shel- tered as much as possible from the hot sun, and bounded by a parapet or em- bankment, a foot or a foot and a half ing =| height. The field would be in the form =m! 14 CROQUET. of an ellipse, whose long diameter would be one hundred feet, the short sixty feet. It would consist of a perfectly level, hard, and smooth floor of closely trimmed turf, which would be repeat- edly rolled, — prepared, in fact, as the best cricket grounds are prepared. But these conditions are by no means essential; it is desirable only to follow Croquet ground. them as nearly as circumstances will permit. A level surface is the first point to be considered, and the next, scarcely less important, is that the ground should be hard and even. The use of boundaries is generally approved as tending to equalize the play of the strong and the weak, and to decrease the value of the bludgeon blows which some men seem to think constitute the excellence of a Croquet. These boundaries may be indicated easily by natu- ral limits surrounding the field. The ellipse would be the best figure for the enclosure of the field, but a rectangle is sufficiently exact; and even irreg- ular boundaries, made convenient by gravel-wall hardly affect the game seriously. The dimensions of the ground are determined by the arrangement of the arches, and the distance be- tween these will frequently be varied, though we think the proportions given in the accompanying diagram present the best opportunities for skilful play. Variations from this plan are also given, and others may easily be contrived, but this arrangement CROQUET. 15 is the standard one, and most generally acceptable. One point only is subject to much dispute, and that will be considered in the section devoted to variations of the game. A full party at Croquet consists of two sides of four persons each, but any less number upon a side can play, an odd player being balanced by «. victor allowing one on the opposite side to play *°#™* two balls. The balls being individuals, the eight can be played by so few as two persons, each taking four balls. Amongst enthusiastic players, however, six balls, three on each side, make a better game than eight; and many prefer four balls, two on a side, as allowing a quicker game. | T'wo of the party, acting as chiefs, try for the lead, either in the ordinary manner of ball-games, or by a trial of skill, each in turn driving a ball from the cen- tre of the first arch and aiming to lay it nearest the stake. ‘The sides are chosen in alternate succession, and the players take the balls and mallets .in the order of colors, designated by the rings on the stake, from the top downward. In the order which we have recommended, the first chief has black and his first selection green; the second chief white and his first selection blue, and so on. The players take their turn in the order of the colors. The object of the game is for each player in turn to place his ball a mallet’s length from the starting TURNING STAKE <— ~07=-Q-FE------ ae 2 a Seen -----§-FT---- —_—> 5 Sreaice eR apes pes dC Gene rey es -— | ~~. ~~ a ~~-+--J 5 FT-------- ’ 1 ai =) eo : i 2 ’ i ’ ‘ ’ ‘ ’ ’ ‘ | Te «3 ‘ ’ . i) ' San ’ no ‘ ba 1 . ‘ ' ’ ’ ‘ ' ’ sot] ge ‘ ' w4 ‘ ‘i Mi "i } oO oe oO ——_————_>- ee 12-FT--— As ee -- --" -- -- i ae ei 7 ‘ ‘ ' U ‘ Ul ‘ 1 Ui 4 10 Nee enc SET 4 age = FT--.G- } STARTING STAKE CROQUET. 17 stake and aiming with his mallet to drive the ball through the first arch; then to continue his play through numbers 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,7, as indicated by the direction of the arrows on the diagram, to strike the turning stake; and returning downward through 7, 6, 8, 9, 10, 2, 1, to go out by striking the starting stake. That side wins, all of whose members first perform this round. ‘The game is opened by black, who plays till he has missed an arch, when white follows. If now there were merely a chase to see who would run the round quickest, the game would be a sense- less one ; the interest is produced by the opportunity given to help a friend or hinder an enemy. ‘This opportunity the roquet and croquet afford. ‘To ro- quet a ball is with one’s own ball to strike another; and the roquet gives the player the right to croquet, which is performed by placing his own ball next to the ball just roqueted, holding his ball in position by placing his foot upon it and striking it with his mal- let, so that, his own ball remaining stationary, the other is driven off in the direction given by the aim of the mallet. ‘Thus, supposing that black, having _passed successfully through arches 1 and 2, aims at 3, but reaches, as he probably will, some point a lit- tle above the arch, he has missed; and white taking his turn passes also through 1 and 2, but now, instead of attempting the difficult arch 3, he aims at black ; if he roquets, that is, strikes black with his ball, he 2 18 j CROQUET. may now croquet black, sending him to the other end of the field if he choose, and then being entitled to another turn, he drives his own ball, which has remained stationary and is in good position, through 3, and goes on his way rejoicing ; while black, wait- ing until his turn comes round again, has now per- haps to take two turns before he can get again into position behind 3. This is, however, but a very slight instance of the use of the croquet; in this case, white would very likely, instead of dismissing black so far, use him as a tool, by driving him just beyond arch 3, where black would be in readiness to be croqueted again, and white would continue his career, croqueting black and running through the next arch to meet him on the other side in an exas- perating manner. The various uses of the croquet, the roquet, and the roquet-croquet, whether to help a friend or to hinder an enemy, will readily occur to a player in his first game, and all are hinted at in the Laws. After a player has performed the entire round, with the exception of going out by striking the starting stake, he becomes a Rover, and is at liberty either to go out by striking the stake, or to continue his play at large over the field, with all the privileges of a Rover as laid down in the Laws. hide lots lee J. The game is opened by the chief who. The start. ° ° oe has-won-the-first-choiee-of friends. : / f f é a4 J Ark Xe Jp tOQk. cot Sa vt Ce OLAA UN i : 4 vs Pt ed JS? 12 iJ ’ 7 i€ ee —™ j / / , yA : re he SP sr. ae ed WY gon or, -f A i Ate J : OF LA f ee & lime fr . a ‘sy CROQUET. 19 Il. The ball must be placed a mallet’s length from the starting stake, on a line drawn to the centre of the first arch. Ill. The ball must be struck with the face of the mallets head; the stroke of the mallet being delivered whenever, touching the ball, it moves it. [It is unnecessary to impose a law that the( stroke should be a blow rather than a push. ) No good player would use the latter method except in posi- tions where the former is absolutely impossible.] IV. The player continues to play so long ,..., obi as he makes a point in the game. [These points are: making one or more arches at a stroke ; performing the roquet (except on a booby), the croquet, or the roquet - croquet; striking the turning stake, together with the combination of any two or more of these.] V. The players on the two sides follow the first chief alternately, according to the order of colors upon the starting stake. 1. If any ball is played out of its proper turn and challenged before the play of another ball has com- menced, the misplayed ball may be returned to its original place, or permitted to remain in that to which it has rolled, at the option of the enemy; and if a ball so misplayed have gained any advantage for itself or its friends, or done any injury to the enemy, the latter duly challenging may strip the misplayed 20 CROQUET. ball of the advantages thus gained, and repair the damages sustained. 2. If the enemy permit the misplay, or there is no challenge, the misplayer cannot use his next turn, since he has anticipated it. 3. A player using a wrong ball must suffer, and not the owner of the ball: hence, if the misplay is discovered before the next turn, the ball must be re- stored, the consequences removed, and the misplayer deprived of his turn; if the misplay be not discov- ered before the next turn, the game proceeds without remedy to either party. Vi. The arches must be passed through oh in their regular order in the direction of the course. [ Hence, to pass through an arch out of the regular order, or from the wrong side, counts no more than to pass over any other part of the field.] VII. A ball makes its arch, if it passes through tt in regular order, only when it is driven through by a blow from its owner's mallet, or passes through by roquet, croquet, roquet-croquet, or concussion. 1. A ball is through its arch, if the handle of the mallet, when laid across the two piers of the arch upon the side whence the ball came, does not touch , the ball. | + CROQUET. 21 2. A ball passing through its arch in the wrong direction, and not passing clear_through, is not in position to be driven back in the right direction. VILL. Jf a ball makes two arches in regular order by a direct blow of the mallet, it has the right to take ground up to one mallet’s length in any direction from the spot where it rested. If it run three arches under the same conditions, it can take ground up to two lengths of a mallet. [This rule must not be interpreted to conflict with VII] 3 IX. Striking the turning stake is in all respects equivalent to making: an arch, is subject to the same conditions, and entitled to the same advantages, when these are applicable ; but the stake may be struck from any quarter. Stakes. ay). CROQUET. X. A ball, after it has completed the round, makes the starting stake either by a blow from its owner's mallet, or by roquet, roquet-croquet, croquet, or con- cussion. It is then a dead ball, and is removed from the field. | XI. A ball roquets another, whether it proceeds di- rectly by a blow of the mallet or rebounds upon it after the blow, from an arch, a stake, or any other fixed obstacle of the ground, or from another ball. 7 Roquet. 1. A ball having roqueted another may strike it again without any intervening play, but the second contact does not constitute a roquet. 2. A ball having made roquet is at liberty either to make croquet or to proceed on its round. 3. A ball striking another ball, after having cro- queted it, and without any intervening play, termi- nates its tour. XII. A ball can croquet only that ball on which it has made roquet. [ Hence, a booby cannot croquet or be croqueted.] 1. A player may croquet any number of balls con- secutively, but he cannot croquet the same ball twice ‘ during the same turn,’ without first sending his own Croquet. ball through the next arch in order. 2. In making ricochet, the player is at liberty to croquet either the first, or all of the balls roqueted, but the order of croquet must be that of the ricochet. NT eeeeeEeEEE—— CFIA CROQUET. 23 ' 8. A croquet is proved by the stirring of the ball croqueted, provided that the mallet has struck the ball croqueting. 4, If a ball roquet another and at the same blow make its arch, it may proceed to croquet the roqueted ball, or decline and again roquet upon it before tak- ing the croquet. d. If a ball flinch in the execution of croquet, the croquet is null, the croqueted ball must be returned to its position, and the croqueting ball proceed with _its turn, without the right to repeat the croquet just missed, XIII. The laws of roquet-croquet are the same as those of croquet. XIV. A Rover may not croquet the same Rover. ball twice in one turn. A croquet or roquet-croquet alone permit the rover to continue his play. XV. If a ball in its progress over the ground be interrupted by any one, the person playing Interruption may allow it to remain where it rested after ment. the interruption, or carry it to the point which he re- gards as its probable termination. A ball accidentally displaced must be returned to the place where it was lying, before the play pro- ceeds. XVI. No play is permitted outside of the boundaries. A ball driven over the amas Be be ese etic a f ne, Fo { QTOALS ‘ ; y , / ; eo oer CAA Cry LoL XK A og ZZ : © A Ch AM hi Gta K 24 CROQUET. back to the point where it crossed, when its turn - alrives. XVII. An arch or stake losing its upright position, by any means, must be restored before the game pro- ceeds. | The most common variations in the arrangement TURNING POST. STARTING POST, CROQUET. 25 of the arches are shown in the accompanying dia- grams. Others will suggest themselves. , The point however most subject to dispute sm and most important in its bearings on the game, is, whether the arches marked on our diagram (p. 16) 3 and 10, should be on a line with or in advance TURNING POST. STARTING POST. 26 CROQUET. of 2; the same also as regards 5 and 8 as related to 6. The authorities are divided on the question, and it must be settled by individual players, if it cannot be shown that one arrangement is undoubtedly supe- rior to the other. In our opinion, a mean may be taken between the position advocated by Mayne Reid, that places the arches on a line, and that adopted by Jacques, which allows a distance of eight feet between 2 and the line of 3 and 10. The former arrangement is objectionable because of the extreme difficulty of one’s making the third arch upon his first run, and the latter because of the great ease in the same case. ‘he difficulties of Croquet ought not to be insurmountable, else skill will be ineffectual, and the possibility of making an artistic point will be lost; neither should the difficulties be so removed as to leave no room for the exhibition of superior skill. In our diagram we have made the distance between 2 and the line of 3 and 10 three feet, which gives a very small angle at 3, and makes the chance ; of going through the arch a slight one, and yet offers a premium upon skill. Even in this case a player will hardly accomplish it, unless, having made his first two arches at a single stroke, he takes his mal- let’s length backward on a line toward the starting stake. There is another deviation from the rules laid down in the preceding pages, which permits the player on CROQUET. 27 starting to place his ballon any spot a mallet’s length from the starting stake. The advantage to be se- cured by this seems to exist chiefly where the arches 3 and 10 are considerably in advance of 2; the player, by starting from a spot a mallet’s length to the right of the starting stake, may, at his first blow, send the ball obliquely through 1, and be then in position to send the ball in the reverse oblique through 2, when it is more favorably placed to pro- ceed through 3 than if projected in a right line through 1 and 2 from the stake. But it seems fair- est to have perfect uniformity in the start. If all start from the fixed spot, the beginning of the game is even, and skill must win its advantages afterward. Again, it is asserted by some law-givers that the rover alone is entitled to the use of the roquet-cro- quet. But surely there is no need to increase the rover’s advantages, since his chances of mischief- making and helping are already superior to those of the others, inasmuch as he has never to keep anx- -iously near his next arch; and the use of roquet- croquet adds so much to the zest and variety of the game, that_no one who has freely employed that del- icate stroke would wish to resign it to the rover. Whatever gives scope to a player’s skill without increasing too. greatly the inequalities of chance ought to be permitted; and it may be observed that the very delicacy of a splitting stroke, as in billiards, 28 CROQUET. makes the operation a hazardous one to an indiffer- ent player. There are a few suggestions for new players, which Hintsip may not be amiss. The game of Croquet rae ig gains a great deal of its popularity from the graceful character of the play, and certainly there is no more pleasing sport to watch for the attitudes and the easy exercise of the body which it produces. But some persons are so regardless of this, that one sees a gentleman croqueting a ball as if he were about to slaughter an ox ; pressing his foot firmly upon the ball, clenching his teeth, swinging his mallet high in the air,'coming down with a thwack upon the ball, and then looking with an air of ill-concealed triumph at the flight of the croqueted ball to some dim distance. ‘This is all folly ; excel- lence in the croquet rarely consists in the distance one may dismiss a ball; moreover, one may soon dis- cover that a firm tap from the mallet of a delicate lady, properly directed, will send the ball quite as far as the unhappy owner can deprecate. The handling of the mallet, too, though subject to no rules, should obey the law of grace; sometimes the position of the balls may require that most awk- ward of attitudes when a gentleman, holding his mallet with both hands directly in front of him, uses it as a.street-pavier swings his hammer; and begin- ners usually grasp the handle with both hands and CROQUET. 29 swing it from the side; but very little practice will show one that to hold it in one hand and swing it from the side gives the finest blow and is most graceful. With all deference we suggest to ladies that, where it is possible, they should dress with some regard to the requirements of the game; it is hardly condu- cive to elegance to behold a_ half dozen- officious young gentlemen hovering about a lady as train- bearers and fly-catchers whenever she wishes to per- form the croquet, and we protest against those sweep- ing skirts that whisk the balls about and change the whole feature of the field. To enthusiastic players it will be unnecessary to give our concluding advice: mind your turn of play. What is more naggling to players interested in the game than to call out Blue! Blue! and, after repeated calls, to discover Blue politely talking with Pink at the other end of the field, or perhaps even lazily stretching nimself on the grass and starting out of a drowse with an open-mouthed astonishment that his turn should have come round again so soon, and requiring to be informed of the position of his ball and what it has next to do? One may be good- natured under such circumstances, but on the Mark Tapley principle. Better, far better, is that deafen- ing racket which one sometimes hears on a croquet ground, where, at some great gathering of balls of all 30 CROQUET. colors, the next player is besought, teased, adjured to do seven different things for the interest of seven other people, and warned, threatened, supplicated not to do any one of them. We close our handbook with a list of those terms in use in the game which need explanation. It would be easy to pick up or invent a multitude of slang ex- pressions for all possible contingencies, but we adhere to our principle of presenting Croquet in its sim- plicity. ‘Those who like such phrases can exercise their inventive powers in language. But it is quite possible to describe any position or movement in the game by means of these few technical terms and the vocabulary of English at the command of any per- son intelligent enough to play.the game. A Boosy. A ball that has attempted to make the first arch and fails. Concussion. The displacement of a ball by an- other driven against it by roquet, croquet, ricochet, or roquet-croquet, and not hit directly either by the mallet or by the playing ball. Terms. Tue Croquet. A ball having made roquet on another is taken up and placed in contact with the ball on which it has made roquet. ‘The player sets foot upon the former, presses firmly so as to hold it in place, and with a blow of the mallet drives the roqueted ball in whatever direction may be desired. » CROQUET. SE A Deap Batt. A rover struck against the start- ing stake, and therefore struck out of the game. A Fuinca. When the ball in the act of cro- | quet slips from under the foot of the player. Position. A ball is in position when it lies in front of its proper arch, with a possibility of running it by a single blow of the mallet; and out of posi- tion, when the contrary is the case. Ricocuet. A ball making roquet on two or more balls by the same blow of the mallet. Roquet. A ball makes roquet when, proceeding from a blow of the mallet, it comes in contact with another ball. Roquet-Croquet, or Croquet sans PIED. A ball having made roquet is taken up, placed contiguous to the roqueted ball, and, without being held under the foot, is struck by the mallet and driven — as also the roqueted ball—in the direction or directions desired. A Rover. A ball that has made the round, but has not yet gone out by striking the starting stake. Sait River. A side is sent up Salt River when none of its members go out. 7 oN fo ‘ © mtd Fe eka nme... BERS pe 1 ae HS: at a) + ¢ "UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS-URBANA 6180 ORs ut ale Bey Sis oR sagas i nh Wig? Q ; ep ae cea f\ i i ya Ete Ny OAS y Grae Re a4 Pete af i) a ry Agi te ites et ae ae pyia tes i