little damage can be effected by any stroke. Then there is the jump shot, by which a ball may be made, from the peculiar method of striking the ball, to jump over some intervening ball or even arch.

Advantages of the Game:

Any exercise that brings one in close communion with nature, with her open tabernacle, her purest air, and all the varying moods and tenses she affords, will most certainly bring reward physically of a high order. But the change from office duties, where one is compelled to have not only his movements but also his source of pure air more or less limited by the condition of affairs, this change, we say, even of itself, to the open court of Nature, without any pleasurable exercise, would still be followed with much benefit. But with exercise attending, and that in which a healthful rivalry for supremacy may enter in as an additional factor, of course the product is thereby just so much the greater.

The game of croquet-and in fact all games to a certain extent, but croquet peculiarly so-affords an excellent opportunity to determine the make-up of a man either as victor in some hard-fought game or as he experiences defeat, or suffers harm from some illdesigned, and possibly worse executed stroke of his own. The vary

ing moods and tenses (so to speak) of a man are here in this game clearly revealed, and the little foibles that mar one's personality, or the generous qualities, that so forcibly win approval, need no magnifying apparatus to make them conspicuous.

The advantages of the game are not alone, therefore, on the side of the physical. Does it seem strange to speak of a possible development of character along healthful lines, in connection with this game? It may, but we must in the last analysis, ascribe the same thing to other games, but not, we think, to the same extent as in this one that we are considering. In fact, all businesses, sports, all idle moments are more or less revelatory or formatory as to character elements. Inability to restrain one's self under circumstances provoking one to unseemly word or deed is, in this gentle game, apt to be gradually overcome, and that princely characteristic, "fair play," shines out in this as in other games.

We have heard veterans in the game speak of the valued friendships formed, of hospitalities offered and accepted, and once when the writer of this article was visiting a lovely home, with the "olive branches" about the table, our host pointed to the mistress of the family and said, "You see what croquet has done for me." So that its influences go beyond the limits of the physical, beyond the uplifting features of healthful development, and take deep hold of and strengthen, or even form, the tenderest ties of humanity. We drop this word of friendly advice to beginners especially: "Let every movement be one of fairness and honor. Let your adherence to the strict letter of the rules be observed in all cases of even the greatest inter

est. Let not self-interest mount so high as to warp your judgment, and especially let the little acts of comity and courtesy be sprinkled in among even the most difficult plays so as to realize outside of, and away from, what any expertness may bring, the richer fruits of pleasant though possibly intensely rivalling companionship."

Development of the Game.-Croquet was primarily, and in the vast majority of instances is to-day, essentially a lawn game. As the game made progress in excellence of play, and as it received the attention of thoughtful minds, the question of accuracy in playing came to the front and led to perfecting of the surface of the grounds. Lawns prepared with the greatest care, and sodded and made as level as possible took the place of the ordinary lawn, with its irregularities of surface, and not unfrequently sloping field.

Then, notwithstanding the changing of the position of the arches the grass would be worn off, and the surface become bare from excessive play. Then a great step forward was made in the game. Where great attention was paid to the game, the courts were prepared entirely free from turf, the surface carefully scraped and rolled and sanded slightly, so that balls would vary only a trifle, if any, in passing the length of the field. Then was added a substantial border as the matter of permanence of location seemed to be thus settled. This border made of lumber, varying in size from the ordinary scantling three by four inches, to a more substantial timber four inches by six, laid flat, proved to be the greatest feature in the development of the game.

The old string border, which simply marked the limits of the field, and prevented the game from having what might be called a concentrated attention, was to the most advanced players a thing of the past. We are speaking now of the development or evolution of the game, under the most favorable auspices possible, namely the attention of thoughtful, practical men, who saw in the game continually greater and greater possibilities, and spared neither time nor expense in their united efforts to advance and perfect it. And it was this close attention that has led to the most important evolution. Although the old game in its simpler form was still being played, and must continue to be played, thoughtful players, wide awake to availing themselves of every possible means of bettering the situation, in order to disassociate what was essentially a new game, from the old-fashioned (in their experience) grass-court game, began to exercise their wits to devise a new name for their loved pastime. The old mother game had not by any means outlived its usefulness, in fact it was, and still is, increasing, but the scientific features of the improved game were of such a character that the leading spirits decided that there must be a new name for the really new game. Various names were presented, but the prize was offered to that person whose selected name would be endorsed by the National Association of (up to this date) Croquet. The honor of selecting the name that ran the gauntlet and

was finally selected by vote of the National Association in 1898, rests upon Mr. J. S. Babcock, of Cedar Street, New York City. The old name Croquet was simply decapitated and decaudalized, by taking off one letter from the beginning, c, and one letter from the end, t, leaving the word Roque, so that etymologically, as well as in the features of the game itself, it represents the essence and heart of the old game, though added features have greatly increased what might be called its scientific attractions, so that it is sometimes alluded to as "scientific croquet." It stands now a somewhat unique, fully Americanized version (so to speak) of an originally imported game. The new name, moreover, gives it still a little flavor of French extraction, and altogether, it was about the happiest hit in the way of name selection that could possibly have been made. The chief points of difference between the two games, as now played, in this country (roque has not yet been introduced, to our knowledge, "across the water") are the following: and yet there will, of necessity, be a great sameness in the wording of the rules and in their practical observance. Croquet is originally and distinctively a lawn game. Roque is always played on a prepared court, freed entirely from grass or turf. The ordinary croquet court has no fixed border, limiting the field of play, or preventing the passing of the balls beyond the sphere of actual play. Substantial timber borders, however, are one of the indispensable accessories of roque. Moreover upon these border timbers are placed now in every well-equipped field rubber strips, either the discarded rubber from billiard tables, or as is sometimes the case, especially prepared strips. These are placed at the proper height, and serve as in billiards for the making of even difficult carom shots, when the object ball is not exposed to a direct shot. In roque the short-handled mallet takes the precedence, but the boxes of croquet equipment, as ordinarily prepared for sale, have unless otherwise specially ordered the long-handled mallet.

As to the balls, croquet may have either, but roque always those of the best hard rubber, made by a special formula for the sake of greater tenacity and resiliency. It is generally conceded that it is only a natural evolution, as a player increases in his excellence of play, to pass from croquet into the larger possibilities of the game of roque. The National Association.-This was originally of croquet. But when the name was changed the old name lapsed into history, and has never been resuscitated with any other organization. Norwich, the Rose City of New England, has for thirty years been a favorite trysting place for the ardent devotees of these games, the meeting place of our National Association. Other cities have their special tournaments, Philadelphia, and of late years Washington, D. C., where The Tournament of the South, so called, has been held, in the fall, a sort of aftermath of the Norwich meet in August.

At Cottage City, Martha's Vineyard, Mass., under the auspices of the Martha's Vineyard Roque Club, some eight or nine finely-equipped

courts are found, where lovers of the game in their summer vacation time, may have their fill of it, mixed with the gentle breezes from the adjacent waters of the sea.

The climate of California, in the southern part, is so equable and so well adapted to the game that it has made great progress there and taken a lasting hold upon sojourners. They soon become "converted," and at Pacific Grove, Long Beach, and other places the tourist may enjoy to the full the rare sport there afforded and unconsciously but surely drink in the tonic of Nature from the overflowing cup she holds to the lips.

TERMS USED IN CROQUET.

To Roquet-To hit with one's own ball another ball for the first time.

To Croquet-To place player's ball against the roqueted ball and then striking his own ball, moving both.

Carom-A rebounding from an arch, a stake, or the border.

In Play-A ball is in play so long as points are made, or balls hit in accordance with the rules.

Points-See Rule 23.

Dead Ball-A ball on which the player has played since making a point. It is then dead to the player till he makes another point or has another turn. Direct Shot-Roquet-This is a direct shot, whether the ball in passing to its destination does or does not carom from a wire, or a stake or the border.

Drive or Block-English "Rush"-A roquet played so as to send the object ball to some desired spot.

Cut-To drive the object ball to a desired position, by causing player's ball to hit it on one side.

Run or Break-The making of a number of points in the same turn.

Set Up To locate the balls so as to afford facility for making the next point

or run.

Wiring-To leave the balls so that the next finds a wire between his ball and the object ball.

Object Ball-The ball at which the player aims.

Jump Shot-Striking the ball so as to make it jump over any obstacle between it and the object aimed at. To do this, the ball should be struck with considerable force on the top just back of the centre.

Guilty or Danger Ball-The next played on the adversary's side.

Innocent Ball-The last played ball of the adversary.

Rover-A ball that has made all the points except the last.

Tight Croquet-Is holding with the hand or foot the ball placed against another for the sake of croquet, thus allowing only the latter to be moved.

Loose Croquet-Is striking a ball when it is in contact with another, where it has been placed for the purpose of croquet, thus moving both balls. Scoring-See Rule 7.

CROQUET RULES.

Note. The following Rules, though adapted and adopted for Loose Croquet, are, nevertheless, used by the most prominent clubs of the country as authority in Tight Croquet. Some rulings are to be construed as referring only to Loose Croquet. But of these there can be no doubt, from the nature of the game and the wording of the rules.

RULE 1.-No player or other person shall be permitted to interfere with the result of a game by any word or act calculated to embarrass the player, nor shall any one, except a partner, speak to a player while in the act of shooting. RULE 2.-The order of colors shall be red, white, blue, black.

RULE 3.-There shall be no restriction as to kind or size of mallet used-one or two hands may be used in striking.

RULE 4.-No player shall change his mallet during a game without permission of his opponent, except in case of accident, or to make a "jump shot.'

RULE 5. Should a ball or mallet break in striking, the player may demand another stroke, with a new ball or mallet.

RULE 6.-Every player shall be provided with a clip or indicator of the same color as his ball, painted on one side only, which he must affix to his arch next in order in course of play, before his partner plays, with the painted side towards the front of the arch. Should he fail to do so his clip must remain upon the arch it rested on before he played, and he must make the points again. Should he move his marker beyond or back of the point he is for, his attention must be called to such error before he plays again, otherwise it shall stand. Should a player put a ball through its arch, he must move the corresponding clip to its proper arch before the next ball is played, otherwise the clip remains as before.

No player shall lose any point or points by the misplacing of his clip by his ad

versary.

RULE 7.-All games shall be opened by scoring from an imaginary line through the middle wicket, and playing two balls each (not partner balls) towards the boundary line at the head of the ground. The player, the centre of whose ball rests nearest the border line, shall have choice of play, using that ball; provided that, in scoring, the ball did not strike the border or any other ball. The balls shall then be placed in the four corners of the ground (nearest the centre of the field), partner balls diagonally to each other, the playing ball and next in sequence to be placed at the head of the grounds, all balls being in play.

RULE 8.-The ball must be struck with the face of the mallet, the stroke being delivered whenever touching the ball it moves it. Should a stake or wire intervene, the stroke is not allowed unless the ball is struck at the same time, and if the ball is moved, without being struck by the face of the mallet, it shall remain where it rests, and should a point or roquet be made, it shall not be allowed, except by the decision of the umpire as to the fairness of the shot. All balls thus moved by a false shot may be replaced or not at the option of the opponent.

RULE 9.-When making a direct shot (i. e., roquet), the player must not push or follow the ball with his mallet; but when taking croquet from a ball (two balls being in contact), he may follow his ball with the mallet; but must not strike it twice.

RULE 10.-If a player strikes his ball before his opponent has finished his play, the stroke shall stand, or be made over, at the option of the opponent.

RULE 11.-Should a ball rest against or near a wire, and the umpire, or other person agreed on, should decide that in order to pass through the arch, an unfair or push shot would have to be made, it shall not be allowed if made.

RULE 12. Should a player in making a stroke move with his mallet any other than his object ball, it shall be a foul and his play ceases, and all balls moved shall be replaced as before the stroke, or remain where they rest, at the option of the opponent.

RULE 13.-If a dead ball in contact with another ball moves, on account of the inequality of the ground, while playing the other ball away from it, the player does not lose his shot.

RULE 14.-A ball must not be touched while on the field, except after a roquet, when it is necessary to place it beside the roqueted ball for the purpose of croquet, or to replace it when it has been moved by accident-except by permission of the opponent.

RULE 15.-A ball roquets another when it comes in contact with it by a blow from the player's mallet, or rebounds from a wicket or a stake or the border; also when it comes in contact with it when croquet is taken from another ball.

RULE 16.-A player after making roquet shall not stop his ball for the purpose of preventing its hitting another. Should he do so his play ceases and all balls shall be replaced as before the stroke, or remain, at the option of the opponent. RULE 17.-Roquet gives to the player the privilege of roquet-croquet only, and play must be made from the roqueted ball.

RULE 18.-If a player in taking a croquet from a ball, fails to move it, such stroke ends his play, and his ball must be returned, or left where it stops, at the option of the opponent.

RULE 19.-A player, in each turn of play, is at liberty to roquet any ball on the ground once only before making a point.

RULE 20. Should a player croquet a ball he has not roqueted, he loses his turn, and all balls moved by such play must be replaced to the satisfaction of the umpire, or adversary. Should the mistake not be discovered before the player has made another stroke, the play shall be valid, and the player continue his play.

RULE 21.-In taking croquet from a ball, if player's ball strikes another, to which he is dead, such stroke does not end his play.

RULE 22.-If a player roquets two or more balls at the same stroke, only the first can be croqueted.

RULE 23.-A player makes a point in the game when his ball makes an arch or hits a stake in proper play.

RULE 24.-If a player makes a point, and afterwards at the same stroke roquets a ball, he must take the point, and use the ball. If the roqueted ball is beyond the arch, as determined by Rule 45, and playing ball rests through the arch, the arch is held to be first made.

[NOTE. While this is not mathematically correct, the rule is so made to avoid disputes and difficult measurements.]

RULE 25.-If a ball roquets another, and afterwards at the same stroke makes a point, it must take the ball and reject the point.

RULE 26.-A player continues to play so long as he makes a point in the game, or roquets another ball to which he is in play.

RULE 27.-A ball making two or more points at the same stroke, has only the same privilege as if it made but one.

RULE 28. Should a ball be driven through its arch, or against its stake by croquet or concussion, it is a point made by that ball, except it be a rover. [See Rule 52.]

RULE 29.-If a player play by direct shot on a dead ball, all balls displaced by such shot shall be replaced in their former position, and the player's ball placed