Entertainments for Home, Church and School Part 12

It is to meet the difficulties arising from having to strike the ball in its different positions that so many instruments are called into requisition for the purpose. The names of the chief sticks and implements employed in the sport are: driver, bra.s.sie, spoon, cleek, iron, mashie, niblick and putter. The driver, bra.s.sie and spoon are wooden-headed clubs, but the others have always iron heads. The driver is the club used for striking to the greatest distance when the ball is on the "tee," that is, on the little mound of sand on which it is placed at the commencement of each hole, so that more facility may be had in striking it. The putter is used on the putting--green, for short strokes round about the holes. The putting--green or ground surrounding each hole is kept level for about a radius of 20 yards from the hole. The different sticks or clubs are graded from driver to putter in accordance with the different lengths of stroke for which they are designed. For instance, the niblick is a short club for taking the ball out of difficult positions ("lies") as when the latter gets into long gra.s.s, sand or some other awkward kind of obstruction.

A good driver by well hitting the ball can send it to a distance of about 200 yards from the tee. If the hole be so far off as to require a second stroke of equal length he can use the driver again, provided the ball is on level ground, but it is likely it will not be on such ground for the second stroke, and in such case the bra.s.sie or spoon is called on to do service. Each of these instruments has the face that strikes the ball laid back more than in the driver, so that they can lift it more easily off the ground. If the ball gets into a worse position, as a bunker or sandpit, the use of the cleek, iron or niblick will become necessary. The heads of these clubs are adjusted to deal with difficult "_lies_" that is, positions in which the ball may be driven. The niblick is used for taking it out of especially bad situations.

The stroke called the full swing is used with the driver. There are many other modifications of stroke, such as the three-quarter, the half and the wrist strokes.

As has been said, the issue of the game depends upon sending the ball into the holes with fewer strokes than the opposition. Victory is gained by the side which holes the ball with less strokes. If the sides hole out in the same number of strokes the hole is halved. A match is also won by the side which is leading by a number of holes greater than the number of holes remaining to be played. Thus if Jones has won six holes and Smith four, and seven holes have been halved, Jones, in case the round is the ordinary length of 18 holes, will be two holes up, with only one hole remaining to be played, and therefore he, Jones, wins the match. This is the general manner of playing the game in a match, each player playing his own ball.

In what is known as "score" play the relative merits of several can be tested at the same time. In this kind of play the total score of each player for all of the 18 holes is added up and the player who has the lowest total is declared the winner.

ARCHERY

Archery has played an important part in the history of the race from the very earliest times. Primitive man hurled his stone-pointed arrows at wild beasts, and as he advanced to a higher state of the observances of the laws of force he fashioned bows to give a greater impulse to his missiles. For hundreds of years the bow and arrow const.i.tuted the princ.i.p.al weapon of the chase, and finally became the instrument of offence and defence for armored knights, warriors and heroes. Robin Hood, roving the wild woods of Merry England, depended upon it for his prowess, as did Allan a Dale and Little John. In the early battles it was the chief weapon, and did effective service. In the battle of Hastings it decided the issue for William the Conqueror; at Agincourt, Crecy and Poitiers victory depended on its use. Skilled archers became famous all over the land, and many were their doughty deeds with the long bow.

In modern time, however, with the introduction of firearms, archery declined, until it came to be but a mere memory of the past. The last century revived it, and to-day it is one of the most popular sports in England. Americans, too, have taken it up with enthusiasm, and clubs are interested in it all over the land, the ladies being especially devoted to it.

In 1879 the first organization of Archery Clubs was formed at Crawfordsville, Indiana, and the first annual target meeting was held in Chicago in the same year.

Bows for archery are generally made out of tough soft wood, such as yew, with a flat outside called the back and a rounded inside called the belly; they are always strung with latter side inward. Lance wood is chiefly used in the United States on account of its resistance to heat. The bow must be easily controlled, and not too heavy. The strain of drawing a heavy bow is apt to pull the bow hand out of the line of sight. A 48-pound bow well drawn and loosed will give a lower trajectory than one of 55 pounds sluggishly handled. By the weight of a bow is not meant its avoirdupois, but the force necessary to draw the arrow to its head on the bow. It is all important to know how to string the bow. Grasp the handle firmly with the right hand, draw it near your right side, while the lower end rests against the inside of the right foot, the back of the bow being toward you. With left foot well extended in front so as to brace the body, rest the left hand on the bow below the loop of the upper end of the string, the tip of the thumb and knuckle of forefinger pressing firmly on opposite edges of the bow.

Draw the bow firmly to you with the right hand, while you push down and away from you with the left. A little practice will soon give the knack. No part of the body except the face must be turned towards the target. Stand with the feet at right angles to the direction of the target and have them a few inches apart. In handling the arrow avoid touching the feathers, and in the act of drawing always keep the thumb and fourth finger away from the arrow and string. As the bow is lifted, draw it three parts of the way, catch the aim, complete the draw and instantly loose.

The arrows are an important consideration. Never use a light arrow with a heavy bow, nor, conversely, a heavy arrow with a light bow.

Arrows are generally made of one piece of wood, but sometimes a harder kind is used for the part joining the tip and which is dovetailed into the shaft. The tip is formed of steel, and is cylindrical in form. The length varies. A lady's bow of 5 feet calls for a 24-inch arrow, the customary length of men's arrows is 28 inches.

The target is a flat disc about four feet in diameter made from straw and covered with an oilcloth or white sheet painted in concentric rings of gold, red, blue, black and white, each color of which, when penetrated by the arrow counts so many points in the aim. The gold is the objective point of the archer, the "bull's eye," as it is called.

Three arrows are shot by each archer in turn, then three more, the six const.i.tuting an end. A certain number of ends complete a given range, while two or three ranges form a round. Here is the American round:

30 arrows at 60 yards.

30 arrows at 50 yards.

30 arrows at 40 yards.

RING TOSS

This is a very simple game. A stake is driven into the ground for a flagstaff. At a distance of, say nine feet, stakes are arranged as follows: four at equal distances, back of these, at a short distance, three; then two; then one. The setting for nine pins is the same.

Each stake is numbered from ten, beginning on the left hand side, to one hundred, which is the apex of the setting.

Iron rings are tossed from the flagstaff by each player. A score is kept. The one getting the greatest number of points is the winner.

LAWN BOWLS

Lawn bowls, although but recently introduced into the United States, is, however, one of the oldest games in existence, and is believed to have been played by the Ancient Greeks and Romans. Scotland has brought this game to its present state of perfection. The game is played as follows:

Select a level lawn, or a floor will answer if this game be played indoors.

Choose sides, giving those of a side, b.a.l.l.s of a similar color.

A ball of a third color is called the Jack. The one holding it begins the play by rolling the ball over the lawn. Where it stops is the goal.

The others try to strike the Jack. The one doing this is the winner of the game. Or put a nine pin, or nine pins, at a distance from the players, and try to strike as is done in a bowling alley.

CHAPTER XIV

HOLIDAY GAMES AND AMUs.e.m.e.nTS

NEW YEAR'S--LINCOLN'S DAY--VALENTINE PARTY--EASTER EGG PARTY--HALLOWE'EN GAMES--FLAG DAY--THANKSGIVING--CHRISTMAS

NEW YEAR'S EVE PARTY

The decorations for the room are holly and mistletoe. The guests are attired in white to represent snow, or they may appear in fur-trimmed garments. At midnight all sing "Auld Lang Syne," and shake hands.

Calendars are appropriate souvenirs for the occasion. At midnight all wish each other "A Happy New Year."

CHILDREN'S NEW YEAR GAMES

Give the children pencils and paper. Let them write out their resolutions for the New Year. These may be grave or funny as desired.

Give calendars as souvenirs.

LINCOLN'S DAY

Recite poems about Lincoln. Tell stories about him. Explain why "Uncle Tom's Cabin" is a suitable book to read on this day.

If possible give tableaux suited to the occasion. Those taken from Uncle Tom's Cabin are eminently suitable.

VALENTINE PARTY

The evening is opened with the playing of a game of hearts. Each lady receives a red paper heart, and is requested to write her name on the back of it. The hearts are shuffled and put in a bowl; the men's hearts are put in another bowl. A lady chooses a heart from the men's bowl, then a man chooses from the ladies' bowl. The lady is partner for the evening of the man whose heart she drew and vice versa.

Valentines are given, and are read aloud by the recipient. Comic ones are admissible if not vulgar. Valentine mottoes also are given.

WASHINGTON'S BIRTHDAY

A Martha Washington party in costume with a supper in Colonial time style. Dance the Minuet and old-time dances.

FOR APRIL FIRST

This is April Fool's Day. It may be made the occasion of a party. Games suitable to the occasion are played; among them pinning a tail to the picture of a tailless donkey fastened on the wall. This may be drawn by one of the children. Tails are slightly pinned on the children among themselves. April fool candy is served, and gla.s.ses are offered which appear to have lemonade in them, but which are so made that no liquor can be drunk from them, etc. The one who is not fooled all evening receives a prize--the funnier it is the better. It may be a "n.i.g.g.e.r doll" or the like. A donkey is given as a b.o.o.by prize to the one most often fooled. This fooling can be done in any way which suggests itself.

EASTER EGG PARTIES

Color hard-boiled eggs and hide them. Give your little guests pretty baskets and let them hunt for the eggs, or give each a large wooden spoon to spoon them up. If you live in the country roll eggs down hill at one place as a target at the foot of it.

Draw a bunny holding an egg. Pin it to the wall. The one who, blindfolded, succeeds in putting a pin in the egg receives eggs as presents.

FLAG DAY

Display flags liberally. Tell stories about the American Flag. Sing "America," "Star-Spangled Banner," etc. Salute "Old Glory."

A HALLOWE'EN PARTY