Judge — June 20, 1931 — page 20: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

t | A Wicket Game W nen [advised the three rack- eteers who make up my regular foursome at the golf club that I couldn't be with them last Sunday be- cause Neysa MeMein had invited me to joust at croquet on the lawn of her miniature Deauville, there was plenty placing hands on hips and tsk-ir I must confess they had me dithering with inferior feelings. But [adore Neysa and the what-ho crowd sh puts up week-ends. So to Neysa’s. At twelve years [I was practically Croquet’s old Invincible. I took up the ga three vears earlier, however, It) seems at nine years [ had the habit of run ning away from our front vard ind being found downtown, learning to be 2 blacksmith. My father got the idea of tying me at one end of a fifty- foot rope and fastening the other end to a high drain pipe out of reach. [ wasn't old enough to carry a knife and was, therefore, Father, bei 1 prisoner. xa good sport, pitched a croquet course within my ropes range. ithlete, and his newspaper ind thus [ beeame at father was able to ¢ with a light mind. * game was I could, eventually. play through the wickets in twelve strokes and was known in the town as Croquet’s Bobby Jones before Bobby At twelve years I was Croquet weary, presented never my master, Jones was ever heard of my mallet to the town museum and took up tandem bieyeling. [ never touched a mallet again until last Sunday at > The game has changed from the ysa's. JUDGE ye. NOI W suoot 1% AWE LEFT, AWAY FRO YOUR OPRNENTS BEFORE “THEY CoE THROUGH Zz, WO WickeT! Wilt namby-pamby lollery of my Buster Brown-collar days to a slashing, ham- mering, temper-breaking battle of skill, wits, and considerable high feel- mg. I was paired with Clifton Webt against George Abbott and Raoul Fleischmann. ysa showed me around the course ore p! When I say around the course” I just that! It covers an acre of bumpy ground in a forest of towering t Tangly bushes, too, and b y began ‘showed me mean rocks. All of which are hazards in the amazing new Croquet. As 1 ke d vut at the wickets, seemingly miles apart, and the hazardous out- lay, my ancient prowess began a sort 18 \WIG: of depressive recession. Clifton, Re warming up at the starting stake flexing their ul, and George were wrists and taking Vicious practice swings with three or four mallets. [ft looked earnest and professional, so [did it, too. Tl never forget liftine my first mallet: that day. It weighed about ten pounds and was a uteous implement to behold. Goldish rings rein foreed the impact ends of the mallet head and the shaft was gaily painted in 7 the official colors of ABIT Wok ae ‘ymoRt order has ne in’ starting Th » Cartier,” 1 sneered to myself. The game has bec Clifton was wearing 1 short-sleeved, low-neeked, black -an'-white-striped pirate sweater and high-waisted, bril- liant orange-colored trousers of bro- dish material, George wore a smart English hunter coat) with accordion ts and spurs. Raoul wore a polo shirt, pith helmet, and the pants that belonged to George's hunting co: I felt pretty shoulders, riding breeches, the top of Charlie” ing suit, Charlie's little a n. Clifton pounded throug! this first two wickets with restrained case and went for position squarely in front of his third. Raoul i SY comicbooks.com