Argosy, September 1955 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

CRICKET Shall I never storm or swear Fust because the umpire’s fair? Or from expletives forbear, *Cause he gives me out with care? Be he fatrer, more upright, Than Carpenter or Lillywhite, If he will not favour me, What care I how fair he be? E. B. V. CHkISTIAN, At the Sign of the Wicket, 1894 How’s That ? Next day Alfie provided himself with a copy of Wisden and took it to the Manor. “I think I can ’tice him,” he said with a grin, explaining that in his belief laws and rules and regulations would always prove irresistible to political chaps if dangled before them like carrots in front of a donkey. ‘This is what he proceeded to do. He opened Wisden at Rule 22 and, remarking casually, ‘ 'There’s a fair puzzle here,” began to read: ‘“ Note (f): The striker is out if the ball is hugged to the body of the catcher even though he has not touched it with his hands. Should the ball lodge in the fieldsman’s clothing, or in the top of the wicketkeeper’s pads, this will amount to its being hugged to the body of the catcher. © “Funny thing, that,” said Alfie with an expression of wide- eyed innocence, “for if a ball sticks in a wicketkeeper’s pads how can you say he’s hugging it?” ‘“‘T think,” said Halliday, “‘ that it is one of those cases where a common phrase is given a wide interpretation to cover a large number of possible eventualities. But it’s an interesting clause, certainly.” commiclboolks.comn ™