462
OUR ARM- CHAIR .
GAME OF
THE
CROQUET .
OUR ARM- CHAIR . The hoops may be arranged, as every one knows, in variTHE GREAT AMERICAN TEA COMPANY, as will be seen by ous ways. The plan of the original game is as follows : their advertisement, offer to sell teas cheaper than ordiB nary dealers. We see no reason why the enterprise should not be a successful one, advantageous equally to seller and Turning Stick. buyer; for teas, bought and sold as this Company buys and sells them, can surely be sold at a lower price than teas bought and sold in the ordinary way, and having to pay 7 three or four profits. The best way to test the question, however, is to order a lot of teas from the Company. (8) THE COMPLETE WORKS OF CHARLES DICKENS, in seven 6 volumes, octavo, bound in cloth, a very handsome edition, Address, sent, pre-paid, for $20.00. (6) T. B. PETERSON & BROTHERS, Philada., Pa. 5 J. W. BRADLEY'S DUPLEX ELLIPTIC SPRING SKIRT Seems to (01) be universally in demand. Always ask, at a store, for these skirts, and decline to buy until the " Duplex" is got for you.
ס THE " WASHINGTON" Mezzotint, or either of the " BUNYAN" Mezzotints, will be sent, postage paid, for $2.00. Or any two will be sent for $3.00 ; or the whole three for $4.50. Address, C. J. PETERSON, Philadelphia, Pa.
(II)
3 (71)
THE FLORENCE SEWING-MACHINE gains every day in popularity. We are continually told that it is the best of all the sewing-machines. 2 (ST) THE GAME OF CROQUET.— NO. I. GENERAL LAWS OF THE GAME.-The game of Croquet has become so fashionable, and yet it is played so differently in different places, that last summer, at the suggestion of several persons in England, a committee of players was appointed to draw up rules for it. These rules have been published, and as thousands of our readers play Croquet, we have thought it would be useful to reprint them here. But first we must make some observations on the general laws of the game. The best number of players for general purposes is four, two playing against two ; and for matches, six. The game of eight unquestionably takes too long to play. Even a game of six, with good players, occupies the best part of an afternoon. Where there is only one ground, and more than four desire to play, it is a good plan to divide the candidates into two sets, one set commencing at the starting and winning-stick, the other at the turning stick, so that what is the starting stick to one party, is the turning stick to the other. The two games go on simultaneously : the two sets of players interfere scarcely at all with each other. Occasionally a ball, belonging to the other game, lies in the way of a stroke, when it must be taken up while the stroke is made ; or the striker in one game has, perhaps, to wait a moment, while the striker in the other game makes his stroke. But this does not happen often ; and the slight inconvenience resulting from it is far outweighed by the increased excitement attending the shorter game. As regards the ground, it often happens the best that can be obtained is small, inconvenient, and anything but level. In such cases, all that can be done is to make the best ofa bad job. But where space can be got, and money is "no object," the ground should be level, and of well mown and well rolled grass, not less than thirty yards, nor, for general purposes, more than a hundred yards long, and from twenty to sixty yards wide. This proportion of { five to three between length and breadth is the one most approved. The ground should have its boundaries well defined before the play begins.
(FL)
Starting and Winning Stick. A This plan is still much used, and, being less difficult than the improved arrangement, with a hoop, stick, or cage in the middle, is recommended for beginners, or where it is desired not to lengthen the game. Difficulty is sometimes experienced in setting out the hoops. The following directions will be found to simplify matters : A and B are intended to be the exact middle of the breadth (shorter side) of the ground. Measure the dis tance from A to B, and cut a piece of string one-tenth of the length. Thus, if the ground is fifty yards long, cut a string five yards long. This bit of string will serve to fix every hoop and stick accurately at the required distances apart. From A to the starting-stick should be precisely the length of the string; the same from starting-stick to hoop No. 1 ; the same to hoop No. 2. Similarly arrange the turning-stick and hoops Nos. 7 and 8, at the other end of the ground. The only hoops now to fix are the side-hoops. These should be parallel to the center line, and two strings from it on each side, the string falling at right angles to the length, or longer sides (C and D) of the ground. The easiest way to get the side-hoops in position is, when taking the first measurement from A to B, to mark the point halfway between. Then the hoops 4 and 11 can be at once placed two strings from the half-way point, in a straight line toward C and D; and the hoops 3, 5, 10, and 12, each one string from 4 and 11. The numbers appended to the hoops show the orderin
