A Remarkable Fluke.

B\v Uaotais Gbawlkt. (From 21. Z. Tit-Bits.} Btebtbody talked about the great match, nil (or a whilo Billiards was the most iivourite game in the club. It was a tre newlpus victory. Never had Spotstroke leeoin sneh form ; never had Rattlecue flayed such science. amogtwemarkable contest,' I iHLord Henry. v 'Justice time to get up another money i etch, 5 observed Macer. 'Will you back kraineivmy lord, if mc decide on a Beting?' ' ; is lordship said he would ; and, more- 'didn't mind putting down tkjaecestalbettinga hundred on his man.' P-TOl exactly what Macer and Jenkins [fired, There would be no difficulty, tiqißgned between themselves, in arrang igt match. Spotty should play Ratty | Hirandred a side, on a new table specially Wctel by Messrs So-and-80, the game to foplayeain the. grand saloon of the ' St. 66 end'Bk Jamen,' admission half a reserved seats, one guinea ; play towsuaence at eight o'clock precisely. Miiog could be easier ! * Why, the gate-money alone will pay the Bfßises, , suggested Macer ; ' and then we Wlkye nothing to do but to square the m,'. ; There is such a thing, you know, a reckon- Wtbpnt your host. In this case it sol typiw that the men could not bo so «% squared. They wanted to have it! J little their own way, they said. { WHenry's hundred might do very well. ! wftbfesovs. candidly admitted it would J *% apiece, but chat wasn't enough, j % mutt have a longer and a stronger) P s * What about the gate-money ? - OS.flat,'Macer, 'that ; ll be all right. | '« )pi the hundred down, and we'll "WMtwtih another. You play, and take Wipftotame. l ' " ,H that won't do. We must have «« terms, 1 said Spotstroke. ' We've j S* 6 matter over — haA-en't we, v'T'-and we don't see our way to a ™»n unless yon can make it a hundred W. Do Wo, Ratty?' %!&,' observed Rattlecue, • there's ! Can't risk that, you know.' not,' sneered Jenkins, ' unless your while. , gnjiled. . We don't want any yo»irhatie square and straight, do W*r.asked Macer. Well '> look I,ere - L< ?)'d jggj , wo hundred for Spotty; we m> tor Ratty; we manage the whole s:teoV a hunthed for potsiroke slowly  toffi' ! RMtlecae;"' only let's CsS retenaingaStoth ° UchipS " like2feT? Dtinto »-private room, and, ißTft K cn «enien, drew up an lai ' Ke,y advised'; properly worked : the the dark: the 1 -i . money was I "" tho betting-ex- I * en dMwo to make on 1 "C in the hands I £Wb* which was 1 •"«*185 , ? , . 1n the Public document 1 in tt somewhat cliff- I Mhm ."''Wfoed thus :- B NittbS■~7t reat Match for Two IS3A s° f ft* Gr <*t American I Rattle- I 0^ 61 ' 2lßfc > 1879, on a I i 6««»& baUt b y Messrs So-and- . acfcurorß of Meeopo. I fr St -(!ift C fe in fchc £>-and saloon ; 1 , ■•James restaurant. ■ I r»NLr Editor of the > l^^£S ! ! m VP aid over to the IS- T fi n at ~ P flst seven pro ltiJ?H M ach ' W RS'l be bette, / The sporting J«! J!? W n"l'licity. an 3 . .M Z,' 4 k^l] n - '"• l 'aily journnls " : m» *fi!i«,''KHiv,,i ■ ■' si»ilv nrnl in iS^v'lS")!? , S p| !«••«» end the glossiest of I

trousers and waist coats, playing on the greenest of tables. There wns a real in terest awakened in the minds of all lovers of the noble und ancient game. The important night arrived. The saloon of the ' St. Giles and the St. James" began to fill by seven o'clock ; and by the ap pointed time there were very few seats left unoccupied. Swells from tho clubs-real swells in real evening dress—occupied tho velvet-cushioned chairs in front, just as they would the stalls of the neighbouring theatro only instead of toothpicks they liswl cigni\«. A row of seats, jvipfc above and i:iY. in viotv of the play, at the spotend of the table, was specially reserved for the Gentlemen of the Press. The upper forms wore filled by a carefully-selected body of Deadheads. The Markerstood in frontof n highly illuminated marking-board; and after the prelimi nary weighing of balls and balanc ing of cue?, introduced in a pompous voice, " Sly lordsand gentleman, the players, A. Spotstroko and B. Rattlecue ; a thousand up for a stake of two hundred guineas ! Love all !" A slight buzz of applause as the Professors string for lead, and then tho play began. For the first two hundred or so they kept well together, making pretty little breaks of from ten to forty, and now and again showing the company what could be clone with three ivory balls and a leather-tipped cue when a thorough adept stood behind them. At last an opening came for Rattlecue. He pocketed the red ball in the middle, and ran the white into a favourable position for the spot-stroke. ' Good,' whispered Macer to Jenkins ; I 'get at 'em ; now's your time !' I ' I'll take odds on the non-striker, , said I Jenkins quietly. Nobody replied ; but the Marker, in a I sonorous tone, observed, ' After a break, i gentlemen ; no betting allowed.' j 'Then,'said a wag, in a stage whisper, ' we must make our wagers in silence.' ; At this there was unanimous titter, and ! several little books were seen to emerge I from several waistcoat pockets, and several little pencils wore presently engaged in booking several littlo bets with Jenkins and Macer. At the conclusion of Rattlecue's break there was loud applause, and the game was called — 'Three hundred and fifty-seven to two hundred and fourteen !' Spotstroke now had his chance, but he failed to hole the red more than six times consecutively; and Rattlecue went on again. With a break of ninety, a spin of forty, in cluding ten cloao cannons that could_ be covered with a lady's pocket-handkerchief; a cleverly played innings of thirty-eight-his opponent only adding, between whiles, some fifty points to his score. 'Four hundred and eighteen to two hun dred and sixty-six V The excitement visibly increased. Bets to a considerable amount were made on the game ; Lord Henry and his friends gave the odds very readily ; Macer and Jenkins were busy with their little books; the Gentlemen of the Vresslooked quietlyonand made theirnofcesof theseorc: strangers were suddenly infected with the spirit of specu lation ; the Deadheads whispered among themselves; and the Professors pursued their little game with admirable coolness and undeniaole judgement. At last, when the score had mounted to— ' Rattlecue five hundred and forty-one, Spotstroke three hundred and seventeen, the Marker announced—'An interval, gentleman, of twenty minutes.' The Professors, with Lord Henry and a few of his intimate friends, including Messrs Macer and Jenkins, the Hon. Tom Trieker and Major Mouser, little Money bags and Lionel Lewis, of the Stock Ex change, adjourn to a private room, where there'is champagne and soda ; tho general company go down to the bar, and get swindled with twopennyworths of strong waters for a shilling ; the Gentlemen of the Press accept wine and compliments from tho eminent Messrs. So-and-so ; and the Deadheads hover around any knot of talkers and drinkers willing to stand treat and to listen to, if not accopt, their opinions as to the chances of the game. Everything is what is known as Rosy ! Macer and Jenkins linger behind the rest when the time of resuming the play has arrived. , it ' Ib'a All right,' whispers Macer ; I've booked Lord H. for a 'tliou.,' and the rest of 'em for all they can afford. Spotty backs himself, and Katfcy backs Spot. Can't go wrong- Must pull it off this time.' ' And no mistake,' assents Jenkins. Smilingly they re-enter the saloon and take tiicir seats near to, but just behind, Lord Harry and the swells on tho velvet cushioned chairs. Still very Rosy !

i Tho play is resumed. It is now quite understood among the initiated what the ; result is to be. A littlo vicarious betting, and then the company settle down expec tantly. Strangely enough, the favourite of the evening is hardly able to make a stroke! , He tries cannons, and misses them by n hair's breadth. He plays at the spot-stroke, i and leaves tho red just in tho jaws of tho pocket. And so presently tho distance i between the scores is lessened, and lessoned, and lessened, till, in about an Hour's time, the Marker culls, * Seven hundred all ! ' Macor nnd Jenkins can barely conceal their interest in the contest. They order and drink a B. and S. split, nnd compare 1 notes. They bend over the shoulders of Lord Henry and hie friends, and whisper words that sound like ' Double the stake ; three or two,' and so on. And then Spot stroke mukes the break of the even ing—a hundred and fifty with thirty four consecutive winning hazards! Rattlecue sits down near to Mucer, and there is is a little whispering ; and, when it is his turn to play, he plays as though he really meant to win. 'Ho does !' aay the Swells to ench other. 'Hβ don't!' think Macer and Jenkins. 'Ho means it, but we'll back the other man,' say such of the Deadheads as are, or believe they are, in the secret. He plays so well that the score, notwith standing all Spot's endeavours, is once more even. • Nine hundred and twenty-one all ! ' Macer and Jenkins look a little anxious, whisper each other, — ' Batty mustn't win !' •He won't; no fear !' ' Best hedge a bit!' 1 Wait till Spotty goes on !' SpotstroUo goes on, and on, as break suc ceeds break on either side, fully justifies the confidence reposed in him by his friends. Neither player makes long scores now. Both seem to bo on the defensive. They say nothing , , not a word ; bub set them selves down seriously to tho task before them. ■Rattlecue again forges ahead—so far ahead as to delight his backer!", and pro ' portionally alarm the friends of the other man. ' Getting wather a. close thing,' observes liOrd Henry, now that boih players are well in their last hundred. ' Another pony on the Spot!' whispers Macer. Done !' says the gentleman who manages hie lordship's book. Macer and Jenkins are in great glee when their man gets once more in front. But the adherents of Rattle are not a whit less buoy ant Avhen he finishes hiscarefully-considered break of twenty-nine. And so they pass and repass each other till Rattle gets up to nine hundred and ninety-three againstninc hundred and sixty nine. Then he breaks down, leaving the red close over the corner pocket. ' I'll take three to one on the striker!' cries Macer, as Spotstrokc rises from his seat and prepares to play the necessary thirty one. • Done !' ' Done !' ' Done !' In three places from the front seats. Spotstroke makes easy work of what he and everybody considers tho last break of the game. He goes in off the red. He can nons off the wiiite. Ho drops the red in the middlo, and pockets it from the spot time after time, till there is only a single red hazard needed to complete the thousand up ! . Then ho fails,-really, truly, and unmis takably fails. And this is the position of tho balls : the red- ball over the left-hand cornet' pocket; the white ball near to and and nearly over the right-hand middle pocket; and his opponent's ball in hand. Rattlecue rieee .and looks at the position —critically. Thinking, 'If I score, I might win ! If I win, 1 lose my bets, which will swallow up all my share of the other wagers ; and more !' Spotstroke looks on with-a nonchalant but really serious air; and he thinks, ' If Rat J scores off the balls as they stand, he must I win ! If he wins, I looso all my bets, and I Lord 11. pockets the stakes !' He glances —the merest glance—at Rattle, and is reassured. Rattlpcue has made up his mind, bpot must win. And that will bring about the muoh-dcaired division of Lord Henrys hundred, and thoir share of the wagers, and the hundred to nothing they get from the honourable conspirators. So he places his ball on the left-hand spot in the semicircle, and plays sharply with a strong side at the white over the middle. ' Missed It, by Jove !' exclaims Jenkins ' Sh-sh-sh !' whispers Macer ; and then they and tho company watch the run of the | ball.

i They may woll Match. Rattlecuo make: i tho most .Amazing Fluke that was evoi i made on a billiard table. His ball flics ti • Llie cushion, misses tho white, crosses over to the top, outs the red in the corner, comew ) down again to the right-hand cushion, ! passes enrvingly to tho bottom, crosses b) , t a short anglo to the left-hand cushion, , lazily tips the white into'tho middle pocket. ) and thon curls nway to the corner and falls i in ! Below is a diagram of tho position and , the stroke. It is nil over! Jn an instant everybody has risen, and there is such a buzz—and I eucli applause—and such ill-diaguisetl ■ curses—and such glee amoug the winners - i and such dismay among tho losers, as nevei ■ was witnessed before. Macer and Jenkins are nowhere to bt ; seen. Lord Henry and his friends are cool but jubilant. The Professors utter not a word. The Representative of the Sporfcinp Tipster hands over the stakes! The Oentleman of the Press look know ingly at each other. The Public and the Deadheads are do lighted, as they (someof them) have backed i the winner. And nexfc morning the reports for once , agree. They all pronounce it— , A Re markable Fluke!'

liiJb AUCKLAJSIi JKiVJiuMXNU aj.ax, tmiojxt, uciOBMC tfi. 1887.

7





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