Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 4 1886.djvu/129

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The ball was thrown home and rolled about three bats from the bicken. This point, however, was the breaking-up of the game, for Williams said it was more than three bats off, whilst Curnow main- tained that it was not three bats off, and there being no chance of a compromise being arrived at the game was broken up.

^' The next party was one of young men. They were playing rounders with a wooden ball, instead of an india-rubber one, as is generally used. There were twelve each side, and the bicken s were about 20 yards distant. By this time the tide was out a great way, so that there was no fear of the ball being knocked to sea, as was the case with the other boys. When I got there they had been play- ing for about an hour, and the side that was in had been in about half of that time. The first hit I saw was * a beauty ' ! The ball was sent about 75 yards and the result was a rounder. Two or three other persons went in and did the same thing, and so the game went on for about an hour longer, when one of the fellows knocked up a catcher and was caught. This side had stayed in for about one hour and a half. The other side went in, at about a quarter to three, and after playing about another hour they went home to tea.

^' I went to tea also, but was soon up in the Malakoff again. It was so dark that the play was stopped for the time. At about seven o'clock the older part of the town began to congregate, and about a quarter past seven they began to play * Thursa.' This game is too well known to need description, and I need only say that it was played about one hour, when they began to form a ring with the intention, I supposed, of playing that best of all games, ' Kiss-in-the Ring.' I could stay on the Malakoff no longer, but ran as fast as my legs could carry me to the scene of operation, and arrived there just in time to commence with the others. The first person that went out was a fine, blooming-looking girl, about twenty. I quite fell in love with her. It was a case of love at first sight, for I had never before seen her. Well, around the ring she went, skipping along so briskly; while we were waiting, with our hearts almost still, to know who the fortunate creature would be that she would select. But, horror of horrors ! the handkerchief was thrown upon me ! My heart stopped beating, my breath was fairly gone, and it was more