THE SLOCUM TENNIS TOURNAMENT.

Press, Volume L, Issue 8600, 29 September 1893, Page 3

THE SLOCUM TENNIS TOURNAMENT.

St. James t Budget The Slocum Tournament was almost

more than a local event. The prize* were very handsome, especially for the principal competition, the Open Handicap; and a large number of visitors, of greater or lens fame iv tho tennis world, were accustomed to put up at the White Hart Hotel and take part in the play every year. As a consequence the staudard was tolerably high, mid duft'er-i (as the secretary put it with natural pride) at a discount. All this was hinted a* delicately as possible to Mr Bayle, who, ou his arrival two days before, had announced hii lutentlou of entering for the Handicap. Tho hints were ineffectual. Mr Bayle seemed oblivious of his weight of years (he looked full

three-score), ami wan firmly determined to play. The committee shrugged theli >liuuJder.-, took his entrance tee, and gave him a handicap almost contemptuous in its liberality.

By the irony of fate, It fell to the secretary himself to be drawn against old Mr Bay le in the first round. He had to give the stranger thirty ; and to this day ue does not care to dwell upon the game. Mr Bayle's activity and accuracy were, at the reporters justly remarked, "phenomenal " for his age. He was, said the disgusted secretary, like a bit of live india-rubber : the Curate himself observed to Daisy Smiles that the old man wan "a demon " (he used the term, of course. In the sense in which "cricketing intelligence " is ant to employ it.) The secretary grew terribly warm—in body and speech ; but ho never won a game : and Mr Bayle strolled back to the pavillou, gently stroking his grey beard, cool as & cucumber. The Secretary was only the first victim ; the Doctor, who fancied hla game very much, was shown up in a fashion almost ludicrous; and the great Mr Cocker, from London (who thought be bad the cup in his pocket from the beginning), could not do more than put old Mr Bayle on his mettle—and when he was

thus on hla mettle the old man wai

wonderful. Finally be defeated Mr Cocker by three sets to two, and was proclaimed the winner amid a scene of an-

thusiasm from the ladies (Daisy Smiles called him an old dear to his very nose) and tolerable politeness on the part of the men.

"Oh, you flatter mc," said old Mr Bayle. "You should see my son Tom play ; he gives mc half-forty." "Oh, Mr Bayle," cried Daisy, ** vrhy didn't he come?"

" I wish he could have, but he was detained in town by business. If he'd come you may be sure I shouldn't have carried off this lovely prize;" and Mr Bayle fondled the silver cup which had just been presented to him. It had cost thirty guineas (wholesale prices and trade discount).

" We 9hould hardly have given him so good a handicap as we gave you, sir," the Secretary reminded the old gentleman. "Eh ? What? I never thought of that. No, to be sure—l suppose not," rejoined Mr Bayle, who seemed quite taken by surprise at this new idea.

Sure enough, in tho evening of the last day of the tournament, young Mr Bayle arrived. His father -went off in a fly to the station—a close fly, for fear of a chill after his exertions—to meet his son, and the two drove back to the hotel together. Daisy Smiles sat next the new-comer at table d'hdte, and, while condoling with him ou his lost opportunity, expressed the highest admiration for his father's play. "But how tired he looks 1" she exclaimed sympathetically. "He suffers a reaction after an effort like that," rejoined Tom Bayle ; and certainly the old gentleman struck every one .is being very feeble and exhausted, quite another man from what he had been in the morning. " He's a wondor," said the Doctor emphatically ; " but he oughtn't to be allowed to do such things."

" I often remonstrate with him," said Tom; "but he's naturally fona of his game, and he won't be persuaded to give up playing." Tom a concern for his father oreated a very favourable impression; and as the defeated competitors had time to recover their tempers, general regrets were expressed when it became known that the Bayles were going to move on the next morning. However, they could not be turned from their decision, and Daisy Smiles packed up the handsome sliver cup very carefully, aud the Secretary expressed the hope thab the Bayles would both come next year. ** But we won t promise you the same handicap," he added with a significant smile.

The next morning the omnibus came round directly after breakfast to take the Bayles to the station. Almost everybody came out to see them off, and Boots, carrying the wooden box containing the cup, brought up the rear of the procession. CM Mr Bayle was shaking hands all round. Young Mr Bayle was promising to bring his father next year, and come himself also, when suddenly two gentlemen who had just walked up to the hotel rushed forward and warmly greeted Mr Bayle, senior. " So you took our advice after all," cried one, " and stayed a night here?" " I knew you'd And good quarters, added the other. Apparently the landlord knew the strangers, for he advanced and bade them welcome with much cordiality.

"We recommended your house to this gentleman when we met him in the train yesterday," said one, pointing to Mr ? Not yesterday, sir," said the landlord courteously " The gentleman was here all day yesterday." " Not a bit of it. We came down from town with him, and left him In the train at five o'clock. We meant not to come here, but the hotel at Suunyaide proved abominably crowded." " You seem to have a double, Mr Bayle, said he. • , "It looks-like it," rejoined Mr Bayle with a nervous laugh. "Oh, come," said the -itranjscer, "w» recognise the gentleman perfectly; you're making fun of US." The misunderstanding was curious: Mr Bavle seemed to take it seriously. "I declare on my honour," be said," that I wasn't In the train." "Of course not, Mr Bayle, said Daisy Smiles; "fifty people can swear to youf being here." , "Mr Bayle played In the tournament yesterday," added the Secretary, "and won it too. So you see you must be mistaken." "lHuppo9eso,"snid one; "but I could have sworn to him." *' Father, we shall miss the train," cried Tom Bavle, and, seizing his parent by the arm, he began to hurry him towards the omnibus. " Come along with that thing," he added to Boots, who still stood in waiting with the trophy. The strangers were neglected, and their queer mistake forgotten, as people Docked round to see the last of the Bayles. Boots was just banding the important box to Tom, and Tom was jnst pressing Daisy Smiles'a hand In farewell, when a cry was heard in a feminine voice. "Mr Bayle, sir I Please, sir 1" Everybody looked round. A chambermaid was hurrying downstairs. She held something white in her hand. "Give mc the box," cried Tom Bayle, "we shall miss the train;" and he made * snatch at the box.

By a sudden instinct the Secretary inter* posed his hand. "Wait a bit," he said. " What's the girl got T The girl was close by now. She went up to Tom Bayle and said: " Please, sir, I found these in your room, sir—behind the bed, sir. I suppose you overlooked it in packing, sir."

Tom, with a smothered oath, clutched at what the maid held towards him. The Secretary was too quick; he seized it first, and, amid a deep murmur of astonishment, held up a long grey beard. After a moment's dramatic paose three or four members of the clob advanced. Tbey took Tom Bayle by the shoulders and held him. The Secretary then fitted on the beard with loving care; It fitted magnificently. ' . .... , , "Thedearboy has& look of his father in it?" observed the Secretary. He remembered that fearful game. They led Tom, arrayed In his beard, up to the strangers. .__ "Is this anything like your Mm&1 n asked the Secretary. "All right," said Tom, aulklly—"l chuck!" And the Secretary chuckled. "We needn't trouble you to take that box," said he. "Boots, take it to my room." Tom, still firmly held, was escorted back to the omnibus. And there the Secretary lifted bis foot and with a hearty good-will assisted poor Tom into the furthest recesnes of the vehicle. "Well. I never knew such m thing In all my life I" cried Daisy Smiles. "A very neat game," commended the Doctor. " But for these gentlemen"— •• And the beard "—added Daisy. " It would have come off pat." " The next elderly stranger who come* to play in our tournament," observed the Secretary grimly, " will start Boratca." And in the omnibus old Mr Bayle said sadly to his son, " We should have got » pony for it at uncle's." Tom shifted on* easily ca the bench and softly ewore*