LOST BALL!

Mataura Ensign, 27 September 1913, Page 4

LOST BALL!

By Barry Pain in ' The Daily Mjift.' In Rent's Park a roadway separate an official sand playground iVf-m a stretch of baked turf that, tlioujs ijd'. official, is also a playground. Tk*!ro„ar« big trees there for the hido-a/ioWck game. There are high railings at the back wlticlu assise in the construction of Red Indian tents—tho more severe of the park keepers have boon known to object to tents. Also in the bright oyos of childhood released from County G>uncil schools all turf is a potential cricket pitch and every place a playground. Even the roadway is a playgrofcpd. Jn tho spring cartloads- of small shells 'were spread on it, and thoso ahelfe are now crushed to dust, and dust & an excellent toy; you collect it'in your .'hands or in a piece of newspaper and tlftow it over your sister. " . » In front of the unofficial playground is a rail about a foot high and over this perambulators must 'be lifted. Sometimes the baby is removed first, and sometimes it falls out as the perambulator tilts. You can also balance yourself on this rail, falling (where any choice is left you) on the turf rather than on the road. Ono way and another this rail must provide fine practice in cranial surgery, besides being ornamental.

Down the roadway came a group of children with a perambulator. In every such group there is one. dominant personality, and in this case it was a long, thin girl of 12, at present being addressed, with much affectation, of respect, as "teacher." She was not beautiful, nor even clean. Her hair wa» scanty and unkempt, and she was dressed in what she happened to have. For tho part of' teacher she had assumed a voice of aggressive ro,fineinent and a sanctimonious oxprossion. Sh* elevated the front wheels of the peramculator on to the low rail.

"Eovorratkins, kindly assist me witk this perambulator. No, not you, Fibut. When I want you I will say so. Now then, Fever, at the word 'Ono' you lift your end of it. . . . Ono!" Eva Atkinu [ifled. Out went th« baby. The baby «a.- not hurt. Ho was not even surprise:!. He had bean out for a day's enjoyment before. Ho sat u|> on lend and surveyed the scone with „th* [expression of an aged philosopher. Then he began to crawl with astounding rapidity and determination. "Now then, 1 want all of you children kindly to attend to ni. , and give as little trouble .u; you can. Stand in a row, please, with your chins. . . ." "1 say, ain't we going to have no cricket?" said Albert. He had a piee* of a soapl*)* under his arm, a rubber ball in his pocket, and a taSto for manly exercise.

Quite suddenly the tall girl ceased to bo a refined teacher in a County Council school, and became merely .lane. "Don't keer. Can if you like. Tell you what, well have me and Elbut against Willi* and Ewer, and I bags going in first. What, your'bat. is ii ■'< Weil. I'm okler'n what you are. You want mo to push your face in for you? Oh, look at that iinby trying to get under tl.'sit rail. Catch him, one of von, before he drown* hisself." '

The baby was brought back and plaecd on a limj) cushion from the perambulator. He sucked one corner of it, found it uninteresting, and went off on another expedition. The tree that represented the. stumps was large and the bit of wood that represented the bat was small. Tim condition of the pitch was alw> in th« lmwler's favor. But Jane, facing the howling of Willie, showed plenty of resource.

She was not out the first ball, so lh» umpire said, because it was the firstball. (Jano was the umpire.) The second hall also bowled her, Imt the bowler having omitted to ask if she was ready, ithe umpire again deeided in her favor. [ A short interval was now taken in or!der to remove the baby from the middle of the pitch. Jano scooped the third ball back into the bowler's hands, but again be was unlucky, the umpire pointing out with truth that nothing bad been said about catches. Other children had gathered round no\r to look on and give expert advice. When Jane finally retired it was not so much lKHyu.se sh» was elean Im)wlc<l- —that had happened often and often—as because publi* opinion had IxHOine too strong for her. "Then if I'm out, Klbut's in, and I'm p;oiiijr to bowl." Experts having pointod out that sli« could not Ihiwl against her own side, she said with dignity that ah© would show them, and she did. One terrifi* smite from Albert and trio Ivill vanished.

The experts standing round differed in opinion. Some maintained that the ball went in one direction, others /that it went in another. Albert said hj« knew very well whore he* lhad hit it, and that lost lvall counted «i* anyhow, and went off in a third direction. Jana searched, Willie searched. Era Atkins went up to the old gentleman seated under a tree and said: "Please, sir, have you seen our ball, and can you tell too what the time is?" A kindly lady, as tflio crossed th» turf. a.sk<«l the children what they wer« lookinsr for, and assisted in the search. "Elbut won't half get, it in the neck for this," said Willie darkly. "What for?" asked Eva Atkins, still searching. "Tt wasn't his ball, not properly." The commander grew impatient. Cricket is an amusement. Looking for •something which you cannot find i* wearisome. Moreover, she. knew from the old gentleman (via, Eva Atkins) what the time was. "Can't stop here all day." ..she announced. "We're going home now." Albert remonstrated, but Jfme »a» adamant. "Can't help it. You ought to have had more sense than to hit a ball lik# that. You might have put sorrK'lwxly'* eye out. If it wasn't your ball you'd no,business to have took it. Ecverntkins. put your bat on. We're wiine. Willie, put them cushions back y\ tli« warn. Anvbodv seen baby? Whv. if be ain't right over there. The troubla th- + child .jives me!" The baby had wandered to a remote corner, anal there he sat, deep _ m thought, eating -i nice of grass, after tit" manner of Nebuchadnezzar. He was. told to don and put, it ''own. and asked if he wished to make hiHiwlJ ill. The grass was taken from him, and ,la'" 1 lifted him ui> in h<>r arms. "Found!" she screamed. "Got it?" asked Albert suporuu<>usdv. "Yes h"re it is. Baby was setting on it all +he time. He'a a. holy terror, lie is. Now we can go on with tho game." Albert resumed his pofilion in front of the tree. ■•> mi | "What do y"» think you're doing r [asked Jane coldly. "Well. I was in," ciid Albert. "Ow. was von? And who found tb* ball?"

it wh« in.'HiMvoralilr. She lier sociond innings.