BILLIARDS.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 1899, 3 February 1875, Page 3

BILLIARDS.

this is classed among the naughty amusements—bjr those who know nothing whatever about it. The people who are thoroughly acquainted with it, however, maintain that it is not a particularly wicked pastime. The testimony of both these clases of persons may be taken for what it is worth—and that is not very much. Those who play billiards are, for the most part, given to late hours and the use of latch-keys. Wives have _ been known to object to the game on this account. Some husbands have respected the objection; others have not. It is believed that the former have been in the habit of sleeping the most peacefully. Billiards is a game at which some people lose their money and everybody lose their tempers more or less—principally more. A good deal of cash may be made at it by an adept. The thing is never to play with any one whom you cannot beat, and never to commence too well. Let your opponent win a couple of games or so, and then fleece him with all possible despatch. The probability is that after you have done so, if you have ( acted judiciously, he! will still consider jjiimself your superior, and accordingly allow himself to be again fleeced by you upon a futare occasion. An experienced player whVwanders up and down town can find plenty of people who have money

to lose to the first man who will be kind enough to win it from them. There is a good deal of luck in billiards. If a tyro you will do well to remember this before beginning to play. You should always be out of luck or in bad form, and you may do good service by loudly alleging that the greater number of your opponent's best shots are miserable " flukes." He will not like you doing so, and will, probably, lose his temper if you persist in your talk. 'Ihis should be a strong inducement to you to do so, as the moment he begins to pet irritated, he will commence to play badly. When your turn to play comes never give the slightest inkling as to the particular stroke you are going to try for. The adoption of this course will tend to spare you considerable humiliation. When you make a shot which you did not attempt you may remark in a tone of triumph that you hardly expected to get it, which will be quite true, and will lead on-lookers to form a favourable opinion as to your capabilities. This mode of procedure is frequently adopted, and invariably with the most gratifying results. It is well to pay some attention to the marking board. By doing so you may at times as satis* factorily alter your score as you can by the best possible play. A s much pleasure andce^it can frequently be got from watching a game of billiards as from playing one,, the skilful pn-looker hating it in his power to represent himself as a scientific player without incuring the risk of showing that he is a bad one. When you are watching other people trying conclusions you should criticise every shct that is made and be very rich in suggestion. Upon a player scoring in one manner you ought to tell him how he could much more satisfactorily have scored in another fashion. In the event of his missing a shot you may explain how it is that he has done so. Always talk a great deal about putting " the right side on,'* and make frequent mention of the "screw." Those most concerned may not relish your remarks, but this is a small matter. When you are explaining how a, stroke may be made never take a, cue in your hand for the .purpose of proving the force of yourremarks. Remember that precept is much better than practice, and that critics, as a class, are never good for much except talk, and that they invariably make a mess of the whole thing when they depart from their usual custom,of not doing anything except find fault with the performances of others. Always become particularly scientific in ypur conversation ancnt billiards when in the presence cf ladies, who, as a rule, know rather less about the game, and, who, failing to comprehend the drift of your speeches, will probably form a high, opinion as to your prowess. A billiard player is bound to affect indifference to every game except the one he especially affects. The doing of this is apt to make him disagreeable, but he should riot concern himself with such a small matter as this when reputations are created entirely by people constituting themselves immensely unpleasant. Billiards is a healthy, amusement, and is often surrounded by the most delightful associations. The public rooms devoted to it are invariably almost as warm as an oren, and great pains seem to be taken to prevent firesh air gaining an entrance into them, and thereby contaminating their exhilarating atmosphere, which is often rendered still more pleasant by the perfume of stale tobacco and the sweet scent of various kind of alcoholic liquors. The company gathered together in such places is, as a rule, equal to the; atmosphere, .many of the gentlemen who haunt a billiard saloon being so generous that they will graciously drink at your expense, as much as you like, and do all they can to prevent your pockets being weighed down by an excessive amount of money. The young man who takes to billiards will learn a great deal of character in a very short time and will, if he goes to work properly, find the easy road to ruin made still easier for him ;indeed so easy that he cannot but travel along till he pleasantly arrives at its terminus. Under these circumstances the game may be safely recommended to parent and guardians.— Liberal Eeview.