I KNOW what interest profound and gracious you have always manifested
towards the glorious efforts of the heroic youth of our regenerated
athletic France, for have I not read your notices amiable and
scientific of _les_ "doings" of our onze at the _jeu de Cricquette_,
and still later of the murderous combat of the veritable
"struggle-for-lifers" in _le scrimmage_ of your terrible contest of
"Kicke-balle"? But now the valiant youth of our public seminaries have
advanced still one more step, and the afternoon of last Tuesday saw,
in the leafy arcades of our Bois, a true "stick-balle" fight--in one
word, a _parti_ of "Le 'Ockey," played with _vrais batons_, clubs long
and terrible, with cruel hooked finish, to the eye of the beholder,
and the dangerous white ball, hard as iron, heavy as lead, between a
'ome team and a "side" of strangers, that would have done credit to an
"Oxfor-Cambridge" battle or a fight royal, in which _Les Roverres de
Peckham_ were themselves engaged.
The costume of the _'ome team_, of which I was the General,
consisting, as it did, of "knickerbockerres" of pink velvet, jerseys
of green and yellow satin in stripes, padded in front and behind, as
a protection from _les coups de les "stickes,"_ with large feather
pillows, and 'igh jack-boots, worn with the same motive, completed,
together with a massive iron and wire mask, surmounted with a funereal
plume, used to safeguard the head and neck, a costume at once
striking and useful. The strangers were, perhaps, not quite so happily
arranged, their legs being encased in chain-armour, and their bodies
protected by large wicker clothes-washing-baskets; but, though this
precautionary costume hampered in some respect the play of their arms,
and impeded their swiftness in making "le rush," still, the hardest
blow of the death-dealing "stickes" fell on them without pain, and
they could meet the approach of the terrible iron-lead ball without
the apprehensive tremblings of terror.
The contest, though fierce, was not of long duration, for, after the
ninth goal, the iron-lead ball was driven with such furious _elan_ by
the victorious side that it dashed into the middle of the spectators,
and was swallowed, in the excitement, by the startled horse of an
omnibus. Thereupon the Umpire, being appealed to, decided the contest
terminated with victory, by three goals to nothing, to the 'ome team,
and amidst the prolonged "hurrahs" of the assembled thousands, who
represented all the _elite_ of the veritable 'igh and Sporting life
of the best Parisian Society, the first day's _stick-balle_ fight that
has now introduced "Le 'Ockey" into the arena of our rising National
Athletics, came to a brilliant and inspiriting end. I beg you, _Mon
cher Monsieur Punch_, be assured of my highest considerations, as I
subscribe myself your very humble _serviteur_,