CROQUET 



1645 



CROSBY 



tion of X-rays. See ROENTGEN RAYS; ELEC- 

 TRODE. 



CROQUET, kroka', a game requiring, like 

 billiards, firmness of wrist and a true eye, 

 played by young and old, indoors and out. 

 Indoors a long table, with a raised edge and 

 covered with a smooth cloth, is used. The 

 outdoor game, however, is the more popular. 

 A well-rolled turf or a smooth spot of clay 

 forty-five by ninety feet is best, but the game 

 can be played enjoyably on any reasonably 

 level lawn. 



A croquet set consists of eight balls, each 

 with a painted colored band to match a sim- 

 ilarly-marked mallet, two stakes, one banded to 

 match the colors on balls and mallets, the 

 other with one band, and ten wire arches, or 

 wickets. The wickets are placed as shown in 

 the diagram; sometimes only nine are used, 



home stake without giving their opponents 

 an opportunity to start. 



There are special rules for emergencies, and 

 a number of technical terms. As the game is 

 usually played, a player who hits an opponent's 

 balLmay not do so again until he has sent his 

 ball through an arch. Until he succeeds in 

 so doing he is said to be dead on that particular 

 player. A rover is a ball which has completed 

 the circuit but has not touched the home stake. 

 Such a ball may play on every other ball in 

 the field, and its owner may hit his opponents' 

 balls as often as he chooses, without his ball 

 being considered dead, except that he cannot 

 hit the same ball twice in one turn. 



The game of croquet is thought to have 

 originated from the old French game pail mail, 

 which gave its name to that famous street in 

 London, Pall Mall. A scientific form of croquet, 



DIAGRAM OF A CROQUET FIELD 



in which case only one is placed in the center 

 of the field. Two or more persons play. If two 

 play, each sometimes uses two balls. When 

 four play each has but one ball, but when 

 playing partners those who play together have 

 many opportunities to help each other to favor- 

 able positions. 



The object of the game is to start the ball 

 from one stake, make the circuit through all 

 arches on one side, including a middle arch, 

 hit the other stake, then pass through the 

 arches on the other side, back to the starting 

 stake (see diagram). The player or side first 

 completing the circuit wins the game. Each 

 player, according to the usual rules, is allowed 

 to strike his ball but once, aiming for a wicket. 

 If the ball passes through the wicket he may 

 play again. If his ball strikes an opponent's 

 ball, he may place his ball beside the opponent's 

 and so strike his own that the other is sent 

 out of position, and his own to a more favor- 

 able spot. He has the alternative privilege 

 of placing his ball a short distance from his 

 opponent's and taking two strokes. Skilful 

 players often make the entire circuit to the 



called rogue, is rapidly gaining popularity in 

 America and England, a number of national 

 and international roque societies having been 

 organized. w.c. 



CROSBY, krawz'bi, FANNY (1820-1915), the 

 childhood name of FRANCES JANE VAN ALSTYNE, 

 a blind hymn-writer whose songs have been a 

 comfort to millions of people. She was born 

 at Southeast, New York, and when only six 

 weeks old lost her sight through the application 

 of too hot a poultice to her eyes. At the age 

 of fifteen she entered the New York Institution 

 for the Blind, where she spent twelve years 

 as a pupil. Her teachers noticed her wonder- 

 ful gift for writing poetry and on many occa- 

 sions selected her to address distinguished 

 guests. These addresses were always in verse 

 form. 



In 1847 she became a teacher in the same 

 institution in which she had received her 

 education. After eleven years in that position 

 she married Alexander Van Alstyne, a blind 

 musician, who was then a pupil in the school. 

 In 1864 she began writing hymns, and no other 

 person since the days of Charles Wesley and 



