Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 29, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 August 1892 — Hockey on Horseback. [ARTICLE]

Hockey on Horseback.

A writer in the Alpine Journal, narrating his adventures in the Valley of Cashmere, describes the national game of changhan, or hockey on horseback. He had stopped to admire a level piece of ground, such a sight being’ .rare in that country, when he was surprised by the sudden appearance of several horsemen and a great crowd of country people on foot. The. throng increased every moment, and presently the stranger was informed that a game of changhan was to be played. He was conducted to a good position, and found the game not merely interesting but exciting. He says: To all appearance the rules of the game are exactly like those of our schoolboy game of hockey. The contending sides consisted of about twenty-five horsemen each. Play began by one rider starting forward at full gallop, chucking the wooden ball into the air, and sending it forward with a swinging blow from his crocked hockey-stick. Immediately there was a grand rush after it, and then followed a scene of hurry and scurry, dust, dashing of sticks, clattering of hoofs, shouting and confusion that would be hard to describe. The excitement was increased by the clangor of a band composed chiefly of clarionets, gongs and cymbals. The small horses, all with long, flowing ndams arid tails, were wonderfully active, and seemed to understand the game as well as their riders. For instance, the hall having gone into goal, a rider who was near dismounted and ran to pick it up, leaving his horse standing perfectly still. All the other horses were rushing around it with tremendous clatter, but it did not move till its mister returned and remounted. One fellow, while galloping along at a sharp pace, stooped down, picked up with his hand another man’s cap that had fallen to the ground, and tossed it across into the hands of its owner with a grace that was delightful. Several other tricks of a simi- | lar kind were quietly done, while the ! whole fifty ho.scs were rushing after i the ball, all jumbled together in a c.oud of dust. The game lasted more than an hour. At the close all the men rode up to the band-stand, and hoisting their sticks high in the air, shouted the same word several times over, and then dispersed, laughing boisterously, evidently much amused at the joke, whatever it might be.

Thirty-five years ago there were no colleges for women in the United States, and seminaries even were scarce. To-day there are 40,000 girls taking college courses, with studies as advanced as those of the most favored of the male sex. More than that, the girls, as a rule, are carrying' oft the class honors in tne college* W which they nave bee*, admitted. While Uncle Sam nas no reason vei to-be ashamed of his boy* n* can well be proud ofi the records his gins are making.