"A SINGLE-HANDED RUN."
["It is interesting to watch the methods of obstruction.... Progress (with the Parish Councils Bill) has been slow enough, but it is impeded with an artfulness which indicates a certain division of labour among the different sections of the Unionist army. The first section includes the Liberal Unionists, whose rôle is ... to take no overt part in the game of mere talkativeness; the second is the official Tories, who mostly hate the Bill ... and lose no opportunity of expressing a guarded but thoroughly sincere distrust of every portion of it; the third section consists of the go-as-you-please Lowtherites—the mere guerillas, who are allowed to obstruct as much and as long as they please."—"House and Lobby" in the "Daily Chronicle."]
(Rough, and rather amateurish, reporter's mems. picked up on the St. Stephen's Football Grounds during the progress of the big match, Midlothian United v. Unionists. See illustration, p. 266.)
Football at St. Stephen's looking up! Fine exponents of the Rugby game. Strong combinations, "Midlothian United" and "Unionists" met to decide great—postponed—fixture. Though weather favourable, failed somehow to attract the large crowd usual at matches between these two "sides" of far-famed amateurs. Enthusiastic followers of the game, however, who turned up in adequate numbers, rewarded by sight of good, if slow and unexciting game. Both sides well represented, and the homesters, who won the toss, played first half from pavilion end of ground, having wind, which was blowing across ground, a trifle in their favour.
"Midlothian United," famous team, better known as "Gladstone's Men," play well together, and are strong lot, though less speedy perhaps than their opponents. "Unionists" indeed (made up from two admirable teams at one time opponents) an extremely clever, not to say artful, combination. As pick of anciently opposed sides, wonderful how well they are together, and how unselfishly they play the game. "Midlothian United" team (which has undergone numerous changes of late) also fairly well together, and admirably captain'd.
From kick-off, ball was well returned, and play settled down in homesters' territory. Later, game of very equal character, each side looking like scoring, but nothing definite obtained before half time. Game then ruled a bit slow. Showing good combination, the visitors' forwards caused home-side some anxiety. Forwards, however, played very self-denying game, and game largely confined to the half and three-quarter backs, and in this visitors had advantage, as "Midlothian United" do not so greatly shine in this phase of game, whereas, among their opponents, Bowles, Long, Lowther, and one or two more, very smart and tricky. Fowler, however, the great Midlothian forward, played with fine combination of energy and judgment, made some fine runs, and proved vastly effective in scrum. Balfour, Goschen, and H. James, played very artfully indeed, and "tackled" strongly, and although that mighty forward Chamberlain less prominent than usual, still, in doggerel of football-field, it may be said that,
Joe, the Brum,
Shines in scrum.
Later Bowles, Tomlinson, Stanley, Leighton, Lowther, and Hanbury, were very active for the "Unionists," though one or two of them seemed sometimes "within measurable distance" of being pulled up for fouls. Collings once made tracks but failed to pass Rigby, who throughout played a sound game at back for the Midlothianites. Not to be denied, the "Unionists" again advanced to the attack, Long and Leighton especially being conspicuous. Fowler deprived latter, but Balfour and Chamberlain rushing up relieved. Fast and even play then became order, the ball being taken from one end of ground to other with great rapidity. Fowler broke up a determined attack by "Unionists." From a hot scrum he got possession, and put in a fine single-handed run right down centre of ground, closely pursued by those determined tacklers, Balfour, James, Goschen, and the redoubtable Brum, when——
[Here the reporter's mems. abruptly terminate, and it is presumed they were dropped—actually or metaphorically—by the evidently amateur scribe.
Diabolus Ex Machina.—Dynamiting Anarchism.