Reminiscences of the Bathgate Curling Club

G
of Inchcross, like all good skips, always preferred a scientific
shot when such was open to hint to a. hazard. He therefore
turned his attention to an outlying side stone, nearly one-third
of which was visible, from which an inwick was possible, if
taken at the proper angle and with sufficient force. The port
through which this stone could be reached was, however, so
narrow, as only to be within the reach of possibility, and to
`add to the difficulty a slight rub was necessary from a back
lying stone to enable the player's stone to take the port straight.
It was, hoc ever, possible, and although an extrenily delicate
and hazardous shot, Inchcross, who knew his man, resolved to
attempt it. He thereupon issued his directions to his lieutenant
to " come at it
wi'
a hair o' pith," which were seconded by the
earnest solicitations of the anxious preses, "O, be unerring,
Harry! For the honour of Bathgate be unerring!" Dir Shanks
having understood what was required of him, took a straight
a.nd steady look up the rink, and with a swing of the arm, sent
the stone on which so much depended on its eventful course.
As it made its way up the rink, wit lithat music so dear to a
curler's ear, its progress was watched with breathless, suspense:
not one of the ejaculations usually heard on such occasions
escaped from the lips of either party. It was a moment of
most intense anxiety; and the frame of the worthy Laird of
Bo-head literally trembled with agitation mid excitement as
he eagerly watched and waited the result. The face of Inch-
cross at first wore a grave and doubtful aspect; then a gentle
smirk was seen to steal quietly round the corners of his mouth,
which gradually broadened into a radiant smile of joy as the
stone neared the hog-score, when lie broke the silence with
"He's the very curl, lie has it, lie has it, to a hair's breadth!"
and he was right. The required rub was taken to a nicety.
without loss of impetus; the stone entered and safely passed
through the narrow port without a touch, took the desired
wick, displaced both of the Cam'nethan stones by a double
cannon, and lay a dead guarded winner in their place; thus
completely reversing the relative positions of parties, an order
of game which all the subsequent efforts of Cam'nethan skip
failed to alter:' The
loud
burst of acclamation that then rung
through the clear frosty air, with the simultaneous waving of
cower overhead, announced to the player the complete success
of his
'shot.
An
incident
then occurred which
is
worthy of being
recorded as illustrating in a very marked degree the genuine
friendly spirit that animates the breasts of all true curlers
when engaged in the roaring game. When Air Shanks, wlio
had followed his stone, approached the excited group
,
the late'
Mr Storry, of Bed-Allan, the Cam'nethan skip, forgetting for
the moment the discomfiture to his own side, to his admiration
for the dexterous curling skill displayed by his opponent,
rushed forward, and grasping the burly farmer by the hand,
exclaimed with a burst of generous enthusiasm, "0, man,
Harry, just lie down and dee on the spot, for you will never
play sic anither shot ' again !"
I"