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a high one at short leg. 48, 3, 3. Cobb succeeded him, but Hill after several to leg removed his bail. 52, 4, 4. Capron kept tantalizing Hitchcock by forward drives to the Pavilion, only just out of his reach; he then received a half volley from Hill at which he let out right across his wicket. His middle stump was bowled amid ringing cheers from the Marlburian partizans. Unfortunately, however, for us, the umpire called it a no ball; so Capron still continued his innings. After a good piece of fielding by Glennie, and some puzzling overs from Hardwick, Bowden-Smith was bowled clean with a breaking ball from leg. 68, 5, 9. Cave then came in, and Peake went on again, but his first ball was driven to the off for 5 by Capron. Neither of the batsmen, however, could do much with Hardwick, who was in grand form, and at 83 bowled Capron clean with a faster ball without any break. fine display of free hitting and play both on the off and on. bowled second ball. 83, 7, 0. of the best wickets down for 80, the innings should not have produced much more than 100, but Cave, Kempson, and Walrond between them put on 56 runs. Cave, though his play at first was uncertain, yet, when he got set, made some fine strokes, especially to the off. Kempson played somewhat wildly and might have been caught at long leg but it was misjudged by Kitcat. Hill, Challen and Glennie were tried, with the ball, yet the innings did not close till 141 runs had been made. The fielding had been ou the whole good, especially on the part of Leach, Hitchcock and Glennie, while Hardwick bowled 121 balls for 58 runs and 7 wickets.

Capron's 42 was a good strong forward Hirst followed and was And now with seven

At 1.30 the Marlborough innings began, and Hitchcock and Kitcat faced the bowling of Leslie and Leggatt. Leggatt began from the nursery end and bowled a maiden over to Hitchcock. Leslie followed suit to Kitcat. In Leggatt's second over Hitchcock put one into short leg's hands. 0.1.0. Booth then appeared and the batting was very steady; too steady in fact, for there were many loose balls that ought to have been punished. When 8 runs had been made Booth was caught left hand low down by Leggatt off Leslie. 8.2.1. Leach then came in, and next over Kitcat was bowled, having made one good forward drive for 4. 10.3.6; not very promising. Leggatt was now bowling well and Peake who had joined

Leach could not make many runs off him. At 2 p.m. lunch interrupted the game. At 2.35 play was resumed but runs came very slowly. Leach played in good style though he did give a chance at point. A four to long on was very well placed and hard hit. Peake after making 4 was caught at the wicket. 24.4.4. Stanton then came in and the play became more lively; but soon after. wards Leach was badly run out by Stanton, who misjudged the run. This was very unfortunate as

Leach was getting on well and a good stand would have been very useful. 31.5.9. Bengough did not stay long, being bowled by Walrond for 6. 48.6.6. Stanton had been doing his best to atone for his mistake and made some very good strokes both to off and on, and Leslie and Leggatt changed sides; but soon afterwards he ran himself out while attempting a second run for a bye. It is but just to say that he was out of practice owing to the pressure of examination work. His score of 20 therefore was the more welcome. Challen and Glennie then made a stand together and runs came faster and the ignominy of a follow-on, which at one time threatened, was averted. Seventy was put up and then eighty, when slows were tried at the Pavilion end, and Challen was caught at the wicket. His innings of 15 comprised two very fine cuts to the boundary, 80.8.15. Hardwick joined Glennie who soon after was bowled for a useful 14. Hill and Hardwick each made 2, when the latter was bowled and the innings terminated for 88, or 53 to the bad. The chief point to notice in the Marlborough batting was the general tameness of the play. Most of the eleven played steadily enough but seemed to forget that it is often as easy to play a straight ball hard back as slowly. There were one or two exceptions, notably Challen.

Soon after 4 Rugby commenced their second innings to the bowling of Hardwick and Hill. Ten runs were scored without a wicket, but immediately afterwards Ward played a ball on to his wicket off Hill, 11, 1, 4. At the same total Leslie was missed by Glennie at point! This was disheartening; but, before 20 runs were made, Capron was bowled by Hill for 5. In the same over Hill clean bowled Leggatt, 19, 3, 0. Leslie was then joined by Cobb and made a run or two off almost every over. A good piece of fielding on Hardwick's part deserves notice. Challen was then put on to bowl and in

Hardwick's next over Cobb's wicket fell to a splendid catch at long leg by Kitcat. He had to jump to reach the ball with one hand, and though he fell flat on the ground yet kept hold of it amid great applause. 36, 4, 2. Our eleven were fielding and bowling their best and soon after Hardwick bowled Bowden Smith for 6. Then a good catch by Hitchcock disposed of Cobb. 51, 6, 1. Seven runs more were put on and Hardwick caught and bowled Hirst, 58, 7, 1. Then came another stand and Leslie and Kempson made 30 runs before they could be separated. A fine drive of Leslie's into the Pavilion should be noticed. Kempson was then run out by a very fine bit of fielding at coverpoint by Glennie, 88, 8, 16. 58 for seven wickets was decidedly good, 88 for 8 wickets was not bad, but now came the change. Fowler joined Leslie and in the next over the Rugby captain sent up the easiest of catches to Stanton at short leg. He most unaccountably dropped it! and off the next ball Leslie sent a catch to Peake in the longfield. This he misjudged. The next over Glennie missed Fowler at mid-off! Such a collapse was never seen! The batsmen in consequence went on hitting right merrily till 120 appeared on the board. Then, after a fiver to the nursery, off Peake, Leslie gave Glennie one more chance. This time it was accepted and Leslie was out. His innings of 80 was a fine display of hitting and a treat to the spectators but he was missed before he got into double figures. The innings, however, was not over yet, for Fowler and Walrond were not separated till they had raised the score to 144, and Glennie caught Fowler high up, this time a good catch.

Marlborough now had 198 runs to make to win, and Hitchcock and Kitcat were sent in to commence the task. They set to work with the greatest steadiness and determination. Their defence was admirable and when the stumps were drawn, they had made 26 without the loss of a wicket. In the night rain fell and on Thursday morning the ground was so wet and sloppy that play did not commence so early as had been intended. Soon after 12, however, Hitchcock and Kitcat appeared at the wickets and continued the policy of the night before.

No very

big hits were made, the ground was too dead, but the runs kept steadily coming. Leggatt and Leslie had started the bowling, then Walrond was

tried vice Leslie; then Fowler; but 50 was put on, and Leslie went on again, to no purpose. The batsmen were not to be put out. The best Rugbeian bowlers could attain to, was a maiden over now and then, but no wicket. Leggatt and Leslie then changed ends, but 60 was put up and Walrond had another try. Kitcat then played one to short-leg, the run was misjudged, and Hitchcock's wicket was was put down: the ball was thrown up, and Hitchcock was proceeding to retire towards the Pavilion, when it occurred to someone, that it would be as well if the umpire were asked, that official promptly said "not out." Great applause. 70 runs then appeared for no wickets, but at 71 Hitchcock was caught at the wicket by Cobb, for a most praise-worthy innings of 42. He played an uphill game most admirably, as he has often done before. He was at the wicket for two hours and did not give a single chance, and his score would have been still higher had not the wet grass stopped many good drives, which would have gone to the boundary. Kitcat did not long survive the loss of his partner, but was bowled by Leggatt for a most patient innings of 17. Both batsmen deserve the best thanks of Marlburians for their plucky attempt to save the day. 71 for two wickets. And now, if we would spare the feelings of all Marlburians, we must draw a veil over the rest, Leach played a good innings of 11 not out (though even he was missed) but could not get anyone to stay with him. The highest score made by any of the others was Peake's 5, and the last man was bowled by a full pitch, which he tried to hit to leg. The innings closed for 100 at 3.27, and the match was won by Rugby with 97 runs to spare.

About the match in general there is not much to be said. The best team undoubtedly won, though, if the ground had been as wet the first day as it was the second it would probably have made some difference in the Rugby scores; for both of their innings were played on the faster ground. We had undoubtedly the best bowler but they had the best bat. In fact the free style of their batting throughout their eleven was noticeable, and compared favourably with ours. The wicket keeping was good on both sides. The fielding was scarcely up to the mark on either side, though Hirst, Kempson, and Leslie for Rugby, and Hitchcock, Leach, and Glennie with one or two exceptions for

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Marlborough, fielded well. A word ought to be said about Hardwick's bowling. He took 13 wickets during the match and at no time did any batsman seem thoroughly at home with him. He will be a great loss to Marlborough. We only hope that next year's captain will find us some one to replace him, and then with more dash and freedom in our batting we may hope to be victorious in both our School matches. This year Peake has had an uphill task to perform; very few old hands to fall back upon, and few fine days in which to train the new ones. Appended is the score and analysis :

First Innings.

RUGBY.

W. P. Ward, b Hardwick...... 4 b Hill
C. F. H. Leslie, run out...... 14
F. W. Capron, b Hardwick... 42
C. A. S. Leggatt, c Peake b
Hardwick

C. E. Cobb, b Hill

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Second Innings.

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MARLBOROUGH COLLEGE THIRTY

YEARS AGO.

The following article is extracted from "All the Year Round."

THIRTY-SIX years ago a school was founded in a Wiltshire valley, for the purpose of educating the sons of clergymen at the moderate expense of thirtyfive pounds* per annum.

After some singular vicissitudes it has, by the ability of successive head-masters, attained a high position amongst the public schools of the country, and the men who were educated there form a numerous society, which looks back to the rambling and cumbrous pile of brickwork by the banks of the Kennet, as an Etonian looks back to Eton, or a Wykehamist to Winchester.

I witnessed its birth and infancy, its early struggles, and the rebellion by which its existence was once endangered.

The school was opened in August, 1843.

When the day arrived, numbers of the clergy collected their boys and took the road to Wiltshire, travelling, sometimes singly, more often by twos or threes for mutual comfort and assistance, the country parson of that day being, unlike his modern brethren, a simple, untravelled man, and many of them having a great fear and dislike of the newly invented railways.

The point to which all these parties converged was Swindon, whence a Roman road led across the downs to Marlborough, a distance of twelve miles.

* The charge is now nearly double that sum.

The station of Swindon was then considered one of the wonders of the world, but Swindon itself was not a town, but only a large village, and its supply of vehicles was quite unequal to the wants of this unexpected invasion.

The rain was pouring in torrents, but the clergy were not to be easily baffled.

All that the village possessed was produced, one or two flys, a mourning-coach, a decrepit post-chaise, a thing called a pill-box, entered from behind, and sundry gigs, together with a strange variety of quadrupeds, including a mule.

By some means everyone was furnished with a seat, and one after another the motley line of vehicles went splashing along the chalky causeway that once echoed to the tramp of Agricola's infantry.

Accustomed to a fertile county, I remember being struck and depressed by the desolation of the landscape-the barren downs, without house or hedgerow or any sign of life, rolling in grey monotony to the horizon-the straight white road going on and on interminably over hill and valley with no apparent goal-the sombre pine-copses looming large and mysterious through the driving mist.

At length this dreary region was past, and we clattered into the broad street of a little ancient town, and at its western end, turning sharply to the left through a gateway, drove between two long grassplots, and drew up at the portals of a large mansion.

A flight of stone steps led down from the opposite side of the edifice to an antique bowling-green, enclosed by a bank of mossy turf, on the top of which grew a high fence of gloomy yew trees, cut into pinnacles like pepper-pots.

Beyond or rather to the right of the bowling-green, was a garden made in the earlier half of the eighteenth century, and still retaining the fashion of its childhood. A long terrace, bordered by prim rectangular flower-beds, and terminating in an artificial ruin, looked down on a straight and formal canal, on the other side of which a grove of lofty limes and poplars rose out of the thickets of a wilderness, and a huge Druidic mound reared its eccentric cone crowded with waving foliage, and ascended by a spiral walk which wound imperceptibly to the summit. The mound and wilderness were surrounded by a moat, balf of which crept sluggishly through a jungle of

reeds and rushes, whilst the other half meandered amongst strawberry-beds and cabbages, and was overhung by apple-trees.

The mansion itself was spacious and gloomy, built of dull red grey brick, with tall heavy chimneys, and large prominent dormer windows.

It consisted of a central part, with a stone portico and two corresponding wings. The rooms, of which many were panelled, were numerous, but not large, and the most dignified feature of the interior was the principal staircase, which was wide, ample, and oaken. The house, which dated from the days of the Stuarts, had been built after the designs of Inigo Jones, and having been first the country residence of a nobleman, and afterwards an inn, was now about to enter upon a third and more distinguished career.

Many of its new tenants were in occupation when I arrived. Boys were passing in and out or loitering about the portico; boys' faces looked from the windows, and their boots clattered up and down the stairs and along the passages, while the buzz of their voices was everywhere.

We were a unique assemblage. Most of us saw each other for the first time, and we came from widely distant quarters. Every English county had its representative, and the sister island mustered strongly. There was a boy from Lydd, and a boy from Castlebar; Britons from the Land's End, and Cumbrians from the mists of Skiddaw; the Londoner confronted the Welsh mountaineer, and the East Anglian listened with astonishment to the brogue of Ulster.

Our appearance was picturesque, as we were not restricted to any particular dress, and many of us came from remote places where the fashions of the day were unknown, or regarded with pious abhorrence. Wide collars falling to the shoulders and terminating in a large frill; caps made of horsehair, bulging out like air cushions, or sticking up in whalebone pinnacles; pantaloons of glaring colours lent variety to the crowd. One poor boy entered the arena in a white beaver hat!

The masters easily mapped us out into forms and removes, according to our knowledge of Latin and Greek-mathematics were held in very little estimation-and peculiar authority was given to those who were placed in the sixth or highest form. They were called prefects, and their powers were to

be exercised over the lower boys "for the sake of securing a regular government amongst the boys themselves, and avoiding the evils of anarchy, in other words, of the lawless tyranny of physical strength."

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This neat fabric was soon exposed to a rude assault. Whilst the masters were arranging us according to their notions of order, we, according to ours, were settling our places in the new community. As we were ignorant of each other and there were traditions or reputations to guide us nor any peaceful form of examination, we were often obliged to have recourse to the test of battle. By this means we gradually became acquainted with each other, and after a short time it was clear that the supremacy rested between two boys of great strength and toughness, one of whom afterwards became a distinguished sailor and the other a successful London attorney. These heroes soon came into collision, and a fight took place on a lawn (which has long since disappeared) in front of the eastern wing of the

mansion.

The attorney won, and then in company with his former antagonist, proceeded to thrash the prefects. They had got some way with their task when the head-master was told of the treatment to which his Brahmins were exposed, and the culprits, taken redhanded, received a tremendous public castigation, prefaced by a speech from the master, in which he explained the enormity, and even profaneness, of their offence.

Our cricket-club slowly emerged from a chaos of discordant elements; our first chief was a broadshouldered, good-humoured boy, round whom most of us rallied, but he had no easy task, and no undisputed throne. The crowd of aspirants was very great, and his judgments were not always accepted. An Irish boy opened a sort of Cave of Adullam, and gathered about him all the discontented spirits. Another boy, a native of Devonshire, was so loquacious and argumentative, and had so little notion of subordination, that no one could act with him. He also drew aside, and revolved in his private orbit, forming a club for himself of such boys as were willing to render him implicit and unquestioning obedience. For some years there were several rival clubs in the school, until at last the fittest survived. (To be continued.)

AFGHANISTAN.

We have received the following letter from Afghanistan.

CANDAHAR,

10th July, 1879.

Dear Mr. Editor,-As it is just possible that you may not have a correspondent with our column, I am taking the liberty of sending a few lines to the paper I so well recollect scrambling for in the old Upper School, when a Marlborough boy, about 5 years ago. As the alternative rests completely with you, whether to publish or to burn my effusion, I will refrain from taking up space in your columns by further apologies.

As you may have heard, the Field Force in Southern Afghanistan, to which we belong, was ordered to summer in Candahar, with the exception of two or three regiments, the 15th Hussars, 70th Regiments &c., who were sent back to India. A year ago, it was of home that we talked of going back to; now, the much abused India would satisfy most of us!

According to the information given by the natives of this country, we are now just about at the worst point of the hot weather in Candahar. And certainly the heat is very oppressive, placed, as we are, without the luxuries which enable us to pass away a summer down in the plains of India. But, to give the place its due, there is no comparison between the actual temperature of the two countries. Down at Meerut, with our punkahs, tatties and iced drinks, &c., we should think very little of considerably more heat than we have experienced in Candahar.

We are constantly being startled by accounts of large bodies of fanatics, ready to cut us all up, but we see nothing of them except singly. You might think yourself at Winchester, if it were not for the loaded pistol in your belt, and for hearing occasionally of assassinations in the city.

We hear that our Regiment, the 60th Rifles, is to go back to India next winter, and not remain in our newly annexed territory. We also hear that we are to give a lesson in Martini-Henry practice to the Wuziri tribe, which has given a great deal of trouble in attacking convoys during this campaign. I am sure I hope so, but I don't think anything is settled yet. Indeed if the Zulu war is over, it is quite on

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