West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1879-10-04
Day at the nut,..

~ ''f' NAAN ANNAA III AtAN IA ANANSl, more
Than a hundred years ago, and the whole
road between London and the little VILLAGE
OF Harrow was throngcd with people. Ii
was ho, and dusty enough that summer
morning, bat nobody seemed 20 mind i'm the
eager scramble for the best seats; and il
was not long before the littlc green knoll.
just at the west OF the London road, seem
cd fairly alive with spectators
IL was lovely spot-this wou,kuown
Butts Of Harrow with its crown of tall
forest trees waving like so many banners.
aud ns tries of grassy seats torraCing the
slope. From time immcmorial il had been
the scene of annual contests in archery, and
there was not a boy in Harrow School who
did not look forward all the year to this
fourth day Of August.
When John Lyon founded the school il
was made a condition OF entrance, that
every pupil should hc furnished with the
proper implements Of archery and among
The school ordinances drawn up i'm the wear
1872 there was one 10 the effect that every
child should, az nll times, be allowed bow
shafts, bow strings, and braoer.
No wouder the men of those days were
tall, and straight, and strong!
But bark The church clock down I'm
the village is striking the appointed hour
\ little figure, clad in red satin from head
TO foot, darts, out from the thickct of trees
below, and now a procession of twelve
boys, some in white, some in red, and some
In green satin, take their places in the open
ring that has been left for the councillors.
All the little archcrs have sashes and caps
Of bright-colored silk, and, looking down
from the garden knoll, the whole scene is a
kaleidoscope of color
silver arrow the victor's prize-gllt-
tcrs tcmpungly i'm the sunlight and a tall
lad, who stands among the waiting twelve.
bends eagerly forward TO examine IT,
Just look at Pcrcival.' whispers one
little archer TO his ncighhor. "uc'sbomd
to get that arrow, isn't heln
Pooh who cares for the arrowl" re-
spends the other dsdainfully. "lt's nothing
but a plaything, anyway! What | think
about is winning the game, not the arrow :"
Yes; but you see It's different with
Percival said the Grst speaker ellis
three older brothers, three years i'm success
sion, won the arrows while they were here
at the Harrow School, and the father saws
Percival must win the fourth for the one
empty corner in the drawing room, or hc
shall be ashamed TO call him his son!
just here the boys were interrupted i'm
their talk, for the target was ready. and.
at signal, the contest began. At first, one
shot after another fell quite outside the
third circle that surrounded the bull'scye.
then came n shaft that glanced Just TO one
side OF the inner circle; but at last, after
many fruitless attempts the bul's-eyc was
fairly pierced, and the feat was greeted with
gay concert from the French horns.
Now, itso happened least this is one of
fla fra, ,lfft,,t.a ~
this last boy was Love" and when his
arrow touched the bulls.eye a number of
his school fellows shouted high above the
horns
"Omnia UincH AmOr :"
''Not SOL said another boy who stood
close by. 'NOS nan cCCiaH Us 1UlO, ~
And carefully adjusting his shaft. he snot
1t into the bull 's-eye whole inch nearer
the centre than his rival.
But each boy among the twelve compct-
tors must have his own trial shot twelve
times repeated, before the final award can
be given. Meanwhile careful tally is
kept, and not until the one hundred and
forty-fourth arrow springs from its bow is
the yictor's name announced:
"Thomas Reginald Percival."
That first victory seems 10 have given n
magic impulse to his bow, for all twelve of
his arrows have pierced the charmed inner
circle Of the target and now, at the head
OF an excited procession OF boys, hcIs borne
uiumphantly from the Butts to the village
One little fellow in white satin runs far
ahead, waving the silver arrow with many
iiourishes; and, when the school-buildinps
OF Harrow are reached, grand reception
is given 20 all the ncighboring country
folk
Young Percival, with bright eyes and
flushed checks, is the hero of the evening
There are games and dancing, and all SORTS
Of mcTy-naking until the ''wce sma"
hours, but the victOriaus boy can think of
nothing save the coveted arrow he has won.
That empty corner no longer troubles bis
excited brain.
lie has ably vindicatcd his right 10 the
old family name, and henceforward, the
father can point with pride to four trophies
won by his four sons at the famous Butte
of Harrow
That was i'm 1866. In l77l the annual
shootings at Harrow were abolished: for
DIR. Heath, who was then head-master of
the school, thought they intcrfcrcd with
the bOys's studies The silver arrow prc-
pared for the following year 1772. was
never used, but is still preserved at Harrow
as relic OF the past In the school lib
Iary may be seen one Of the archcrs clabor-
ate suits, which is nearly q hundred years
old and the fourth Of August, though no
longer an exciting day at the Butts. is still
kept as % holiday at Harrow School and
comInemorated with appropriate speeches.