The record-union., 1891-03-29

Set feSt-Speu from dinner until 3, and
then lessons go on again until 6, except
Tuesdays, Thursdays and SATURDAYS.
Them's half-holidays. Every boy has to
join the games then, unless he's got good
excuse. Sometimes we get off by sham
ming q sore foot, and many other ways
well-known to us boys. But whatever
we're doing at O'Clock, games, saunter-
ing or study, eyerythinng's, dropped, and
we give grand rush for 'tea.' After tea
IN winter, and after 7:15 in summer, comes
'locking-up.' Nobody likes that. Then
we have to pitch in on 'preparation'-
that's getting our lessons for the next
forenoon-until o'clock, when they give
us a Uery light supper that don't make
anybody dream. Then it's go to bed,
and no fooling, or it means another
licking sure as fees and marshals, that's
all ~
Rugby school games are famous wher-
ever the heart of boyhood throbs quicker
and stronger in the enjoyment of all man
fulisport. They comprise racquets, cricket,
steeple-chasing, hare and hounds, or pa
per-chasing and football, for which Rug
by gives the rules the world over.
The supervision of all Rugby games is
wholly in the hands of the boys them
selves. This also includes the manage
ment of the great school Close" the un-
equaled play ground of Rugby. The de-
tails OF the management are delegated to
the Big School Levee." This board con-
sists of the head of the school, the head
of the School House. the captains of foot
ball and cricket, and one other chosen by
these four. This Games Board levies
taxes to be paid by all for the support of
school amusements, subject to approval
by the Head Master. 1t is also, from the
boys standpoint, the grand council or
senate OF the school, to be called together
at any time to consider any matter per-
tanning to the scholars interests at the in
stlgation of all, or for ordering any action
where it is desirable tho whole school
shall share-such as rebellion against too
dry bread or ancient prunes, boycotts
upon tuck-shops for unsavory or under
weight penny loaves; or for thrashing the
1nSolenJ "louts" (non-schoolmen) Of the
village. The head fellow of the house
arranges the games, and, as my young
friend apprises me, by universal consent
docs the licking" Ii, when called on,
boy does not play, but ''funks" and goes
botanizing, swimming or fishing, note
Is sent to him containing the dread words:
"See me at my study at 2:15." The boy
goes and is given 1000 lines'' to write. A
terrible punishment to any lad. But if he
has committed the objectionable crime
OF "minching'' from cricket, in the lam
guage of my young friend, ''you are or
dered to kneel on a stool, bend over
chair, while Sixth Form fellow fetches
out slXpenny cane yard and half
long, and gives you six rum cuts; so, of
course, you amt in love with the Sixth
Formersp"
Nearly all Rugby games have their own
season. Hare and hounds and brook
jumping comes in" with the Easter
term. Towards the half-term there is
"Blg-Slde" run at hare and hounds.
Then the House steeple-chases begin.
The next term brings cricket; and the
next, that toughest and pluckiest of all
English games, football, never elsewhere
played so roughly and pluckiIy as at
Rugby, while racquets are at all times in
season.
In the House steeple-chases the BOYS of
the different houses pitch tents on the
banks OF the Avon, where brook flows
into that stream. This little stream is re-
markably, winding, and as the "course''
is upwards OF mile over the general di-
rect1on OF the stream, the racers are COM
PEELED to cross the brook from twelve to
fifteen times. Some grand sprinting and
SplaShlng are done here and the bows. at
finish, resemble those misguided Great
ures who emerge half-blinded from the
mud baths Of Santa Barbara.
Every boy at Rugby is compelled to
play at cricket. On every half-holiday
matches are made between the houses.
Each house has it's "eleven" and second
eieven," and often q third eleven,'' the
latter two being respectively called "the
bellows" and the two belows." The first
step of Rugby lad towards place in the
enYled n,y school Eleven who play the
college matches, is to win his "red'' by
nervy. ond excellent play. This gives
him the right to wear necktie the same
color as his hat ribbon. Then he must
gain his ''2 cap" that is, the privilege of
wearing the regulation dark blue cap,
w, with blue bound white cricket jacket.
Inc match eleven" are chosen from this
privileged class; and the Rugby cricket
ing season closes with the great matches
with Marlborough, at Lords, in London.
Football is under precisely the same sys-
tenn, different "houses" playing each
other, one side wearing blue and white
stripes, the other white, and both cover
ing their doomed shins with the Rugby
be gained of Rugby football match,
without seeing it, may be had by reading
the splendid description in s'Tom Browns
School Days. Provision against actual
slaughter is made in one of the "Rugby
Rules" which says: Though it is lawful
to hold player in a maui, this holding
does not include attempts to throttle or
strungle, which are totally opposed to the
principles of the gamew
Brook-jumping is simply an outlet for
superfiuous, harmless irresponsibility in
Rugby boys. a whole house, or the en-
tire school, goes out in charge of the
champion jumper to the near brook flow
their leader" they begin and Jump the
stream where the banks are narrow, each
time increasing the space Jumped until
every lad is ''ducked'' If boy refuses
to jump he is deliberately thrown in, and
makes his way back to Rugby with his
whites dangling with water six inches
below their proper length, to receive only
the Syn1D3tbU of indi iupapt
along the way, who, with motherly mis-
conception of the first principles of boys
real fun, know, and, in fitting terms, de-
nounce "the 'orrid h'outrage' There is
something fine and manly about hare
and hounds. The chase is genuine test
OF pluck and endurance. Two of the best
runners OF the school are selected as the
"hares." These are provided with finely
cut paper bits slung over their shoulders
in light bags. These particles of paper
NOW chopped like theatrical "snow') are
flung out from time to time as ''scent."
The hares are given about q minute per
mile the advantage at start, over the
hounds, usually two boys from each
house. The object is, on the part of the
hounds, to overtake the harss, who make
the chase in every possible way difficult,
and for both hareS and hounds to excel
all previous records. The long runs here
are from ten to fifteen miles. The Big
side'' run towards the end of the half
term goes the famous "Great Crick Rum
in tom Brown" But no lad is permit
ted to enter for this run" whose capacity
and soundneSs have not previously been
tested by physician.
EDGAR L. WAKEMAN.
[For the SUNDAY UNIoN.1
EASTER HYMN.