The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-04-12


football for which Rugby gives the rules the
world over
The supervision Of all Rugby games is
wholly in the hands of the boys themselves
This also includes the management of the
great School Close" the unequaled play
ground Of Rugby. The details Of the man
agemcnt are delegated 10 a committee OF i've
boys locally called the Big School Levee.'"
This board consists 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 10 be paid by all for the support
Of school amusemonts, subject 10 approval by
the head master. II is also, from the boys
standpoint the grand council or senate Of
the school, TO be called together al
any time 10 consider any matter pertaining 70
the scholars interests at the instigatlOn of all,
or for ordering any action where II Is desirable
the whole school shall share-such as rebel
liOnagainst the dry bread or ancient prunes,
bOycOtS upon tuck-shOps for unsavOry or I'M
derwcight penny lOaves, or for thrashing the
insOlent "lOuts" (non-schoOlmen) of the wi
lage. The head fellow Of the house arrangcs
the games, and. as my young friend apurises
me, by universal consent docs the licking "
II. when called on. a boy does not play, but
"funks' and goes bOtauizIng, swimming or
fishing, a note Is sent 70 him containing the
dread words: Sec me at my study AT 2:l5."
The boy goes and IS given 200 lne5' to
wrte-a terrible punishment 20 any lad. But
# be has committed the unpardOnanle crime
Of ''miuching" from cricket. in the language
Of my young friend. YOU are ordered TO
kneel on a stool bend over a chair, while a
Sixth Form fellow frtches out q six-penny
cane yard and half long. and gives you
six rum cuts SO Of course you amt IN love
with the Sixth Formers"
Nearly all Rugby games have their own sea-
son. Hare-and-hounds and brook-jumplng
..H ]. Il .-.lt L..
hali-term there Is 70 "bIg-side" run at hare
and-houuds. Then the house steeple-chases
begin The next term brings cricket and tho
next, that toughest and pluckiest Of all Eng
lish games. football never elsewhere played
50 roughly and pluckily a. at Rugby, while
raquets are al al times in season.
IN the house stceple-chases the boys OF the
different houses pitch tents on the banks Of
the Avon. where e brook flows into that
stream This little stream is remarkably
winding, and as the course is upwards of a
mile over the general direction of the stream.
the racers are compelled 20 cross the brook
from twelve 10 fifteen times Some grand
sprnting and splAshng are done here. and
the boys, at finish, resemble those misguided
creatures 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 its
third eleven the latter two being respec-
lively called the bellows and the two be-
lows The first step of a Rugby lad toward
a place in tho cnvied School Eleven" who
play the college matches, is b win his red
by ncryy ana excellent play. This gives HIM
the right 10 wear neckte the same color as
his hat ribbon. Then he must gain his ID
cap that is. the privilege Of wearing the
regulation dark blue. cap, with blue-bound
white cricket jacket.
The match eleven" are chosen from this
privileged class, and the Rugby cricketlng
season closes with the great matches with
Marlborough at Lords in London. Foot
ball is under precisely the same system, dlf-
ferent houses playing each other. one side
wearing blue and white stripes, and the other
white and both covering their doomed Sims
with the Rugby gray stockings The best
idea possible 10 be gaineds of a Rugby foot
ball match. without seeing It, may be had by
reading the splendid description IN Tom
Browns School DAYS" Provision against ac-
tual slaughter is made in one of the Rugby
Rules" which says. Though it is lawful 10
hold % player in q maui. this holding does not
include attempts 10 throttle or strange, which
are totally opposed 20 tho principles OF the
gamen
Brook-iumping is simply an outlet for SUI
perfuous, harmless irrcpressibility in Rugby
boys. A whole house. OF the entire school,
goes ont i'm charge Of the champion jumper
b. the near brook flowing into the Avon.
Then following their leader" they begin and
Jump the stream where the banks are narrow,
each time Increasing the space jumped until
every lad is "duckcd.N If boy refuses to
Jump he ia deliberately thrown in, and makes
his way back 10 Rugby with his whites
dangling with water, SIX inches below Their
proper length, TO receive only the sympathy
of indulgent housewives along the way, who,
with m0therly mlsconceptiOn Of the first pTln-
ciplos of boys real fun, know, and III fitting
terms dcnOunce THE 'Orrid houtrage."
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
rs the ''harcs.' These are provided with
finely cut paper bits slung over their shoul-
der in light bags. These PARTICLES of paper
(nOw chopped ike theatrical "snow'D are
flung out from time 10 time as scent" The
hares are given about "a minute per mile the
advantage at the start over the hounds,
usually two boys from each house. The OBJ
ject is on the part If the hounds 10 Oyertake
the hnres. who make the chase in every pos
sble way difficult and for both hares and
hounds 70 excel all previous records The
long runs here are from ten 70 fifteen miles.
The "big-side' run towards the end OF the
half term goes the famous Great Crck rum
Of thirteen miles so WlnsOmely described IN
Tom Brown" But no lad is permitted 20
enter for this run whose capacity and
soundncss have not previously been tested by
physician.