Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1896-10-29
"A BOUT AT aUARTER-sTAFF.
A stout swinehera More Than Held
HIS Own with Robin Hood.

n STOUT Sw1ncner0 more Vn0n hcAU
HIS Own with Robin Hood.
Caroline Brown contributes story
about George O'Grecn and Robin
Hood" to the October st. Nicholas.
Here is an account of the meeting be
tween these two characters:
"How art thou called, Master Pig
minder?'
George O'Green."
"Why that?"
'IIo, no, hov roared the churl. $50
wise and don't know that withal! Why,
1 live on the green aud mind the pigs"
And he wiped the tears Of laughter
from his eyes on the sleeve of his fus-
tian jerkin.
II doubt me-" said Robin, eff thou
canst play with the quarter-staff.'
GAY, but cant" said George quickly.
''Show thy prowess them" said Rob
in, with Il quick thrust at him with his
white oak staff.
"Eide here and mind the pigs till l
go to yon thicket and get me staff"
Robin consented and gaZed after the
brawny man as he walked with long,
slow strides to the oak thicket on the
hither side of the brook. There he
carefully selected tough green sap
ling almost two inches thick and then
wrenched it off near the ground with
q twist of his powerful hands.
This BODIES me no good in the COM
ing tilt" thought Robin. But though
he never withdrew for any cause, rare
lv had no cufforod defiant
George turned him about, and, COM
ing up to Robin, said:
"Canst lend me that knife Of thine?
IT'S DER too frayed for a good staff"
he said, looking at the fringe of splin-
tiers where he had snapped off the
stem.
He trimmed the staff carefully, then
handed back to Robin his knife. But
CHANGING to look around, he saw the
pigs scampering off to distant corner
Of the common.
'"Thou' st not minded the pigs! Now
Goody Hoskins will rate me well!"
cried George, with heat, yet timidly
withal
"But Sandy didu't give me warning!'
pleaded Robin.
"Good old Sandy! Faithful shotci
He knows thee not. He'll talk only to
mev' and Georges Immature left him
at this proof of the faithfulness of his
favorite.
He set off at full speed after the
pigs, Robin at his heels. When they
had got the swine back to their own
feeding ground they lay themselves
down on the short thymy turf to rest
The chase had been a right merry one,
and both were short Of wind; for the
pigs had scampered and lodged about
sprightfully in way that made the
men more weary than a tive-mile sprint
would have done.
George dozed off in the instant, and
Robin painted loud. In ten minutes
Robin prodded George with his star
and said:
"Sluggard! Art ready?'
George yawned prodigiously, show
ing strong teeth, white as a young
dogs, trimming his jaws. Then he rose
and ran his fingers through his shock
of red hair, stretched nightly and
said briefly:
II be. Lay on
"Well, theu." cried Robin, "stand
forth now and defend thyself! I'll war
rant thou wilt be no 'lger sleepy
when i shall have done With thee!'
At once the sound of the claShlng OF
slaves filled the air. AS both We're SO
deft in handling the staff, all blows
were skilfui]y parted. At the end Of
an hour Robins arm began to weary,
but Georges brawny arm was unfail-
ing. In warding off powerful blow
Robins arm swerved, and Georges
staff came down on his crown with a
sharp rap, the first hit made by either.
For near two hours longer the clashing
! Of slaves kept up, when Robins foot
slipped OH the thyme, and down he
rolled into the brook.
A Calf With Only Three Legs.
There is a calf in Shickshinny, Pa,
that has just enough legs for milk