Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1896-11-05
A BOUT AT eUARTER.sTAFF.

A Stout Swineherd More Than Held
His own with Robin Hood.
Caroline Brown contributes a story
about George O'Green 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 thatT
'THo, no, ho!" reared the churL $50
wise and don't know that wlthal! Why,
live on the green aud mind the pigs"
And he wiped the tears Of laughter
from his eyes on the sleeve Of his fus-
tan jerkln.
81 doubt me-" SAID Robin, ''if thou
canst play with the quarter-staff."
SAY, but canp' said George quickly.
"Show thy prowess then" said Rob
In, with quick thrust at him with his
white oak staff.
"Bide here and mind the pigs till 1
go to yon thicket and get me a stat"
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 q tough green sap
ling almost two inches thick and then
Wrenched 1t 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
ly had he suffered defeat.
George turned him about, and, COM
ing up to Robin, said:
"Canst lend me that knife Of thine?
IT'S DER too frayed for good staff"
he said, looking at the fringe Of splin-
tiers where he had snapped of 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 Welt"
cried George, with heat, yet timidly
Withal.
But Sandy didn't give me warning!
pleaded Robin.
"GOod old Sandy! Faithful shote!
He knows thee not. He'll talk only to
mew 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 right merry one,
and both were short Of wind; for thu
pigs had scampered and lodged about
sprightfully in a way that made the
men more weary than five-mile sprint
would have done.
George dOzed off in the instant, and
Robin painted loud In ten minutes
Robin prodded George with his stan
and said:
"Sluggard! Art ready?"
George yawned prodlgiously, show
ing strong teeth, white as q 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, then" cried Robin, stand
forth now and defend myself! I'll war
rant thou wilt be no longer sleepy
when l shall have done with theew
At once the sound of the clashing Of
slaves filled the air. As both were so
deft in handling the staff, all blows
were skilfully parted. At the end Of
an hour Robins arm began to weary,
hut Georges brawny arm was unfail-
ing. In wardlng Off powerful blow
Robins arm swerved, and Georges
staff came down Oh 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 on the thyme, and down he
rolled into the brook.