The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1896-10-22
A BOUT AT

A BOUT AT QUARTER-STAFF.
A Stout ~Svvineherd More Than Held
His Own With Robin Hood.
Caroline Brown contributes a story
about George O'Graen and Robin
Hood to the October St. Nicholas.
Here is an account Of the Meeting be-
tween these two characters:
Elbow art thou called, Master Pig
minder?'
George O'Green.'
"Nhy thaty"
"Ho, no, hot" reared the churl. $50
wise and don't know that withal! Why,
I live on the green and mind the pigs"
And he wiped the tears of laughter
from his eyes on the sleeve of his fus-
tan jerkin.
g" doubt me-" SAID Robin, ~f thou
canst play with the quarter-staff."
FAY, but I cant" said George quickly.
"Show thy prowess them" said Rob
in, with a quick thrust at him with his
white oak staff.
60 to yon thicket and get me a staff"
AWFUL SOuSCACCu, LII SdACu ulCCA tAC
braWny man as he walked with long,
hither side of the brook. There he
carefully selected a 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
ly had he suffered defeat,
George turned him about, and, COM
ing up to Robin, said:
"Canst lend me that knife Of thine?
lis DER too frayed for a good staff"
he said, looking at the fringe of splin-
ters where he had snapped off the
stem.
He trimmed the staff carefully, then
hanAled back to Robin his knife. But
CHANGING to look around, he saw the
pigs scampering off to a distant corner
Of the common.
"Thoust not minded the pigs! Now
Goody Hoskins will rate me WE'LL"
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
me!!' 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 a way that made the
men more weary than a five-mile sprint
would have done.
George dozed off in the instant, and
Robin painted loud. In, ten minutes
Robin prodded George with his staff
and said:
"Sluggard! Art ready"
George yawned prodigiously, show
ing strong teeth, white as a young
dogs, trimming his jaws. Then he rose
and a his fingers through his shock
Of red hair, stretched nightly and
said briefly:
II be-. Lay on"
"Well, then" cried Robin, "stand
rant thou wilt be no longer sleepy
when I shall have done with thee!"
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,
but Georges brawny arm was unfail-
ing. In warding off a powerful blow
Robins arm swerved, and Georges
staff came down on his crown with a
sharp rap, the first hit made by either.
For neal two hours longer the clashing
of slaves kept up, when Robins foot
slipped on the thyme, and d.wn he
/ rolled into the brook.