The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-04-23
FUN FOR THE BELGIAN
The High links in Which he INDUCES
on the Great Flemish Feast Day.
SPORT FOR THE LOOKER-ON
Ducking for Dollars Submerged In
Molasses. and Duckings In
Dirty Canais-Waiking the
Creased Spar.

BachelleED
The small boys-yes. and the large
ones, too-of Brussels, Belgium, have
a number of games which would hard
ly suit the tastes of a high-spirited
American lad. Uncle Sans boys would
not relish being ducked in a dirty ca
nal or having their faces smeared with
molasses and feathers, and these are
some indignities to which Flemish
boys are subjected in their favorite
games.
Still. these sorts furnish infinite
amusement for the bystanders; and as
the successful contestants are always
rewarded with prize of some kind to
compensate for the ridiculous exhibit
tions of themselves which they are
compelled to make in their efforts TO
win. there are always plenty of boys
who are ready and anxious to try their
luck. So the games go merrily on. the
big. round-bellied Belgians fairly split
ting their sides at the antics of the
youngsters.
Brussels is divided up into a number
of different quarters. each of which has
its annual feast day or holiday, corre-
spending somewhat to our Fourth of
July. when the reins. so to seak, are
tends over the water of the canal, bear
ever pace they please. In the quarters
that have a long straight street, foot
AaCccs SdGh IdttSs DIOOfu IdCtS, dIus
more recently, bicycle races. predomi-
nate; in those quarters where there is
a good stretch of water the mat de
Cocagne" Is a speciality.
In this game a boom or bowsprit ex-
tends Ger the water of the canal. bear
ing on its outer end a receptacle such
as a basket in which there Is some
prize; 1t may be cash or 1t may be some
article of merchandise contributed by
a public-spirited citizen or bought
with funds collected I'm advance by the
committee in charge of the games.
The boom is usually as long and as
slender as can be found and by some
strange coincidence, the boat to which
IL is attached happens to be moored in
the dirtiest, greasiest, foulest-smelling
portion of the canal The prize is to
be won by the very simple operation of
walking right out and getting Il: but
In order TO make the matter rather
more interesting tfor the spectators).
the upper surface of the broom is
creased. very systematically and thor
oughly. Sometimes the candidate for
fame and cash, bad cigars or a Sunday
blouse, gets half way out on the boom
before he falls into the canal. Some
times he gets a little further: and once
In a great while an unusually sure
footed gamin or sailor has succeeded
in reaching the end and extracting the
happens, however, that even on these
rare occasions the winner falls into
the canal on the way back. Those
who get the farthest out along the
boom are the most difficult to fish out
of the water after their unsavory
plunge.
Climbing the creased pole used to be
seen In many English villages and a
few American boys have tried II in
times past, but Ii has now fallen into
disuse in all countries but Belgium.
In the Quarter Smaelbeck, however.
the CREASED pole seems rooted TO the
soil. 1t may be of any height from 20
to 40 feet, and its diameter is a vari-
able quantity; but of one thing we
may be assured that the quantity and
quality of the grease with which IL is
smeared and saturated, leave moth
ing to be desired by the most fas-
tidious." On top there is usually a
wheel-like structure of stout spokes
connected at their outer ends by a
light rim. from which are hung pack
ages, the contents Of which are a rid
die to the climbers. who must use their
wits in a hurry II they would win a
prize.
For he who. with much patience.
perseverance, muscle and skill born of
experience, attains the summit of his
singular tree of fortune. has very lit
"
FERROUS packages he will reach for. He
who hesitates here is lost-that is. his |
prize is lost: for there be few things
stout enough TO hold their owner !
many seconds at the top of q creased |
pole.
The first climbers have the largest |
choice OF prizes, but against that they |
have a more thoroughly creased sur |
face to contend against.
To surmount this difficulty, on one |
occasion a decided novelty was intro |
duced into the creased pole contest by |
knowing youth. who. in one brief |
moment, upset the traditions of CEN
turtles Instead of climbing I'm his |
shirt sleeves, he wore a sack coat with |
capacious side pockets. which soon |
proved to be full OF sand. The appn- |
cation of sand to about a foot of the |
creased pole effectually neutralized its
slipperiness and enabled the ingenious
fellow, without much trouble. to gain
about a foot towards the coveted prize.
Then he sounded another foot, and
mounted that much further; and so
on. until he arrived at the top, where
he leisurely felt every package with a
view to selecting one containing some
desirable article.
Great was the uproar. loud and flu
rious the protests; the members of the
committee and the sergeant of police
were in turn called upon to strike
down from his high position the audac-
ious youth who thus transcribed all
the limits of fairness and decency by
sanding the pole. Attempts TO shake
him down proving futile. the effect of
over-ripe vegetables was tried, but in
vain. The calmer oounsels of the olded
heads prevailed: the youth selected
his prize and bore II off-but only TO
be robbed thereof before he had borne
IL far. In fact, he was not given time
10 open the bag and examine its con-
tents.
The broom race is a mad scamper by
gamins astride every kind OF a broom
except a new one-that can be dis
covered in the neighborhood: and /
may add that some OF the girls OF the
quarter participate, but without sue
cess. except in the way OF tripping up
some of the boys with their untamed