The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1915-09-30
CHAPTER XVI.
Colored Troops In Action.

fight" between boys or men
who fight in the good old English
way" according to a model set for
fights in books long before Tom Brown
went to Rugby.
There are seconds and rounds and
rules Of fair play. and always there is
great good feeling In the end-though
sometimes, to vary the model, the
butcher" defeats the hero-and the
~chronicler who stencils this fine old
pattern on his page is certain Of ap.
plause as the stirrer Of red blood
There Is no surer recipe.
But when Herman and Verman set
tot the record must be no more than
a few fragments left by the expurga
tor. 1t has been perhaps sufficiently
suggested that the alteration in Mr..
Schofield's stable opened with mayhem
In respect to the ~aggressor's nose. Ex-
pressing vocally his Indignation and
the extremity of his panied surprise,
MI. Collins stepped backward. holding
his left hand over his nose and strik-
ing at Herman with his right. Then
Verman hit him with the rake.
Verman struck from behind. He struck
as hard as he could. And he struck
with the tines down. For, in his sim.
pie. direct African way he wished to
kill his enemy, and he wished to kill
him as soon as possible. That was his
single. earnest purpose.
On this account. Rupe Collins vas
peculiarly unfortunate. He was plucky
and he enjoyed conflict. but neither his
ambitions nor his anticipations had
ever included murder. He had not
learned that an habitually aggressive
person run the danger Of colliding
with beings in one Of those lower
stages Of evolution wherein theories
about hitting below the belt" have
not yet made their appearance.
The rake glanced from the back of
RUPEES head to his shoulder. but it fell.
ed him. Both darkies jumped full upon
him instantly. and the three rolled and
twisted upon the stable floor. ~unloosing
upon the air sincere maledictions close
ly connected with complaints Of cruel
and unusual treatment. while certain
expressions Of feeling presently ema
mating from Herman and Verman indi-
Gated that Rupe Collins. in this ex-
tremity, was proving himself not too
slavishly addicted to fighting by rule
Dan and Duke. installing all for mirth.
barked gayly.
From the painting. pounding. yelling
heap issued words and phrases hither.
to quite unknown to Penrod and Sam:
also a hoarse repetition in the voice
Of Rupe concerning his ear left it not
to be doubted that additional mayhem
was taking place. Appalled,. the two
spectators retreated to the doorway
nearest the yard. where they stood
dumbly watching the cataclysm.
The struggle increased in primitive
simplicity. Time and again the howl.
ing Rupe got to his knees. only to 90
down again as the earnest brothers in
their way assisted him to a more
reclining position. Primal forces op,
Grated here. and the two blanched.
slightly higher products Of evolution.
Sam and Penrod, no more thought of
interfering than they would have
thought Of interfering with an earth
quake.
At last out Of the ruck rose Verman.
disfigured and maniacal. With a wild
eye he looked about him for his trusty
rake. but Penrod in horror had long
since thrown the rake out into the
yard. Naturally it had not seemed
necessary to remove the lawn mower.
The frantic eye Of Verman fell upon
the lawn mower. and instantly he
leaped to its handle. Shrilling a word.
less warcry, he charged. propelling the
whirling. deafening knives straight
upon the prone legs of Rupe Collins.
The lawn mower was sincerely intend,
ed to pass longitudinally over the body
of Mr. Collins from heel to head. and
it vas the time for a death song.
Black Valkyrie lowered in the shrek
ing air.
Cut his gizZud OUT shrieked Her
q urging on the whirling knives.
They touched and laceratcd the
shin OF Rupe, as. with the supreme
agony Of effort a creature in mortal
peril puts forth before succumbing. he
tore himself free of Herman and got
upon his feet.
Herman was up as quickly. He
leaped To the wall and seized the gar,
den scythe that hung there.
I'm 20 cut you giZzud out" he an
nounced definitely. IAN eat it!'
Ilupe Collins had never run from
anybody Except his father in his life.
lie was not IL coward. but the present
situation was very. very unusual. He
was already in a badly dismantled
condition. and yet Herman and Yer
man seemed discontinued with their
work. Verman was swinging the grass
cutter about for a new charge. appar-
entity still wishing to NOW him. and
Herman had made a quite plausible
statement about what he intended "a
L. ~ r.