The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1918-02-16

z
Copyright. 1917, Wheeler Syndicate, lno.)
By BOOTH


vere outbreaks of cavalry in the Scho-
field n~eighborhood. The sabers were
of wood; the steeds were imaginary,
and both were employed In a game
called bonded pris'ner" by its in
ventors, Masters Penrod Schofield and
Samuel Williams. The pastime was
not intricate. When two enemies met.
they fenced spectacularly until the
person of one or the other was touched
by the opposing weapon; then, when
the ensuing claims of foul play had
been disallowed and the subsequent
argument settled, the combatant
touched was considered to be a pris-
oner until such time as he might be
touched by the hilt of 81 sword belong
ing to one of his own party, which af-
fected his release and restored to him
the full enjoyment of hostile activity.
Pending such rescue, however, he IA
obliged to accompany the forces of his
captor whitherSoever their strategical
necessities led them, which included
many strange places. For the game
was exciting, and, at its highest
pitch, would sweep out of an alley
into a stable, out of that stable and
into a yard, out of that yard and into
a house, and through that house with
the sound (and effect upon furniture)
of %trampling herds. In fact, this very
similarity must have been in the mind
of the distressed colored woman in
Mrs. Williams kitchen, when she de-
clared that she might "jes' as well try
to cook right spang in the middle O.
the stock yards"
All up and down the neighborhooG
the campaigns We're waged, accom-
panied by the martial clashing of
wood and by many clamorous argyll
ments.
You're a pris'ner, Roddy Bits! |"
81 am not!"
"You are, too! I touched you"
"Where, I'd like to know!"
"On the sleeve"
"You did not! I never felt it. I
guess I'd "a felt 1t. wouldn't II"
"What if you didn't? I touched you,
and you're bonded. 1 leave it to Sam
Williams"
"Ydh! Course you would! He's on
your sidei 1 leave it to Herman"
i. "No, you won'ti If you can't show
any sense about 1t, We'll do it over,
and l guess you'll see whether you
feel it or notl Therei Now, 1 guess
you"
CAV, squash !"
Strangely enough, the u%ndoubted
champion proved to be the youngest
and darkest of all the combatants,
one Verman, colored, brother to Her
man, and substantially under the size
to which his nine years entitled him.
Verman was unfortunately tongue
tied. but he was valiant beyond all
others, and, in spite of every handi-
cap, he became at once the chief sup
port of his own party and the despair
of the opposition.
On the third Saturday this opposi-
ton had been worn down by the sue
cessive captures of Maurice Levy and
George Bassett until it consisted of
only Sam Williams and Penrod.
Hence, it behooved these two to be
wary, lest they be wiped out altogeth-
err; and Sam was dismayed, indeed,
upon cautiously scouting round a cor
ner of his own stable, to find himself
face to face with the valorous and
skillful Verman, who was acting as
an outpost, or picket. of the enemy.
: Verman Immediately fell upon Sam,
horse and foot, and Sam would have
fed but dared not, for fear he might
be touched from the rear. Therefore,
he defended himself as best he could,
and there followed a lusty whacking,
in the course of which Verman's hat,
a relic and too large, fell from his
head, touching Sans weapon in fall
ing.
"There!" painted Sam, desisting i'm
mediately. "That counts! You're
bonded, Verman."
"Aim meewer! !" Verman protested.
Interpreting this as "Ain't neither"
Sam invented a law to suit the occa-
sion. Eyes, you are; that's the rule,
verman. I touched your hat with my
sword, and your hats just the same
as you"
"Imm mop!" Verman insisted.
Eyes, it is" said Sam, already
warmly convinced (by his W state
ment) that he was in the right. Lis
ten here! If / hit you on the shoe,
it would be the same as hitting you,
wouldn't 1t? l guess it'd count if l
hit you on the shoe, wouldn't it? Well,
a hats just the same as shoes. Hon
est, that's the rule, Verman, and you're
a pris'ner."
Now, in the arguing part of the
game, Verman's impeachment co-operat-
ed with a native %amiability to render
him far less effective than in the
actual combat. He chuckled, and
coded the point.
Jaw wi" he said, and %cheerfully
followed his captor to a hidden place
al,long some bushes in the front yard,
where Penrod lurked.
'Looky what l got!" Sam said i'm
portantly, pushing his captive into this