1938-09-27 — Page 10

10

The Adventures Of

ROBIN

HOOD

THE STORY THUS FAR: King Richard, leaving for the Crusades in 1191, put England under a Regency, mistrusting his Saxon-hating brother, Prince John. During a joust before the latter, Sir Robin of Locksley, a swashbuckling young Saxon, worsie Sir Guy of Griebolirne, a Norman, thus winning the dislike of Lady Marian Fitzwalter, Sir Guy's metheart, King Richard is captured abroad'and held for ranzoin and Prince John schemes to take the throne for himself. We taxes and otherwise torments the Saxons. Robin sates; a man caught shooting a deer in the Royal forest by claiming the 'man is his servant, told to slay the deer for Prince John, Robin later takes the deer to John and then denounces him' as a traitor. In the fight that ensues Robin is saved from death by the screams of the Lady Marian. Fighting his way to the door of the Castle he pauses only to wrape a salute to her with his sword and gets through the door hamming it after Jins.

"Qot a traitor Inside"

CHAPTER IV

his castle "UICK, MEN! QUICK! They've working himself to the verge of un

apoplectic attack." Selze Sir Robin of Locksley, having that and lands... everything he own He walked moment darted through, the castle

cr

er

at his the door, Sir Guy

just to door and yanked it shut after him. toward leaned against it shouting for help, chow. "And. The guards in the courtyard, deceive let the people know how the wind the sooner you will, has changed ed by his trick, fell to with

ainst it begin collecting the... ata... "The ransom, Sire?" suggested Sir

smoothly.

yes of course? The And don't forget

They hurled themselves

es against and succeeded, for the moment at the least, in holding it shut, in spite of the superior force on the other side, Guy straining every muscle to

open it, Swiftly as an arrow from his own ranson! bow Robin sped across the shadowy Locksley!" court, leapt into his saddle, pulled "I'll have him dungling in a week!" When morning gilded the blowing Much-the-Miller's-son

up behind him, and clattered inerrily away over greenery of Sherwood Forest and set his the dewdrops sparkling. Robin was Scarlet, causeway, Will squire,

eintiering after him. They riding sturdily along the mossy were scarcely out of sight when the floor, while Will stumbled uicepily door burst open and two spluttering after A-a-agh!" he yawned, stretch-

himself, "I'm tired!" knights-Sir Ivor and Sir Baldwin-Tired? After such a refreshing entapulted out.

the merry greenwood? Why. They were closely followed by sleep in Prince John, purple with fury, and Suddenly Robin stopped and stared by Sir Guy of Glbourne and ahead of him. They had come to a dozen other knights. Then came stream which was bridged by a fallen the High Sheriff of Nottingham, the tree and at the other end of it stood

and Bishop of the Black Canons, Ba giant of a man, in a worn yellow beautiful Lady Marian who had un jerkin and hose, and a scarlet cap wittingly caused Lic hullabaloo. with a green feather. He leaned on Men-at-arms, servants and archers

and eyed the a great quarterstaff hounds barking furiously.

"There's "Which way did he go, you fools?" Robin. "D'ye suppose 1 can reason Sir Ivor having bawled the words, tim into joining us! We'll be needing and delivered a staggering blow to a lot like him soon!"

"By the look of him," replied Wil

nrrived next and the gaunt boar- nowcomers cody infant!" murmered

ย-

the guard who pointed toward carlet 'morosely, "his quarterstaff

scuttled across to his

causeway, horse, mounted, and followed by Sir does his reasoning for him!" Baldwin, galloped off in pursuit of "Well, let's see what he's made

the culprit, a straggling company of office if you want," sald Will with

men-at-arms running behind,

Robin, hearing the hurrying hoots a shrug, "I'm glad it's your skull behind him, halted and Will Scarlet and not mine that'll suffer!"

and quiver.

Without comment Robin and the handed him his bow He carefully chose an arrow, fitted giant advanced toward each other, of the log, bow- meeting in the middle It. aimed and waited. The

and Sir Ivor Tay where there was no room to pass. string twangled

bis "Give way, little mant" said Robin. through

"Only to a better than myself"

dend with on arrow

heart. Sir Baldwin reared his horse said the giant.

moment then spurred it on,

for

Again the deadly bowstring hummed

"Let him pass. . "called Will and he, too, lay lifeless. The men- from the bank where he lay at ease, at-arms ran to his side, but when "It's too warm to brawl with such a one of their number crumpled to the windbag?" ground, they fled in panie.

When I've brushed off this fly, "scoffed the giant, "l give you a As Robin wheeled his steed to dusting off, young fellow for good

of body DI the wooded heights, a mounted men galloped by. When measure!!

"This By's got a nighty-aling, little they were out of hearing "Robin

on the flanks on," retorted Robin, Atting an ar- slapped Will's horse and sent it loping along the read that row to his bow. "What?" roared the led away from the town. He then glant, "Me with only a quarterstaff gave the diminutive Much a litt to and threaten me with a long bow! the saddle and grimly issued his Aren't you man enough to

"Give me time to get a staff?" The orders: "Find Crippen the Arrow- maker and his friends. Tell them to ginnt nodded,

Having uprooted a sapling oak, pass the word to every man who's been beaten or robbed or tortured and trimmed it hastily, Robin ad- . The Gallows Oak hore in vanced across the log. Quick as a Sherwood

to-morrow night, flash the giant's great staff winged They'll understand!" Much vanished down. It was wham, whish, whack, thump, smash, bang! Long nud as if by magic.

"Energetic soul, aren't you," sald

Will with whimsical disgust,liantly they fought but neither

THE HONGKONG

TELEGRAPH,

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1938.

Our War Propheteers CANADIAN PACIFIC

COME of us have now lived in five ▷ reigns. Il sounds dreadfully antediluvian,

tioned the fact-rather tactlessly, I

When a ficty And Thoughts On thought-my hand Involuntarily

strayed to my head. It was almost arellet to feel that there was still some hair adhering to it. But, as Str John Falstaff remarked, how these old men are given to bragging!

The Revival Of

Shove-HalfPenny

By "AN OLD STAGER"

It is true my own recollections of the Victorian epoch are comparatively Infantile. But they are still useful. For instance, I recall how, when Queen Victoria was still on the "persons to play shove-great Throne and us yet an unexploded drink for hours together." blographical myth, the happy, com In Drake's Day fortable, peaceful world of that

our

and

to a game of shove-halfpenny, and beat him handsomely at it.

So we see that shove-halfpenny is

really an important and to gue

business, not a trivial affair to be

STEAMSHIPS - HOTELS -

- RARWAYS - EXPHLSS

BERTHING PLANS FOR 1939 ARE OPEN

summarily dismissed from the in- MAKE BOOKINGS EARLY. - to secure accommodation desired

tellectual consideration in

faco of

European crises. This island had to face some pretty tough emergencles

in those carly dnya of shove- TO CANADA, UNITED STATES and EUROPE

halfpenny.

But in the Armada days Britons did not get the week-end jitters, at least not to the extent we do now. day, according to the scare head

in the stunt papers. They fell themselves worthy of their destiny. and equal to encountering it like men. halcyon age was periodically de- So we see that, even in the golden,

I am loath to believe that the pressed by augur-eyed bewhiskered uge of England, there was an descendants of those atout-hearted prophets who foretold, with documen- equivalent to modern Doru, islanders of the shove-groat epoch tal certainty as to the precise date, Nottingham caught the craze very are really any less gollant in spirit just when the end of the world was severely,

In 1488 the burgesses of or philosophic In outlook. Como going to happen.

that charming and ancient place the four corners of the world in arms, from but we shall chock them! That's I am reminded of

were prohibited altogether these gloomy Indulging in shove-groat,

It was the slogan for us in these troublous keers to-day by

existing Cassandras, who keep telling us ruining archery practice in the very days, and to the horse-trough with

citadel of Robin Hood,

the kill-joys and the dismal-jimmies when the next Great War is positively

alike. about

begin. It was fixed

Coming down to modern times, What will be, will be. If the originally for August 12th. Now it when touring the British Industries Nozla want to play shove-halfpenny has been shifted just a month to Fair at Olympia this year, King with Europe, well, that's likely to September 12th.

George challenged the Duke of York be their funeral anyhow. Awalting the End

Qur

Many nervous people took these prophets with entire seriousness, and even inesitated about concluding such business matters as house mortgages, They felt that it would be foolish to enter into commercial arrangements the Last which projected beyond

Trump.

STORIES OF SCOTS PATIENTS

This time the minds of ex- with the words, "Any complainis?". Servicemen and nurses are filled Sandy caused much amusement by with memorter of the early days of replying, "Just wee pain in the We shall see, in a month or two,

the Great War. Some of these re- knee, sir." He confided to the man how far our present-day jitter-collections are grave and some gay, in the next bed that it was a strange merchants, the up-to-date peacelime The lighter side does much to case practice for un officer to tour a hos- war-propheteers, are any nearer the the ache after 24 years.

pital full of sick men asking if there bull's eye than were those Victorians

Male and female nurses who were any complaints, who specialised in universal oblivion. worked in the great hospitals during When a soldier from Aberdeen This being the off season for those, anxious August days have was asked by an English orderly to solentn politics, I propose to leave

anecdotes many treasured the aforesaid war-propheteers n they never tire of recounting. Here "Ma bonnet's as clean as enybody's,

which help clean out the hut, he replied,

that, and turn for a brief moment to

arc a few concerning Scottish thinking The reference was to a the engrossing subject of shove halfpenny. Somehow, to my mind, patients who were nursed in milltary "hat" and not a "hut"

hospitals. It does not seem quite such non sequitur as it may, cound.

more

I am certain that the international pessimists

for would be profitably and happily employed playing stove-halfpenny than enact ing the Fat Boy in Pickwick. Be- sides, if their apprehensions should by some odd chance prove correct, to enuet over again the historic role with a shove-halfpenny board subsilluted for Plymouth Hoe

of Drake,

come

0

shove-halfpenny s

1

It is not an easy matter for Eng- Another pallent thought that his lish folk to nurse Scotsmen, the national customs were being reviled language difficulty proving a greater when he was asked by a Cockney barrler at times than people are apt orderly, "Can I get you a piper, to imagine..

Jock?" It took time to convince him There was the big fellow in the that the obliging orderly wanted to

an bring him the morning paper. Scots Guards, suffering from

Scotsmen In hospital are invariably ingrowing toenail, who told the re-

The Jock in the corner ceiving orderly that there was some cheerful. thing "wrang with his muckle tae." who had lost his feet kept the ward The medical officer was puzzled when in a roar by asking the orderly to

was discovered that the case shitet "bring bore the words, "Two knuckles chuminie." fractured."

*

**

•

my boots when you come,

are

and bowls!

A further lustration of cheerful- Shove-halfpenny has suddenly be

ness was given by the burly Scot wounded fashionable pastime in Asked what was wrong a pelvate who had been so badly London,

Unicas I am much mis- in the Blacke Watch suffering from that he gave grave concern to his taken we owe this to the ennui that lumbago stated that he wanted his attendants. Once during the night beset an Oxford crew a year or so back "sorted." The English orderly he beckoned to his nurse, who hur- ago during the long period of train- went to the M.O. in a panie. "Please, ried neross prepared for the worst.

ber Judge They tried hair, there's a fellow with a twisted

the ing for the Boat Race.

surprise when relaxation; sir,

with with a cheerful Scol from Glasgow inquired there's a fellow something to distract their

spine. Serious case." If she thought he would be fit in minds, twisted spir from the appalling rowing prowess When Shetlander declared that time to play football for the regiment. of a place called Cambridge.

They he was "annoyed" with the food the

scattered throughout orderly officer came to investigate Scotland and the world to-day- In the Beat Circles

the complaint. It turned out that he those who survived. It is pleasing was not discontented with the hos- to remember those August days Since then it has steadily gained pital rations, but that he was suffer- twenty-four years ago, despite the footing in pollte society, and to ing from Indigestion. The English darker side. day in Mayfair is seriously threaten-nurse in charge did not know that a As the Engilsh sister used to say. ing the vogue of darts. Nobody is Shetlander "annoyed" is a Shetlander popping her head into the ward be- more astonished than the erstwhile "worried" or "uncomfortable. fore going off duty, vainly attempt- plebeian practitioners of the shove- Sometimes, however,

Scottish ing to be Scottish, "Cheerlo the noo, halfpenny board by this sudden social apotheosis of their favourite patients were na puzzled by English Jock."

idioms. A lad. from a remote island Cheeriol. After twenty-four years game. But shove-halfpenny was an in the West of Scotland did not those Scottish patients ure not aristocratic pastime three centuries

understand the practice of the forgotten. and more ago.

orderly offeer making his rounds

It was in Shakespeare's time, though at the moment I recall no reference to it by the bard, played by quite the best people. The earliest records of the game of shove halfpenny, which was then known either as shove-groat or slip-grost, occur in the fifteenth century, though it is more than probable that even the ancient Greeks had a name for it. give in. Finally, Robin King Henry VII was D great felt himself teetering the giant's staff devotee of shove-halfpenny.. Не suppose we sleep to-night amid the licked forth, cracked him on scems to have found it an ogreeable beastly fauna and Boral"

skull, Into with

diversion from matrimony. mighty splash.

There It's healthy. my lad!" retorted Shouting with laughter the giant is record that in 1532 there was Robin with a provoking grin.

his quarterstaff and paid out of the King's Privy Purse "I prefer my warm bed at Locks- thrust down

Robin grost

grasped it and let himself be to My Lord of Wiltshire a sum due ley!"

for His Majesty's losses at shove- "And being taken and hanged?" pulled ashore. His Arst words as he

shook the water from himself were halfpenny-which suggests that there "Better death than discomfort!"

was then at least one peer of the agreeable. "What's sald

realm who Will and the two plunged sputtering but

could shove a pretty halfpenny. furdier into the dark forest, where your name, friend?"

"John Little "Mine's Hobin!"

an owl was hooting crazily.

room

Д

the

and yours?"

At the moment in a stone-walled "Not Robin of Locksley?" cried the

In Nottingham Castle the giant his eyes widening with ad Dodles of Sir Ivor and Sir Baldwin miration. "I've heard of you lay in state-men-al-arms on guard and I want to join your company?" -rush-wick candies burning at "If you can hold a breach like you heads and feet--and a black-robbed can hold a bridge, you're one of us friur mumbling prayers.

and welcome

It's all the

"The young knave yonder is my crackling parchment. Having signed

ned squire, Will of Ganwall--Will Sear-

ilreach of bridge

At the far end of the room by p Bickering, taper. Prince John, in a same to me Ane rage, scribbled with a qui on

+2

the document with a flourish, he let, I've dubbed him! I've a fancy for arose and handed it to Sir Guy of renaming my ment. Take yourself,

"There--" Gisbourne.

His for instance! You're no longer John sold "A Highness triumphantly,

death Little! You're Little John!" friend Sir Robin sentence for your

"Little John be 11" bellowed the Have it proclaimed glant, taking Robin's hand of Locksley!.

In in every village that he's an outlaw steely grip: "And what work, master, and hang anybody that gives may I do this day, to prove to you him shelter or aid!"

my fenity?" "Work n-plenty, Little Sire!" sald Sir John!" "Yes

or prematurely. Guy, a

irifle

"The master is an energentle soul!" "Eis possessions are forfeit to the yawned Will complacently,....

*" went on Prince John (Continued to-morrow).

Crown

$1 TIFFINS

at

Jimmy's

Also

China Bldg,, Hongkong..

la

Carte

Hankow Rd., Kowloon.

A. T. R.

P & O-BRITISH INDIA (APCAR) AND EASTERN & AUSTRALIAN LINES

(Companies Incorporated in England.)

Taking Cargo on through Bills of Lading for STRAITS, JAVA & BURMA, CEYLON INDIA, IRANIAN GULF, MAURITIUS, E. & 8. AFRICA, AUSTRALABIA, INCLUD- ING NEW ZEALAND AND QUEENSLAND PONTS, RED SEA, EGYPT, EUROPE, ETC

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Lestination

All vessels may call at any ports on or off the route,-and the route and all sailings are subject to change or deviation with or without notice,

Tons | From H'Kong about Steamers CARTHAGE +*SOUDAN

RAJPUTANA RANCHI

At any rate, he was able to beat bluff King Hal, even with the pro- BURDWAN boble handicap on his form that one never quite know, such was the un- certain Tudor

!

Royal loser might take it.

temper, how that RAWALPINDI

RANPURA

*+SOMALI

CANTON

King Edward VII-when a Life Guard subaltern, calted attention to the fact that His Majesty's partner at whist, a famous clderly and temperamental Duchess, had revoked observed that he had often awarded D.S.O. for less. To take on Henry VIII at shove-halfpenny, and beat TALMA him to the considerable depletion of

14,500, 1st Oct. Noon

4,000 8th Oct.

17,000 15th Oct.

|17,000 | 20th Oct.

4.000 5th Nov.

17,000 12th Nov.

17,000 28th Nov.

8,000 3rd Dec.

15,500 10th Dee.

Marsellfes & London.

B'bay, M'seilles, Havre, L'don, Hull, H'burg, R'dam & A'werp. Marseilles & London. Marselles & London. B'bay, M'Beilles, Havre, L'don, Hull, H'bg, H'dam & A'werp. B'boy, M'sellles & London. Marseilles & London.

B'bay, M'seilles, Havre, L'don. Hall, H'bg. R'dam & A'werp. Bombay, M'seilles & London.

vessels may call at Malta

* Cargo only ↑ Calls Casablanca · All

BRITISH INDIA APCAR BAILINGS (SOUTIL)

10,000 8th Oct.

the Royal Privy Purst, must have SIRDHANA been very nearly in the V.C. category SHIRALA of simple valour,

Game of Skill

TILAWA SANTHIA

8,000 22nd Oct.

8,000 5th Nov. 10,000 10th Nov, '8,000 3rd Dec.

S'pore, Port Swettenlinm | Penang, Rangoon & Calcutta

DO.

DO.

DO.

DO.

Believe it or not, shove-halfpenny D. Apcar Line Steamers have excellent accommodation for 1st à thà clam pemecaWIT is an extremely skilful game, re- quiring intense delicacy and judg-" ment, and, above all, in even more exasperating than contract bridge. NANKIN

At Court in those days no doubt they NELLORE

played with gold coins, not, hálf- TANDA pennies or groats. In Elizóbeth's

reign it was usual in society circles, Regular monthly to play with a silver shilling. That,

at that date, was worth in our currency about 10s at least.

So

in

SIRDIANA as well as fashionable RANCHIN popular did shove-halfpenny become Middle Ages that it was deemed "BURDWAN desirable by the authorities, kil-jo74 SHIRALA then as now, to prohibit the pastime. RANPURA

NELLORE

It was threatening to oust the far RAWALPINDI more manly and useful sport of SOMALI archery,

In

033

a Westminster innkeeper

was fined 10, a formidable Impost

EASTERN & AUSTRALIAN BAILINGS (SOUTEL)

7000 1st Oct 11 8.M.] · Manila, Habeul, Brisbane, 7,000 4th Nov.

7,000

2nd Dec.

Bydney, Melbourne & Hobart

sailings from Ikong to Shanghai & Japán & Xsong to Austraila

Hong Kong to Eydasy-19 KTI.. BAILINGH'TO BHANGHAI & JAPAN. 8,000 29th Sept., 7 am. Japan, 17,000 29th Sept., Noon.

7,000 7th Oct.

0,000 1st Oct.

8,000 12th Oct,

17,000 14th Oct,

17,000 28th Oct.

8,000. 28th Oct.

Cargo only.

Shanghai & Japan. Shanghai & Japan. Shanghai & Japan. Japan

Shanghai & Japan. Shanghai Be Japan. Shanghai & Japan.

All dates are approximate and subject to alteration without notion, - parosh

at contemporary currency rates, for permitting the game to be played on not more than a dt. will be recatred at the Company's Once up to abor

on the day previous to sailing.

his premises. About the samo date a barber, who was at that time a much more important person professionally than, now, was fined for allowing ConnROJNI, ALO,

For Passage Bates, Handbooks, Freight, einu, soply

* 0 * MACKINNON, MACKENZIE & CO. PAT

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EMPRESS OF ASIA

.6.00 am Fri, Sept. 20.. EMPRESS OF CANADA via Honolulu........Noon, Fri., Oct. 14. EMPRESS OF NUSSIA. EMPRESS OF JAPAN vís Honolulu

j

...Noon, Thurs, Oct. 27. Noon, Fri, Nov. 11.

J

Air-conditioned equipment об CPR. Trans-Continental Trainė, Frequent Canadian Prolão Allaulle sailings to European Port

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.Frl, Oct. 7,

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Monthly Service to

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also taking cargo on through Bills of Lading for West Indien ports, Rio de Janeiro, Santos, Rio Grande do Sol Buenos Aires, South America.

NEXT SAILING:-

M. S. "TAI PING“

23rd October

DODWELL & CO., LTD.

Agents.

Hongkong Bank Bldg.

Telephone 28021.

OUR BRITISH CROSSWORDS

TU

ACROSS

1 Does this regiment go la fer'

polishing? (5).

.4 Maker's sign not a special Ger-

man currency (9).

8 Look over the journey, it is all

on the level (7).

0 By. which and why about the beer that has been upset (7). 10 This English river sounds like something found on many. river (4).

11 Foreign wine that is commonly accepted has right in Scottish water (6).

12 Sweet herbs may be taken to the Assizes but this weed is there too (4).

-

15 A change of vessels in which

the sailors appear (13).

17 This aptly makes a "strafer"

silent (18).

20 Leather but not from the horse

or cow (4)..

21 This ally is taken individually

(0)

22 Prima Donna (4).

25 Oxford College (7).

20 In this one might buy this (7). 27 After this the criminal is lucky If he doesn't have the, heart changed to n (9).

28 German old master (5).

DOWN

1 Forest hinterland perhaps, or useful ahots If someone carries the Jack Ina: game of bowls (9).

2 Sweel stuff made by a foolish

Insect (7), 2

3. A place to locate (4).

4 Wrong French river and outer"

case combine to form a décorn-

live substance (13).

5 Part of 21 across (4). 0 This is found among British

Fauna and Flora: (7),

7 An Eskimo vessel (8).

Epithet for the old country postman, though in another way he seldom (19).

13 The man to ravage (5),

14 Did this garden pest come from

a ship? (5).

16 Upper sails that suggest part of the preparations for a big pic- ale (0)

4

18 "Left" ale" (anag.) was it a tract on Temperance?) (7). 19 There in former days (7). 20 The offer of the Gunners was

almost mad. (6), ?

23 Matal (4)

24 This little town of Kent was

once on the coast (4),

YESTERDAY'S: SOLUTION: GORDIANKNOT W E _B_R_B__REBAREM CATTLERANGE O P TELA FAUZIT HEARD FLINT การ

DEPTH A BION

A B 10E USHAH

DRONE

LINE:

D

FAPA

HALFBROTHEE

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