The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, September 16, 1900, Page 4

"KLE down! down! NUC Knuexle yer fudging An interes was in progress. ers in his anxiety to «isplz ing game cof marbles One cf the play e £ome tals that rested in the ‘“'fat, moved his grimy fist barely toward the mark when companion caught him in 2 followed thg ual shrill argument on cheating. Ch: nd denia's were hurl- ed with a rapidity that was atartiing. The game having been renewed, one of the little fellows plumped himself on the side- walk and taking careful aim at the mar- bles in the rirg imched his ‘“‘taw,” cor agate, and it struck one of them, kr < ing it out of the oval. Unfortunately him the “‘taw™ spun rapldly from force of the impact and remained in “fat,” losinrg him the game. He took loss philosophically and having exha } his supply of n he left his \r- fous companion and went in search of other entertainment. The Anrbrican boy is never at a loss for sport. He dreams of his play while hs- tening to the droning voice of his teacher in school. - Often when he should be study- ing his ge hy he writes out a chai- lenge to his neighbor for a game of ball after school or thinks of the big kite he expects to launch on the next windy day, He gazes longingly at the clock, and as the hands slowly creep round to ) p. m. he gives a welcoming grin and with high spirits marches out of the school building. Once on the street he makes a wild scramble for home. He will stop on the way to tease -a ‘“Boxer,”” play tag or watch two school mates settle with their fists. With a yell that would do eredit to a Cor g nche Indian he enters his abode and with: a lusty swing deposits his books in a corner to be picked up later by his fond parent. A piece of bread and jelly or a nice big apple satisfies his appetite and he sneaks out the back door to avoid being sent 1n errand. He picks up hi: bat and chy s down to Mjke Smith’s house and invites that youngster to gct hig ball and play “‘one o' cat.” Other “kids’’ see the inception of the game from afar and they join their companions with & rush. The game is soon starfed. Its progress is often interrupted by the appearance on the corner of a policeman or “‘bull,” as he a dispute is familiarly called, who, knowi the penchant of the lads for > drivi 15 the spheroid through neighboring windows, walks majestically toward the boys and the latter do not delay their departure. “Nigger bapy" is played wiin a rubber ball. Accuracy in throwing absolves the player from punishment. As many hats as there are boys in the game are stacked against a wall so that they form so many pockets. The leader of the game rolls the ball toward the hats and each lad stands alert to grab it should it roll in his ‘‘sky piece.”” In the event that the ball finds a resting place the elected one hastily grabs it and taking quick aim at one of his companions throws it with full force. If the ball misses its object the thrower is penalized and the onescoringfive misses is compelled to place his head against the wall and afford a good target for his playmates to hit. Each player is alloweqd five shot 1 as the ave re boy is a good ma n, the unlucky one suffers great stress of mind and body. The kite-flying season is looked forwaid to with misgiving by most mothers. Their yvoung hopefuls, buoyed in the be- lief that they can manufacture the toy, play havoc with elean kitchen floors in their efforts to evolve an airshin. Paste is absolutely needed in making a kite and flour and water make fine paste. There fore before little Willie has stuck the car- ners of his kite the kitchen floor looks as if it had been struck by a blizzard. Lat- tle Willle slips out of the house before the mess is discovered. He calls his chum to his aid and between them they try all afternoon to raise the thing over their heads An inconvenient telegraph wire always ends their sport. The tail of the kite becomes entangled with the wire just as their efforts are to be crowned with success. The wind blows the kite round und the wire and no amount of pulling and hauling will dislodge it. In reven swi ro the boys throw stones at the ing target and within a short time Abup& FOR HOME PLATE RN R o B g but a few nothing remains of broken sticks. the toy Fond parents with grief In their eyes watch their future bread-winners limp off to bed. Solicitous for their welfare the THE T ——— SUNDA ———— > THAT TR - — - i ® = . 3 v