ound,
players exchange places, i. e., those who were in the centre now form
the circle.
Note: If the touch is preceded by a bound of the ball it does not
count.
Prisoner's Base
Goals are marked off at both ends of the playground, the players
divided into two equal divisions, occupying the two goals. About ten
paces to the right of each goal is a prison. A player advances toward
the opposite goal, when one from that goal starts out to catch him. He
retreats, and one from his side runs to his rescue by trying to catch
the pursuer--who in turn is succored by one from his side, and so on.
Every player may catch anyone from the opposite side who has been out
of goal longer than he has. Any player caught is conducted to the
prison by his captor and must remain there until rescued by some one
from his side, who touches him with the hand. The one who does this is
subject to being caught like any other player.
Throwing the Spear
The game is an old Greek and Persian pastime. "Throw the spear and
speak the truth," was a national maxim of the Persians that we may
copy with advantage.
The apparatus required is some light spears and an archery target. The
spears should vary from five to six feet in length; the point should
be shod with a steel tip, having a socket into which the wooden handle
is fitted, and made fast by small screws passing through holes in the
sides of the metal, and then into the wood itself. The wood, for about
a foot above the barb, should be about three quarters of an inch in
diameter, and from thence gradually taper to about a quarter of an
inch in thickness until the end of the spear is reached.
Some spears are fitted with feathers, like an arrow, but these are not
necessary to obtain a good throw, and soon get dismantled in
continually falling upon the ground. Any ordinary target will serve.
It may be an archery target, a sack full of straw, or a sod bank.
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The object of the contest is to hit the target from a given mark, the
firing line. Whoever throws nearest to the centre of the target the
greatest number of times out of six shots is hailed the winner.
The best form for throwing is with the left foot forward, the leg
perfectly straight, body well back, its weight resting on the right
leg. Now extend the left arm forward, in a line with the shoulder, and
over the left leg; poise the spear horizontally in the right hand,
holding at the centre of gravity by the forefinger and
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