FOR OUR BOYS & GIRLS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVIII, Issue 13, 16 January 1897, Page 3

FOR OUR BOYS & GIRLS.

Gteen Breeks.

A GALLANT SON OF EDINBURGH.

(By Virginia French.}

When Sir Walter Scott was a schoolboy in Edinburgh he used'to take groab delight in a sort of warfare kept up between parties of boya who lived in different quarters of tho town; they fought a good deal as the different 'ganga' on the oaab side of New York fight nowudays, only that they were much leas disturbed by the police than is the Bowory boy to-day, and also thoy had a great deal more good nature and a higher sense of honour, as the story of ' Green Bteeks' shows. Rough as the play was, paronts and police were induced to tolerate it because the boys through it all behaved so well.

Little Walter Scott belonged to one faction, as thsy called themselves, and Grean Breeka to another ; Walter's comradeo wero little swells, and Green

Breeks headed a ragged crew ; bub neither side cared anything about; that ; they battled because they were two factioas, not because they had anything against each other; as they livod in diiioronl; neighbourhoods, they knew nothing about each other, nob even each other's names ; Green Breaks was called so because ho woro a pair of ragged breeches than had once boon part of a servant's livery. He was a gallant loader, about 14, tall for hia ago, with blue eyes and fair hair; tho battle took tho form of one party driving the othor out of invaded territory turn and turn aboub; Grocn Breeks was always the first in the charge ; tbe tasb in retreat.

Walter Scott'? party had a flag that the lady who was then tlio Duchess of Sutherland had given them ; at last in ona furious charge the baro-footod party cent nil flying before them and Green Breoke, well in front} of all bho rest), gob his hand on tho onotny'e flag ; then tho Hug-bearer slruck hitu on the head, and poor Groon Breokn foil down, oeneeless; thia was n'oc \thab had beon intended ab all, and was aucii an alarming, accident that both sides flod in terror, leaving tho boy lying on tiio pavement with his bright hair stninod with blood. Tho boy who had doalo the blow w;;a wild with terror and secrecy was sworn by all his party ; that would have dono him little good when Green Brooks came to if Groen Brooke had been minded lo toll on him, but Green Breeks wasn't that kind. He wan taken to tho hospital for a few daya—tho wound turned oub a triflo after H H— nn d argument) and persuasion wore tried on him to make him teli who struck him, bub tell he would not, nor givo uny sign that could identify his en<my. When he was around again Walter Scott and eouie of his friends opened up negotiations with him through a baker from whom both eides bought ginger-bread ; thoy had scraped their pennies together and wanted to giro him asum of money to pay for his hurt. But no, Grean Breokssairl hewouldnot 'soil his blood ' any more than ho would bo a tell-tale. After a good deal of diplomacy, the baker keeping tho procuodinga, thuy gob him to accept a pound of nnulf for his grandmother. Thab mutter being nettled the two factions went joyously to fighting again—they liked that much better than being friend? —and coon after Green Brooks alippod oub of Walter Scobt'n ken, and ho never heard of him again. But to bho end of hifi life, long after he becntne bho great Sir Walter, ho would tell this story, and amid festivities with old friends he wouid often propose a toast to his ancienb and honourable enemy, Green Brooks.