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Show ALL IN FUN I CORNER By Richard Hill Wilkinson "jiHERE has probably never been a greater hatred than that which existed between Barney Craig and Dan Chester. It all started because i I of Barney's eager- 3u;al,i. ness to become a M member of the lo-Fiction lo-Fiction cal lodge. As one I I of three candidates candi-dates he was introduced to Dan at the September meeting. Imbued with the feeling of good fellowship which the brothers always emanated, ema-nated, Barney assumed at once a familiar attitude and took liberties. Jovially, he made a crack about Dan's ears, which protruded from the Chester head horizontally, instead in-stead of perpendicularly, as is the case in normal man. The blush which mounted to Dan's cheeks provoked pro-voked guffaws of amusement from the delighted Barney. After the meeting in which Barney's Bar-ney's name was voted on, Dan publicly pub-licly announced that he would have shot any man who had blackballed him. Every one knew what he meant. Barney's initiation would last for two months and would involve in-volve a good deal of horseplay. Dan was out for revenge. And he got it. During the two months of initiation, Barney suffered suf-fered all the humiliations, indignations indigna-tions and unrestrained paddlings of a college freshman. When it was over, the night that Barney received the ritual and became be-came a full-fledged brother, Dan grinned at him good-naturedly. "You sure can take it. Brother Craig. Of course it was all in fun." "Yeah," said Barney. "And now that, I'm a full-fledged member I'm as good as you? Is that right?" "Absolutely, brother," said Dan. "Good," said Barney, "because "be-cause for a long time I've wanted want-ed to do this." And he hauled off and let Dan have a smart Barney poked a neat one at Dan's chin and it connected. one on the point of his jaw. "All In fun, you know," Barney grinned savagely. Dan picked himself up and nodded. "O.K., Brother Craig, suppose sup-pose you and I go outside." They went outside and removed their coats. Ten minutes later Barney Bar-ney was lying on the ground staring up at Dan through the one eye that he could still open a crack. "All in fun. Brother Craig. Come around again some time when you feel in a playful mood." 75ARNEY spent most of November and December in a gymnasium. Shortly after the first of the year he encountered Brother Dan again. "Hello, Big Ears," he remarked, "suppose we go outside?" Dan was willing. They went outside, out-side, and in nine and one half minutes min-utes Barney decided that Dan must have practically slept in a gymnasium. gymnasi-um. Barney went home and cursed himself to sleep. He decided that he'd lick Dan Chester if he died trying which by the feeling of his jaw he thought might happen any minute. Barney hired K. O. McManus to train him. K. O. was pretty rough and Barney suffered a lot, but he acquired knowledge. On the first of March he invited Brother Dan "outside." "out-side." The battle lasted 20 minutes this time. Spring was in full bloom when Barney again sent word to Dan to meet him outside. There was quite an audience on hand this time. The fight lasted 25 minutes. Both participants were pretty groggy. They were swinging wild and without with-out much zip. It began to look like a draw, when suddenly it occurred to Barney that for the first time Dan wasn't beating him. The thought gave him a feeling of elation ela-tion and a burst of energy. He poked a neat one at Dan's chin and it connected. Barney, thrown off balance, too weak to steady himself, him-self, fell across his opponent's prostrate pro-strate form and lay there. It took an hour to revive the battlers. bat-tlers. Barney came to first and looked at Dan thoughtfully. Presently Present-ly Dan stirred and opened his eyes. He saw Barney and propped himself him-self up on an elbow. "Well, well. Brother Craig. Congratulations!" Con-gratulations!" "Thanks," said Barney, and grinned too. "All in fun you know." "Sure," said Dan, "all in fun.'' And he extended his hand. Barney gripped the hand and started to make a crack about Dan's big ears, but changed his mind. |