Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-07-24
A CHAPTER FROM tom BROWN. ?
His First Experience in College 10
Race.-The First Bump.


Race.-The First Bump.
whats the time, Smith 2"
"Halt-past three, old fellow " answered Din.
genes, looking at his watch
81 never knew day 90 50 slowly" said
Iom; isn't 1t time to go down to the boat z"
Not by two hours and more, old fellow.
Can't you take a book, or something, to keep
you quiet You won't be fit for anything by
SIX clock, If you 60 on worrying like this"
And so Diogenes turned himself to his flute
and blew away, to all appearances as compos
eddy as if it had been the first week of the
term, though, if the truth must be told it was
all he could do not to get up and wander about
In teverish and distracted state, for TOMS
restlessness infected him.
Diogenes whole heart was in the college
boat; and SO, though he had pulled dozens of
races in his time, he was almost as nervous as
freshman on this the first day of the races.
Tom, all unconscious of the secret discomfi
ture of the other, threw himself into q char
and looked at him with wonder and envy.
The flute went "toot foot, toot," till he could
stand 1t no longer; so he got up and went to
the window, and, leaning out, looked up and
down the street for some minutes in purpose
less sort Of fashion, staring hard at everybody
and everything, but unconscious all the time
that he was doing so. He would not have
been able, in fact to answer Diogenes a word,
had that worthy inquired of him what he had
seen, when he presently drew in his head and
returned to his tdgety ramblings about the
room.
Glow hot the sun is but there's a stiff
breeze from the southeast, l hope it will 60
down before the evening; don't you 2"
YES this wind will make it very rough
below the Gut Mind you feather high now
at starting"
81 hope to goodness shant catch crab,
said Tom.
Don't think about it, old fellow that's your
best plan"
"But can't think Of anything else" said
Tom. "What the deuce is the good of telling
fellow not to talk about it z"
Diogenes, apparently, had nothing particu.
lar to reply, for he put his flute to his mouth
again; and at the sound of the ''toot, toot,"
Tom caught up his gown and fled away into
the quadrangle.
The crew had had their early dinner of
steaks and chops, stale bread, and a glass and
half OF old beer apiece, at two O'Clock, in the
captains rooms. The current theory of train.
ing at that time was-as much as you could
east, the more UNDERGONE the better, and the
smallest amount of drink upon which you
can manage to live. Two pints in the twenty
four hours was all that most boats crews that
pretended to train at all were allowed and for
the last fortnight it had been the nomi al
lowance of the st. Ambrose crew. The dis
comfort of such diet in the hot summer
months, when you were at the same time
taking regular and violent exercise, was some
thing very serious. Outraged human nature
rebelled against it; and, take it, though they
did not admit it in public, there were very few
men who did not rush to their waterbottles
for relief, more or less often, according to the
developments of their bumps of conscientious
ness and obstinacy. To keep to the diet at all
strictly, involved very respectable amount of
physical endurance. | am thankful to hear
that our successors have found out the unwis-
dom of this, as of other old superstitions, and
that in order to get man into training nova"
days, it is not thought of the first Importance
to keep him in constant state of consuming
thirst and the restlessness Of body and sharp
ness of temper which thirst generally induces.
Tom appreciated the honor of being i'll the
boat in his first year so keenly that he had al
most managed to keep to his training allow
ance, and consequently, now that the eventtul
day had arrived, was in a most uncomfortable
state of body and disagreeable frame of mind.
He fled away from Diogenes' flute, but
found no rest. He tried Drysdale. That
hero was lying on his back on his sofa, playing
with his dog, and only increased Toms thirst
and soured his temper by the vicousness of
MS Ou DOdlllb anu every lnlnH anU
person connected herewith above all, on
Miller, who had just come up, had steered
them the day before, and pronounced the crew
generally, and Drysdale in particular, mot
half trained"
Tom looked in at the captains door but
found him hard at work reading, and so car.
ried himself off; and, after a vain hunt after
others OF the crew, and even trying to sit down
and read, first novel, then a play of Shak-
speare, with no success whatever, wandered
away out of the college, and found himself, in
five minutes, by natural and irresistible at
traction, on the university barge
There were half dozen men or SO reading
the papers, and group or two discussing the
coming races. Amongst other things, the
chances of st. Ambrose's making bump the
first night were weighed. Every one ioine,.
in prasing the stroke, but there were
great doubts whether the crew could live up to
it. Tom carried himself ON to the top of the
barge to get out of hearing, for listening made
his heart beat and his throat dryer than ever
He stood on the top and looked right away to
the Gut, the strong wind blowing his gown
about. Not even a pair oar was to be seen
the great event of the evening made the river
a solitude at this time of day. Only one or
two sktfs were coming home, impelled by
reading men, who took their cOnstitutonals
J on the water, and were coming in to be in
time tor afternoon chapel. The fastest and
best OF these soon near enough for Tom to re-
cognze Hardy's stroke SO he left the barge
and went down to meet the servitor at his
landing, and accompanied him 10 the st. Ana
brose dressing room.
"Wel, how do you feel for the race to-
night" said Hardy, as he dried his neck and
face, which lie had been slucing with cold
water, looking as hard and bright as a racer
on Derby day
"Oh, .wretched am afraid | shall break
down, said Tom, and poured out some OF his
doubts and miseries. Hardy soon CONFERRED
HIM greatly and by the time they were half
across Chrstchurch Meadow he was quite in
heart again, for he knew how well Hardy un
derstood rowing, and what sound Judge he
was, and it was therefore cheering to hear
that he thought they were certainly the sec.
ond best, boat on the river and that they
would be sure to make some bumps unless
they had accidents.
"But that's just what fear So" said Tom
"pm afraid | shall make some awful blunder. D
Not you'll" said Hardy "only remember !;
don't you fancy you can pull the boat by your.
self, and 90 lrying TO do it. rhat's where
young oars fail II you keep thorough good
time you'll be pretty sure to be doing your
share of work. Time is everything, almost"
IN be sure to think of that" said Tom.
And they entered ST. Ambrose inst MS the