South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1881-12-16

his mother sought gently to calm bis
spirit; but finding that impossible in
his present mood, she quietly dropped
the matter, hoping at some later time
to dissuadc Vic from his intention.
After supper Vic went out without
saying where he was going. He
walked up the street, and entered the
Office of DIR. McCutcheon his fathers
life leng friend.
well, my boy said the DOCTOR
what's the matter? Have you been
hurt?'
No; it's nothing said Vie; and
L didn't come for sticking plasters or
poultices 1 want your advice
You shall have it. What is the
troub4e?'
Il want you to tell me Just how I
should live while developing my mus
Giles, in order that l may gain strength
and activity as rapidly as possible
What! going to make a prize.
fighter of yourself9 / thought YOU
cared more for triumphs won with
your head
NO, I'm not going to be prize
fighter replied Vic; 'but / am going
to get up all the muscle there is in me.
and want to know about diet, ETC.
WELL said the doctor, perhaps
you are a trifie fabby for want of
exercise, and I'm not sure that YOU
can do better than train a little. AS
to diet, quit coffee and tea. eat plenty
of roast beef aud other wholesome
plain food, let pastry alone, and don't
study just before or just after hearty
meal get ten hours sleep in every
"a, If you can; and it won take
much training TO make you robust
Clearly the doctor had not thought
that Vic intended anything more than
to make himself robust and healthy
but Vic had secured the information
he waited.
The next day he fitted up mum.
Der of gymnastic appliances in the
COW barn. He fastened ring ropes
to the beams, and cons ructed some
parallel bars; he swung ladder
horizontally, and hing a bag of sand
on n level with his breast. Then his
training began. When he got out of
bed in the morning he,took cold bath.
and rubbed himself we'll with coarse
towel. Then slipping on some light
clothing he went out and ran around
two or three blocks at q good round
pace. On his return, after taking
breath, he swung by his hands on bis
ring ropes, drawing himself up first
with both hands, and then, after n
weeks practice, with one hand at
time. Tie horizontal bars and
the ladder came next, each furnishing
variety OF exercises for different
muscles. Finally, Vic would stand
IN front of his sand bag and strike it
with his fists great many times.
AT first these muscular exercises
made him stiff and sore, but this eff.
feet soon passed away, and day by
day he increased the amount of exer-
else taken. His muscles grew in size
and hardened. Feats that had been
impossible to him at first, became ca.
sy and the exercise which at first
seemed to exhaust him became pos
lively delightful. Devising new ex.
erclses and new apparatus every week,
he presently found that he was &C.
curing something besides strength
he was growing expert in all manner
OF agile feats. He practiced trapeze
performances, and rapidly acquired
an accuracy of eye, steadiness of
nerves, which made easy and safe
many cat-like feats, in which, if he
had attempted them few weeks be.
tore, he must certainly have broken
his neck.
His mother had anxiously watched
his conduct and one evening she
seized upon favorable moment for
remonstrance, seeking to dissuade
him from his purpose Of vengeance.
lie heard her silently, and when she
had done, he replied, very camly, but
very resolutely:
Mother, what you say is all true
and right III principle. 1t is wrong
to cherish anger & to seek vengeance
but that isn't my case. / don't hate
Hen Little; l pity his meanness and
his cowardice. / am not seeking
vengeance, but justice, and | have a
right to that. If were to give IN
thrashing him, l should look at nv.
self with contempt / shall punish
him, not because | hate him-for I
don't-but because L must assert my
own manhood
The widow was perplexed by this
view of the case. She could not quite
believe it was right, aud yet she could
not consciontiously say il was wrong.
well, my son. she replied, 4 fear
you arc wrong but you may be right.
AT any rate, | can not take the re-
sponsibiity Of urging you to submit
to anything that you feel to be de-
graduation. Feeling as you 40. You must
decide the matter for yourself.