Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1888-02-25

that may be attaine in the exercise.
We have no such thing as a national
game; nothing that approaches to your
baseball, or polo, or the English
cricket. Sport with us means, as
rule. h rse racing, and undoubtedly
our Jockeys, of whom we think highly.
would compare favorably with the best
that tn S country knows. The exercise
that really occupies our attention as q
national institution is fencing, and that
probably aris es from the military char
u ter of the nat onal life. Much of tho
energy that the American youth puts
into play and physical contests is alb
sorbcd by the govern ent in recruiting
the army. Here tie boys of the village
have to provide their own amusements,
their own exercises, and have to de-
pend upon themselves for acquiring
the discipline that is so essential to re-
ally succ, ssful sport. With us the
government provides the exercise and
the discipline, and if the young men
can get any amusement out of it, so
much the better for them. l. is the
next war that is always uppermOst in
every Frenchmau's mind. 1t is the
necessary preparation for this terrible
event that makes the nation one with
out Il typical game for the required
service in the army takes all the young
men into he military field at ust the
time when they would naturally be
tossing nall on the diamond, or strain
ing at Gle oars on the river; and when
the few years army life are at an end,
II no war comes along to keep the en-
rollmcnt at its highest, those who re-
turn to the ranks of villains find
themselves under the stern necessity OF
making living, and :, IL the less is
their time available for play; and more
over the discipline of the army tends TO
nuke man averse to taking up any
new department of physcal activity
He has already learned to do certain
things, and may be regarded as beyond
the age when it is desirable to spend
any moIe time in learning accomplish
mcnts, SO think We shall remain as
We have been, without national game
and without any special activity in
sports.
There are, nevertheless, certain di-
lcctiOns in which the love of recre-
alton finds expression. One is swim
ming. 1t is Il popular diversion in
Paris. There are good many bath
houses floating i'll the Seine, some of
them OF vast proportions and magniti-
Gently finished and furnished They
are, as a IN G, rooted over, but the
floors are absent altogether, except for
Il narrow platform running round the
four wal 5 on the inside. This is al
most on level with the water of the
river into which the sw miners plunge.
There are instructors in swimming in
all these houses, and although there g
naturally 10 opportunity for long dis
lance exercise, or practice IN making
time, there is yet considerable oppOrtn-
a t. for fun and unlimited means Tor
cultivating diving to its best. Many
good swimmers go to the e places for
practice; indeed, it would be practi-
ca'ly impossible for those ignorant OF
swimming to go there at oil unless
they attached themse yes to the end of
the rope held l,y the instructor. Some
of these lighthouses are free, and 9th.
ers are the result of private enterprise
and are open only on the payment of
an admission fee. That there is actu-
ally an Interest in swimming, apart
from the limited opportunities of tine
Seine lighthouses, was evidenced Just
before | left France at Clichy. There is
an island in the river there that's from
mile and half to mile and three
quarters in circumference. Two butch
ers, famous in their locality for Their
skill in the water. agreed for wager
to swim round the island in the night