The National tribune., 1889-05-23
CHAPTER XVII.
overwhelmingly

Gymnastics, as regular branch Of education,
have been introduced in several countries OF
northern Europe, as well as in Austria and
France, where every high school now employs
8 professional athlete often q retired circus per-
former, just as our expire fighters are apt to
become instructors in sp0rt-loying colleges,
or even in Young Mems Christian Associations.
Government gymnasiums are found only Ia
the larger cities of Germany and France; YET,
nevertheless, the recruiting officers OF those
countries admit that, with very rare excep-
lions farmers boys are physically superior to
the trained gymnasis Of the high-schOol towns.
Fresh air has undoubtedly share in that re-
suit, but its main explanation can, perhaps, be
found in the circumstance that by outdoor
work-or. indeed. by any sort Of work with
practical purpose man can, rs 1t were, begulle
himself into a larger amount Of exercise than
by crank-wOrk gymnastics. After the abOilsh-
meut Of Jogging the barracks Of western Eu-
rope introduced crank-nills," where military
culprits had TO exercise their muscle by turn
ing contrivance resembling the hand-wheel
of a stiff windlass, and which had to be twisted
around so many times per hour, the amount
Of " f0ot-p0unds" exerted being registered By
Rn automatic indicator. BY the practical PROOF
OF that machine the same effort that would
barely fatigue a man on a wo0dpiie or III the
trenches seemed sufficient to exhaust him
morally and physically, owing chiefly 70 the
indiferenily supply that defect In climbing
3 steep mountain the strength of a tourist is
sustained by the stimulus Of a visible progress,
the triumph of reaching higher and higher
cliffs Just as the strength Of the wood-cutter is
sustained by the visible increase Of his pile, or
that Of the trench-digger by the steady extern
sion Of his ditch. Her.1ontsl- bar contortionists
lack that encouragement.
Hence the WEAKNESS, the often insupportable
Of and similar
tary exercises disadvantage which the Wis
dom of the ancients managed 10 counterfeit by
the plan Of competitive gymnastics That plan,
moreover recommends itself for the reason
that only enjoyable exercise is really beneficial.
The mind must get its share OF the excitement,
or Nature refuses 10 ratify the bargain. The
amount Of f00t-pounds exerted in climbing
the top of Mount Mitchell, North Carolina,
could be aseertained by any scientist knowing
the weight Of the climber and the approxi-
mate distance from the Valley Hotel TO the
top Of the peak, but a tourist would be soTely
mistaken in trying 10 get the same amount Of
health out of a treadmill with patent indi-
Gator. s tTeadmill club, with prizes and CHAM
pion badges would begin to answer the main
purpose, though q football club, with line
playground and plenty of spectators, would
Go still better Patients in need of lung
strengthening arm-exercises might organize a
spear club. Hire a sand-lOt with high board
fence: admit no outsiders till the champions
Of the association have attained a cTeditable
degree Of proficiency, and spear away with an
assortment of straight hickory poles for sale
st the next cooper shop) varying from eight
20 ten feet IN length and OF an average weight
Of eight pounds. tin can on a short post will
do for a target. Begin with a distance OF l.
feet 10 be increased 10 30) aud encourage emu
latiOn By taly-bOaTds and records of exceptional
achievements. HYGIENE gymnastics lsiekcn-
ing experts by the mere mention of health
lift} viii soon assume the interest of an eXeit-
ing sport, with benefits measurable only by
years of prolonged life. Two years of tonic
medication and starTation-cure misery will
hardly equal the remedial value Of two hours
WOrk-or rather spOrt-in the spear-Ting.
Weight-lfting and rope-climbing contests
could be arranged with similar results, and
believe the Scotch Highlanders owe much o.
their immunity from pulmonary disorders Il
their fayorite sport of hammer-throwing.
native OF Inverness once told me that the lads
Of MS birthplace used to travel 30 miles aiOOi
70 witness match Of that sort, and envied the
victor more than they would envy the ownel
Of 2 princely estate. In moonlight nights, i
leisure or daylight failed, they would practice
for hours with homemade stone-hammeTs, il
TIE olten-disapP0iuted hope Of being admitted
10 the membership of some local crack club bu
with the incidental result Of making theil
=
For foot-ezercise OGT American baseball
grounds offer every desirable opportunity anC
are eGt and ont preferable 10 the dust ant
tobacco-smOk filed halls crowded with tin
spectators Of pedestrian match.
Happier still. however, are the owners of f:
country home or a suburban garden. Diggiuj
with a sharp spade is not hard work in any
disagreeable sense Of the word, but exercise
almost every muscle. and sineW of the human
frame and is the best specific for the cure 0
certain bowel complaints and Of the pulmonar,
congestion preSaging an attack Of asthma. Al
asthma patient OF my acquaintance used Il
turn himself into an animated pendulum a
the first symptom OF shOrt-windedness, an,
sway 10 and fro n a grapDle-sWiBg for minute
together. II that failed 10 effect the hoped 70
relief he would shoulder his spade and star
for a grayel-pit he had fenced in for that spe
cial purpose. Digging fer coal, was his usua
reply 10 the anxious inquiries Of gossip-mon
gers, who now and then managed to get pee
through q crack Of that fence. The indica
lions are getting more and moro favorable, bu
] should Ike 70 be sure OF turning up the frs
shOVel-full Of actual coal so / prefer to do al
the work myself for awhile, unless could &c
discreet friend TO help me; wouldn't you Xix
20 -" but BIZ that time his interviewers ha
generally vanished round the corner leaYin
him to construct his shaft and subterranea
galleries unmolested.
For those who cannot afford the luxury {
such private SPORTS the next best thing is a
excursion to acOnYenicnt wilderness, a woode
Highland region, if possible, where Summe
tent can be pitched al q moderate expense an
generally with the full approval Of milk-anC
butter-seiling neighbors. In Eastern Tenne
see and Northern Georgia there are upland
where timber is a drug in the market an
where dozen trees could be felled without til
slightest objection on the part Of the owner
but r0ad-making is always popular, and an in
mense amount Of beneficial exercise can be oil
tanned IN the course of few weeks devoted
the laudable enterprise of constructing be-
line trail from the camp 10 the next spring
in the direction Of the next pike road. I'll
athletes Of the party can achieve fame by 10
rolling and grubbing out stumps; their weak
comrades, by looping of saplings and owe
hanging boughs, or leyeling the trail in Il
wake OF the pioneers. Fallen trees have TO
"gapped" aud powders removed; on ste
slopes the lower side Of the trail has to be bu
warked with sticks aud stones; and IN the j
teFrals Of the work there viii be no lack
other pastime. Biologists may collect mine
ais; biologists beetles and butterflies; eJ
cures, wild raspberries or hazeinuts. The
viii be no malingering; the most phlegmai
elub-members viii prefer such work to the be-
cushioned camp chair, and emulation will still
ulate the enterprise of novices in outing.
Hours viii vanish like minutes, bnt \
faster than complaints that have resisted
other remedies. For the first time IN yea
dyspeptics viii thoroughly enjoy-and mo-
over thoroughly digest-their dinners; &C
eumptives viii get rid of an immemorial cOug
and asthma patients viii begin to question {
correctness of the belief that their complai
admits Of many palliatives, but Of no radi,
cure.