Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-05-03
BOXING FOR CHILDREN.
Lively sparriDg Brings Them All Good
Health.

Health.
You may talk about calisthenics an,
Delsarte for young people, but have com
to this conclusion, that good old-fashione,
boxing exercise is about the best thing
know OF fos children, both boys and girls
said South Side gentleman to represent
alive of the Chicago Inter- Ocean. " A
Christmas time my family physician mad,
| my children present Of four pairs O
boxing gloves. My wife was Mortified
and abused the doctor for introducing an
| archy into our quiet home, but he laughed
at her and remarked that anarchy anc
health was better combination than pro
priety and illness.
The disturbance began at once. Ny
Oldest boy, who is II. is just at the age te
take more interest in Marquis of Queens
berry than in President Harrison and h.:
Cabinet. He has studied the science, as
every boy does, and had attended what
| sparring matches he could without detec-
ton at home. He, of course, knew all
| about boxing, and was ready to act as
trainer for the Others His training was
better than his own skill. or else he had apt
pupils, for he is no longer the Sullivan OF
the household.
At first we had bruised noses and blood
| shot eyes so prominent that the children
were not hit to be seen, and their teachers
accused them of fighting as they came and
went from school. But they did not tire
Of the sport as they called it, ana they are
now the hardest and healthiest lot OF
youngsters in the neighborhood.
Harry was not satisfied with teaching
his nrAt bpTs To rb,a r-l,. L.
sisted upon his sister learning to box. She
IS only two Years younger, and almost at
the age when girls begin to think of long
dresses, but she is always ready for a romp
with the boys, and she Went into training
with them. i was surprised at her inter-
EST, and how she learned to strike out ike
a man. Shells taller than Harry, and has
the advantage Of him in longer arms.
The fayorite exercising hour is bed
time, and at that hour the mouse is in an
uproar. The other night my wife and |
slipped upstairs, and there were two rings
formed. In one were two little fellows.
stripped to their shirts, slugging each
other like born pugilists. In the other
ring Harry and his sister were having a
bout. He was stripped to his undershirt
and trousers. and she to waist and short
petticoat. Harry mad ceased to regard her
as girl of whom he must be tender. He
was doing his level best, just as he would
with boy OF his own age, but she parted
his blows with a skill that was surprising.
and got in some very solid knocks that
staggered the young man She beat him in
every round, and when Harry discovered
his mother and me watching him he was
p1rTp1l hr-p .al II 81
she took advantage of him, but the little
fellows stood by their sister and were
ready to quote the rules against him on
every point. The upshot of it all is that
the one girl Of the household is the cham
pion, and her brothers call her John l..
Sullivan
You'd hardly think her Sullivan as
you see ner walk along the street with me,
would you? Tall and willowy, with her
pretty face, she is one Of the prettiest girls
on the South Side, and how she would
blush if you intimated that she was a
slugger.
We don't allow the children to have
their gloves on Sunday night, but about a
week ago there was some friends who
dropped in on their wey home from
church, and the little fellows went to bed
without their mother going up with them.
After We thought they were in bed and
asleep we heard a disturbance in their
room, and my wife suggested that / had
better 60 up and see what the boys were
about. | suspected that they had broken
the rule and slipped out their gloves. /
slipped up stairs very gently and along
the passage to the door of their room.
ONIlld hlar 10 rrpcol-c &c 10, IL
they beat each other, and, when / was near
enough to see, there they were with moth
ing on but the gloves, and they were hav-
ing the liveliest fight / ever saw. They
were laughing and pounding. and had evil
IDENTIFY forgotten all about Sunday and the
company downstairs. Without a thread
OF clothing, they made funny picture.
kept quiet as long as | could, and when
felt | must laugh l tried to be severe. But
at the first sound that announced my pres
ence the fight dropped short and before |
could speak both little fellows were on
their knees, their faces turned heavenward
like those of cherubs, perfectly sanity in
expression, their big boxing gloves pressed
together in an effort to clasp their hands,
and heard this duet delivered at two
hundred-and-forty word gait.
/" Our-father-which- in heaven-hal-
lowed-be-thy-name- thy-kingdom-come- thy
will be done on-earth- Observation-Disclosures
give us this day -orr-daily- bread and for
e-our-trespasses-as-we-forgive-those-who
-trespass-against-us-and lead us not Into
temptation but deliver us--from-evil-G God
bless-papa-and-mama-and- sister- and harry
and-the-doctor- and-our-dog- amen
This was too much for my severity, and
l got back downstairs as soon as possible,
where could laugh, and sent their mother
up to take charge Of the discipline.
But the gloves have brought health
along with anarchy into our home, and my
wife no longer abuses the doctor for intro
ducing Them. They beat medicine, Gales
themes, Delsarte and everything else
know of for health and strength, which is
better than grace and propriety in chill
dren. So | recommend boxing gloves as
the best cure for all ills that childhood is
heir to-"