The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1891-08-19
USEFULNESS OF SWIMMING.
A Professor That Taught the Art and
Yet conId Not swim himself.


A Professor That Taught the Art and
Yet Could Not swim HIMSELF
In my boyhood days water never had
any love for me. Whenever used to
go with my pIayinates TO take bath
in the creek near the town where I was
born. it would do all in its power to en-
yeiop mo and draw me down to the
bottom. Stunned it.
But a distressing incident changed
my determination never to go near
water again. I was crossing the old
wooden bridge Chat spann6d The creek
near our house. when a woman and
her child fell into the creek. Both were
being rapidly swept away by the strong
current and jumped into the creek.
reached the side of the woman. how
do not know today. and tried to pull
them toward the shore. but the antip-
athy of the water was again aroused
and ! felt myself sinking. Passers by
rescued us and l was the guy of the
whole town. Even today some of my
friends remind me of that occasion.
Then 1 swore that would learn TO
swim. Not far from where lived was
n school for swimming conducted by a
corpulent, good natured gentleman,
known as the Professor 1t was to
him / went
He made some sarcastic remarks
about the inability of young man of
my age to swim. The first lesson came.
a rope was tied around my waist and
the professor held the end of II. The
first thing knew l was floundering at
the bottom of the tank. gasping for
breath. That good natured professor
had thrown me into the water l tried
to cry out to him to pull me out. but
my mouth filed with water Present
ly felt myself drawn to the surface.
and the professor politely asked me
how l enjoyed it. calmed my wrath
and told him it was the happiest day
of my life. Now" said he. "you do
the strokes as count"
''One, two. three. One, two. three. :"
little more of that and the first les
son was over. So it went on for ten
lessons, the professor never missing the
:llance' to pitch me into the tank when
| wasn't looking made rapid prog
ress and was soon able to swim with
out anybody's assistance. although the
professor still persisted in having the
rope around my waist
1t was near my last lesson. The
professor and l were alone in tn,
school. He was busily engaged in
beating time with his hand lone.
two. three"-and was doing the
strokes. Suddenly there was a heavy
splash beside me that sent the water
high in the air. The professor had
fallen into the water. had never yer
caught him in the water and felt
that it was my chance now to get even
with him for always ducking me SO un-
tremendously. His big. fat head pres
emily appeared on the surface, and
was rather surprised at the peculiar
strokes he was making-strokes so diff
:esent from those he taught the pupils.
For heavens sake. save me-" he
cried. I'll DROWN
Are you crazyT' said I. ''why
should save youT' was afraid that
he had some trick ready to play upon
me.
Don't stay there and look at me, =
he whimpered. II cannot swim"
''You can't swini Why, you are a
professor of swimming"
Yes. he cried, but only teach by
theory; Inever could swim myself" /
crawled out of the water and laughed
aloud. Was there ever anything to
equal this? A teacher of swimming
school not able to swim himself.
My turn had come now. called in all
the pupils and explained the situation
to them, and we looked at him helpless
in the water and only greeted his cries
for help with derision. However, when
there was really danger of his drown
ing we pulled him out, and it is need
less to say that there was no swimming
school in that town after that. But
although / was taught to swim by
professor who was only a master of the
theoretical knowledge of that art, be-
came an expert at it, and 1 am happy
to say that was never guyed again
after we had saved the swimming
teacher from drowning in his own tank.
New York Herald.