The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1894-02-09
NUMBER 6.
TRAINING HIM DOWN.
Why the Rest of the Crew Were
Not Invited.


They rated and they raved ut him;
but he was impervious.
His surname does not matter in the
least; it had long been forgotten. The
coach of the varsity crew knew him as
Six, and the rest of the crew as Jumbo,
though, of course, he may have had an
other title
He WAS as strong as a bull, and they
had thought training would do much
for him; but-he was so heavy.
He could spare a stone if he could
get it off him, said the president rue
fully.
lit too la tie to try Turkish baths.
said Parsons, late of Trinity, who had
been down to see the crew train: cant
you tell him you'll wire for lluggins, Of
Caius IL he does not look out, and worry
him one way or another until he gets
eXcited?T
Nothing worries him." said the
president, mournfully.
Nothing
Well nothing that's any use here.
said the president lie conhdcd in
me last Easter that be was de-p-ratsly
in love with some one. lie had her up
during the MAY week said she iuspIr,-i
AAaAAA AhAAAh HlAaHA AAAaAaAAA- a. 81 N-AN
kept his weight down. he used O. say
She treated him badly, and told mr a
lot Of rot when we were going down -
Ely - practice in the autumn"
What's her name"
dorothy - Dorothy Derrick; you'd
know il IL you'd heard IL a. often a. ]
have. All the time the trials were
practicing he used - write hexameters
- -.
bath al the boathOuse
''And now he's engaged. ! suppose.
and happy. - he puts ON flesh"
Mot bit Of IL; it's all on he says
and his mind Is Al rest, confound him.
] don't wonder she could not stand his
easy-going ways, great lethargic brute 90
Mr.. Parsons was u grave-loolsing
young man. and he looked portentous-
ly solemn as he sat reading a brief in
the temple that night When he had
done he went out to supper with some
of the cleverest of his friends
When hc came back he turned grave
again, and sat down and wrote a long
letter about Six and his sins 10 the
president of the {. L. B. C., who read
it in solemn silence AT breakfast, cast
ing baleful glances at Jumbo; but Jum-
ing to think of than how To screw
enough sustenance out of training diet
TO make thirteen stone thirteen pounds
feel comfortable inside.
Then he went out; there was a gar
den to the house where they We're stay
ing, and he said there was a man oppo-
site who smoked. He could watch him,
if he could do no more.
,f l,a ..,1l -,
the hall when he returned; they grew
suddenly silent when he had entered
and they saw his face.
Good heavens! you chaps" he said.
look here" He was holding a sheet
of paper in his hand.
What is it?'' they all said at once.
Il don't quite know" he said; "a
small boy asked me my name and put
it into my hand, and made face and
hooked it / don't understand it, but
it reads awful Her name and mine,
and Victoria by the grace of - the
devil, there's something on the back
If he was white before he was green
afterward, as the president looked over
his shoulder and read out aloud: The
plaintiffs claim is for damages for
breach of promise of marriage"
Its awful for me, isn't it?" said Six,
disconsolately.
Its worse for the varsity, said the
secretary, in awestruck tones.
Lets go out in the garden and talk
it over before a rubbing time" and the
president and secretary linked their
arms in his and drew him gently, but
firmly, through the front door.
Il can't row to-day" said Six, in a
Put Simpson in, or some ohe, just while
go TO town and call on Dorothy and
pu. things To rights; she can't really
mean to ruin me; she knows ! never
really said / would, because she never
would give me the chance"
Il think the matter had better be put
into the solicitors hands, said the sec
retary.
20, If Jumbo's really going To go up
to town and be subpenaed and writted
and summoned and caveat-emptored
and all that kind of law stuff three
times a week, III wire To Caius TO see if
Huggins is still up" said the president
Dash it, old chap. don't kick me out
for this" said Six, almost tearfully.
"Ill do anything, pay anything, not TO
lose my blue-unless, of course, you
THINK i IN not pOOu tnouph-
Here the secretary looked puzzled
and seemed to have forgotten some
thing He took off his Hght-blue cap
and scratched his head; and the presi-
dent, reaching round a sinewy leg be-
hind Jumbo's back. kicked the trusty
henchman. The kick had no inspiring
effect
Cant you suggest anything" said
the president
20, yes" said the secretary, with an
effort; who coaches US to-day, Smith
son? ! wish it was Parsons; he's "a
barrister, and could tell Us what 10
do"
Cant we wire?" asked the president,
producing the back of a letter. And in
response TO their message the tall form
of Mr. Parsons darkened the doorway
before the eight went down to the
river to take advantage of the after
moons tide.
young solicitor, a friend OF Mr..
Parsons, was TO come next day to take
his instructions for entering an appear
ance and all subsequent matters in the
suit and from that day forward he and
Mr.. Parsons were 10 conduct every de-
tail between them at their discretion
Jumbo was to do nothing but what
they told him not even to write or an
sver a letter or open one till they had
seen il. and, above all, not to worry
That was the great point. He was not
TO worry.
The crew impressed it on him to a
man; they inquired after his nerves
every time they spoke to him. and pnt
on an air of anxiety and compassion
,ybenever they met him, stopping
,,.bepever they would otherwise have
n.ssed him to lay a weighty grip up
on him and beg him 10 keep up hi'