The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1895-08-14
A FAMOUS JUMP.
How George Washington Won the
Village Beauty.

Village Beauty.
George Washington was a wonderful
jumper. Thackeray in "The Virgin
ians," gives him the magnificent record
of twenty-five feet three inches for a
running broad Young Harry War
rington writing home from England a
description of jumping match in
which he covered twenty-one feet three
inches, thereby beating his competitor,
Lord March goes on TO say: 81 then
told them that there was gentleman
at home who could beat me by good
foot, and when they asked me who it
was, said Colonel q. Washington, of
Mount Nernon-as you know he can
and he's the only man in this country
or mine that can do it." So if Thack-
cray is to be believed George stands
the champion broad jumper of his
time indeed, up TO 1889, he could easi-
Iy have won all intercollegiate champ
ion competitions and most of the ma
tionals. What the agile young pater
patriae might have accomplished with
spiked shoes, a cinder path and nice
plank "take OFF, no one can say, but it
is not improbable that he would now
stand not only first in peace, first in
war and first in the hearts of his coun-
trymen, but first on the list of running
broad jumpers rs well.
1t is rather unfortunate that the de
tails OF this remarkable jump are not to
be found, but have discovered very
pretty little story which gives him a
record only two inches short of that
given him by young Warrington.
In pretty little village in Virginia
there lived in l775 a rich and eccentric
old farmer whose daughter was declar-
ed to be the loveliest maiden in all the
country round. The beautiful Annette
was eighteen years of age, and ofeOurse
had many suiiors for her hand and
heart. Some Offered her wealth, some
position, others nothing but love and
labor, but, Obedient to her fathers
wishes, she encouraged none of them.
On her nineteenth birthday the old
man invited all the youth of the village
to a grand haymaking frolic, and they
came, among them dozen handsome
young fellows who were known to still
retain a tender regard for the fair girl
whose natal day they had come TO cele-
brate.
The morning passed in merry labor.
BY noon the barns were filled with the
fragrant hay, and all were ready for the
feast of good things that had been
spread under the shady branches.
Now, my lads" said the old man,
after the banquet was some time over,
''I've got something to say to you. Ii
seems that good many of you have
been casting sleeps eyes at my An
nette. Now, boys, | don't care any
thing about money or talents, book
larning and soldier farming. | can do
rs well by my girl as any man in the
country; but | want her to marry a
man of my own grit. Now, perhaps
you know it, and perhaps you don't,
but when | was a youngster i could
beat any one in all Virginia in the way
of leaping. Look here ~
He held up as he spoke three hand
some medals.
"And all of them won in fair fight, F"
he went on, "besides which | got my
old woman by beating the smartest
man on the eastern shore. Now list
en-: I've taken an oath that no man
shall marry my daughter without
jumping for it. There you have it,
boys yonder's the green and here's
Annette. The one who jumps the
farthest on dead level shall marry
her this very evening""
This peculiar address was received
with great applause, and more than
one youth, as he bounded away for the
arena of trial, east glance of antici-
pated victory upon the lovely prize as
she stood blushing beside her father.
Dropping their various amusements,
the entire party wended their way,
laughing and singing, toward the vii.
lage inn before which spread the green.
In the center this plot of ground was
bare and admirably suited to exercise
Of the sort in which they We're about
to engage. Soon all was in readiness
for the contest. The signal was given
and the young competitors stripped oi
their coats and stepped forward.
Edward Grayson, seventeen feet !"
cried one of the judges. The youth
had done his utmost, but il was cleal
by the look on his face that he had
little hope. With longing glance al
the prize he could not win he left tho
grounds.
"Dick Boulden, nineteen feet !"
Dick, with little laugh of satisfaction
replaced his coat and joined the on
| lockers.
Harry Preston, nineteen feet thres
inches"'
"Well done, Harry shouted the
spectators. "You tried hard for the
acres and the homestead" Harry
who was a rattle-brained sort of a fel
low, laughingly vowed he only jump
ed for the fun of the thing. 1t wa
thought, however, that he would no
have said 50 if he had felt sure of win
ming.
"Charlie Simm, fifteen feet and 1
halfr'