Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1895-03-02
Gave His Boy a Boxing Lesson.

"The way to do with your boy"
said Mr.. Finkenbinder, "is to make
comrade of him. You've got to
enter into his sports as far as pos
sible and treat him as an equal.
That's the way to gain his conf
dence and keep him out of mis-
chief. Make him understand you
have not forgotten that you were a
boy once yourself. That's what ]
am going to do with Wesley"
"What scheme have you got on
hand, now, Lemuel," inquired Mrs.
Finkenbinder.
Il haven't got any scheme. I'm
simply going to adopt plain, COM
mon sense way Of doing things.
Wesley's getting old enough now to
be of some account. If l can keep
him off the street by taking some
sort of interest in his amusements
and showing him that he needn't
hunt up hoodlooms when he wants
| to have good time, maybe it will
| do him some good, and it won't do
me any HARM"
1t was day or two after this
that Mr.. Finkenbinder, with large
pasteboard box under his arm, took
his way out to the barn, where his
eldest son was amusing himself by
making kite.
wesley" he said, opening the
box and taking out two pair of
new and spotlessly white boxing
gloves, "how would you like to de-
velop your muscle?" Wesley started
in open-eyed wonder and said he
gussed he'd like it first rate.
I haven't had a pair of them on
for 30 years. said the father. Then
I was rather handy with them. It's
good exercise. It trains you to be
quick" he added, removing his coat
and vest and putting on pair of
the gloves. "It hardens your mus
cles snd toughens your sinews, and
there is no telling when it may come
handy to know how to box. You
put them on this way.'
He assisted Wesley in DOMINIC
the gloves, threw himself in a box
ing position, and proceeded.
"Now, Yves, this is about the
| position. Don't hold that arm SO
awkwardly. Guard your chest with
it, like this. Throw out the other
arm, SO. That's right. Keep your
shoulders we'll back, one foot in adj
vance of the other, your hands up
in this shape, and watch your adj
versary's guard. Now, look out,
I'm going to lead"
Mr.. Finkenbinder made pass at
Wesley's head. The boy lodged
the blow, lunged back somewhat
awkwardly, and caught his fathers
one eye. "H'm," said Mr.. Finken.
binder, slightly disconnected, but
coming gamely to the scratch
again, shat wasn't so bad for be-
ginner. Now put yourself in po-
sition as before. You lead and III
counter
Wesley made an awkward feint
with his left, swung his right and
landed hard on Mr.. Finkenbinder's
other eye.
you've got it in you. Wes," said
his father, squaring off again, but
with more caution. Now, you lead
again and I'll show you. Here!
What are you doing?"
For Wesley had upper cut him on
the chin:
"You go at it so awkwardly,' said
Mr.. Finkenbinder. aiming blow at
Wesley's jaw and catching one in
return on the jaw, "that you get in
side fellows guard when he isn't
looking for it. Now, I'm going TO
land one on your chest" he continued,
moving warily toward the boy, "and
you see if you can cross counter,
like this, and get back at mel
There was rapid interchange of
blows, mixing up of father and
son in One tumultuous round, with
out the interference of referee time
keeper, police or spectators, and at
the end of it Mr.. Finkenbinder was
sitting on the floor half dazed, rub
bling his eyes with the gloves
and wondering what allied
his nose. Wesley was dancing about
him seesawing bis arms back and
forth in a state of active preparation
for a renewal of the contest.
| Mr.. Flnkenbinder rose up, took
off the gloves sat on bag OF cats
and rubbed his jaw thoughtfully.
"Wes,' he said, is this the first
time you ever had on boxing
| Gloves
aN-no sir" said Wesley. We've
we've got gymnasium at school
| you know. / reckon you didn't
have'em at school when you were a
boy