The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-10-18


The garnet OF the house i'm which the
Merrills lived was not al ali what might
nave been expected from the outside. for
the building looked as diguincd as any i'm
that fashionable street OF old New
Haven. But the Aforesaid garnet was
Iiled with things that. TO Il boy, were az
fascinating as they were peculiar.
ON tine walls We're miles of pictures
clipped from magazines, representing all
the sports that are dear 10 a boy of
wholesome mind. Sailing. rowing, fenc-
ms and cunning were generally depicted.
while the gallery of laVOrites iu baseball
and football costumes and attitudes Was
alrost endless. Basebalis ana bats u
WORKOUT Rugby football, model boats
and other Things galore were nailed up
iot ornaments. Ia enc corner WAS q desk
piled with books and Uttered with paper
and pencils. Ina another corner a collcc-
ton OF dumb-belis was ranged. Indian
clubs were conspicuous. and q small
trapczo hung from the ceiling. on one
SIDE only The slope of the roof appeared.
and here series Of horizontal bars. one
above The other, were firmly secured.
They were am hiFh, ana the highest was
fully 10 feet above Tie floor.
Early on q certain spring evening n
tan, active young fellow lightly dressed
in running suit. was putting himself
through & very severe manual Of eXcr-
ciscs in this attic with his bells and
clubs. At length ne stood beneath the
horizontal bars Leapiug upward he
caught consccutivcly the first. the Sec
ond and the third; the fourth and fifth
were far above his head. 10 seemed as if
the neat 10 the last was just about ~
high ass anyone could jump, but having
caught IL he dropped TO the floor as light
ly as could a cat crOuchcd for a second.
and thon shot mp in the air as straight
as a pole grasping The topmost bar with
sure and steady grip.
During the time the lcaping had been
going ON the door had silently opened TO
let another stout young follow in.
pretty good jump, Glare" exclaimed
the visitor when the last high bar was
caught.
Young Merrill turned around. smiling
ana hroathlcss. 'Iiollo, Fred said ne
modcstly. 81 didn't hear YOU come
Your mother told me 10 come righl
up. aud ! thought ia surprise YOU" The
visitor dropped a pile of books on the
desk and lighted the gas.
II say Merrill Fred resumed I'm
afraid I'm gOing 10 fiukc in the exams
on algebra. and want YOU 10 help nc
out. You re mp ON AN your mathematics
and I'm away down i'm the dumps. VIII
you 90 it,"
Glare was smiling less and less. once
before. he knew. Fred Hicks had failed
10 pass tho grammar school examinations
for admission TO the freshman class OF
Yale. lie also knew that Hicks had
clcvcrly pressed many another comrade
into service TO coach him in various
branches.
Fred was captain Of the football team
Of which young Merrill was q member
lie was rather q stupid follow AZ his
books. but he played good game and
swacgcrcd just enough to keep the
younger players a little I'm awe of hi-
prOwess. Coming as he did. Clare could
not but suspect that he was taking adj
vantage Of his place on the team TO get
his algebra with the smallest possible
amount Of mental exertiOn.
Come. come" the captain continued.
as he saw the look on Aicrriils face. 1t
isn't much TO do. Just say you will and
everything viii be all right
Il don't exactly see how | can" said
Clare m way behind ON Latin myself
and father is paying Rugglcs-you know
him. he's one of the Yale crew-to come
here every night and tutor me-
"Oh, wei. you won't so back on fell
low like that You'd have plenty of time
II you only thought so. Don't be cad.
Merrill
Clare resented this kind OF talk. I'm