The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1901-12-20
LICKED INTO
WEST POINT
A Valuable Christmas Present Given with
Closed Fists.
By MALCOLM sEAKLE.
Foopyright. 1901. by American Press Associatio

as Of doubtful credit to me.
Let no one take alarm. This is not a
love story. The incident smacked of
the prize ring, and /, too, might have
looked ON myself as bad lot but for
certain extenuating circumstances and
the good results that came from 1t.
1t was not often that | had been
s'whopped," as the boys called it.
When youngsters-my brothers and
myself-we lived most of the time In
the country on a big place a mile or
SO from a village, where we never
went except in carriage and with our
elders. So we seldom met up" against
the enterprising youth of the town.
We did not allow the tutor to fog
us much, as he had been directed to
do by the governor when it should be-
come necessary The governor had
been f1ogged himself in his school days
and believed in the system.
But, however much we scuffled
among ourseives-not i'll naturedly-
resented physical correction on the
tutors part Once or twice rulers and
inkstands went flying in the air at him
for it.
The last time this happened he re-
signed because he thought his author
lty had not been sufficiently supported
by the governor.
| was Immediately sorry for what
had done and had offered an apology,
before the governor, to the irate tutor,
but he would not have it and insisted
on the trouncing.
To this my father would not consent,
after my offer to apologize, and so the
tutor went, and in his place came a
younger man, college bred and study
ing for the clergy, but an ali around
gymnast and good boxer. AS a sparrer
he g andled Is mawleys uncommon"
The new tutor, In fact, was a good
fellow, gentleman as well as scholar
He was a graduate of the modern Ath-
ems, which, like the ancient, cultivates
muscle as well as mind.
The governor readily acceded to the
gymnasium outfit, Including the gloves,
and in this liberal education we worked
off our superfluous and sometimes in
convenient energies.
For my own part, took kindly to
the joyous art Of sparring and had
got up muscle and proficiency with
the gloves
The bully of the town was couple
Of years older and bigger than myself
and had plenty of pluck. He and his
friends had been giving us lots Of
! sass for some time whenever we
drove into the village. because of our
store Clothes, as his comrades said,
and he had announced once or twice
that he would give me aspice cutting If
would step out ~ marriage and
accommodate him.
1t happened that a cousin about my
own age, of whom l was envious. was
with us at the last one of these invita-
tons. My cousin had entered college
ahead Of me, and he was not only fine
scholar. but young athlete as well.
He had come down to spend Christmas
holidays with us, and as did not care
to be bullied before him nor to show
the white feather | invited my pugna-
cious adversary on this occasion to
come out with bis friends, who would
see fair play, on the next afternoon
day before ChriStmas-to spot near
our place, where we would have it out.
He accepted promptly and came out
on time with gang Of dozen or
more companions about his own age
to the tryst, just outside the house
grounds in rear of the stable. The
eoachman knew about the affair, as he
always came in for share of the hec-
toring when in the village, and he was
on hand with two or three Of the sta
blemen likewise to see fair play.
The village bully was a good one.
full of pluck and not vicious, as he
presently showed Though confident
enough in his ability to whip me, he
lacked the GOODNESS which proper train
ing gives and which had, or thought
had. A ring was formed, and the
village chap was impatient to begin.
Hardly before had tossed my jack
ct aside he jumped for me with the
spring Of young tiger.
| stepped to one side, of course, as
had been taught, and as he went by l
gave him right handler on the side of
his head with some force. He stagger-
ed little, but kept his feet and, turn
Ing, was upon me again with leap,
meaning to close.
This time / was ready, and, stopping
him with my left hand In his face,
got a good blow in with my right di-
rectly on his diaphragm. Down he
went, with both hands on his stomach,
and it was some seconds before he
could get his breath. When he did. he
was up again all right.
But he had learned caution. and
when he cam to the scratch for the
second round. SO called, he held up his
hands somewhat in proper form for
sparring and waited for me.
had seen too much of his strength
and quickness to risk rush at him
and contented myself with little light
playing for awhile. tapping him on the
nose and mouth and parrying an occa-
sional blow aimed by him.
He soon got hot at this tapping and
parrying and came at me again with
both fists flying and head down, like
a bull. had some difficulty here in
parrying his blows and avoiding his at
tenlpis to close, but finally by quick
movement got his head Sin chancery'
that is. under and between the left
arm and side.
By this time had begun to get