The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-07-11
A MATTER OF MUSCLES.
BY JOHN BURSON.

(Copyright, 1905, by Daily Story Pup.
 Company)
 Holman never had failed yet III an undertaking, but 1t looked to hlm no" as though he was destined to lose. And the stake was the biggest he ever had played for. It was nothing less than the winning of the girl or ms choice-the girl. in fact, to win whom had been his inspiration through all the years of toll and sacrifice.
 He saw it all now-how he had sac rificed the best part of himself and or his life in order to gain the mere nusks. It had seemed the thing to do. sue cess in his profession, in money-mah- ing. in politics, success as the worio views 1t, power and money-success like this had seemed to him to be the first essentials to win the love or Heien and to hope to marry her.
 And now with the girl in sight and the reward of all his years of endeavor within his grasp, along comes another man and easily displaces him. TO make it more humiliating this other man Is so evidentl iynferior-in men tel power, in purpose, in character, Tn achievement. Achievement, Holman laughed harshly at the word. why Harold Putnam never had tried to achieve, that is anything more impor- tanG than u DOdl idCC oA h game. He had made no mark In the law, although he had started in at the same time Holman did, while Holman was the attorney for a half dozen cor porations and veritable leader at the bar. Putnam had scarcely been apie to support himself decently and de- pended largely upon the favor or ms family, while Holman, besides his very respectable income from his pro1essloh had made a score of successful specu- latlons and was accounted already as man of means and on the high road to great wealth. Putnam had taken a try at political preferment but had fall ed while Holman had made party politics a study and was one or tne powerful leaders of the party Tn tns State. He had repeatedly declined nominations to high offices-to the State legislature, to State onices, even to Congress, and had even been men toned strongly for the United states Senate, although still a young man. But what of all this. Holman thought bitterly, if the one thing he wanted above all others, he could not win. Int reason was plain enough, too. In tn' years of hard work he had paid no at tention at all to his physical self Lont hours, relentless application, mldnlsh Il | oil and indifference to food ana exercls' | had left his physical sell d"aFieo aii' undeveloped. On the other hand Put nam was the perfect beau ideal of phy ] sical manhood, handsome as a picture 1 1.-the as q tiger and strong as a yount | buffalo. An. it was no wonder. Holman | thought as he gazed in the glass. ant | marked his sullow face ana rouh' shoulders and emaciated form-it wa no wonder that a young girl shoui' l prefer Putnam with his high curl. head. his princely walk, and splenoi' animal spirits.
 After all is the physical superio
 to the mental?" groaned Holman al | most clinching his hands. Does win in the real struggles of life"
 But Holman never had known wia
 it was to lay down and accept oelea' | Tba few defeats he had suffered ha
 been square knock-outs and he ha gone down fighting. .ao,
 His marvellous successes had bee'