The Washington times., 1910-03-24
CHAPTER VIII.
l Happen to Become a Profe ssional
Boxer.

THE timbers came right across DIS
! back. but Just as they reached MN
they lodged against the framework OF
the tank and stopped short. II they had
gone a few inches more my friend Kelly
would have been cut in two
As soon as 7 saw he was still alive 1
called four Of the men 10 help me slide
the tinDers along the ground and get
them into position 10 be Up-ended again.
4 tank builder leads a rough life and
hasn't rnuch time TO waste on senu-
ment KoUv wasn't killed and the work
was tagging
To my surprise FIVE Of Us couldn' [
bulge the timhers. II took ei snt men.
myself Included, 20 move theln one az
time. and as far as effort IS con-
cerned. I'm sure I lifted with as much
good will as when I tossed them both
of Of Kelly single handed. Eight Of US
did shift tneu around, and soon they
were uD again, securely Cuyed this time.
and the work went on Nr. Smailey,
our boss. came around and looked at
me for a long tire, and looked up al
the mast and boom. 7 felt embarrassed.
| for even as e boy 7 never old ike To be
stared al as a freak-a thing we never
gotten over
AR. Smallsy was quiet for a while
! Then he took hold OF MY arm and said =
Wei. Jim. you're pretty h, sky boy
I've known some strong meE in LU
time. but none that could do what you
/ did. Some OF them were as big as YOU.
so IL isn't just the as@le- Where do
/ l3dn't know. so I didn't answer.
ITS supeIhuWan, said The boss,
shaking his head Il don't understand
a."
( Many a time afterward I heard him
I tell the story 70 people visiting the
camp, pointing out the mast and boom
/ % them, and bringing them around 10
; look a. me- He made famous story
4 OF Il The most remarkable example
Of superhuWau strength / ever heard
Of" he used 20 wind up a thought
that surely was a string Of long words
. 10 tack on simple thing Ike lutins a
! couple OF sticks. some OF the BOYS
I thought so too and one or two tried
I 70 have some flIn with me by calling me
| ''Superhuman jim That was a little
/ TOO much. but they dropped 70 later,
after 7 had made few pointed oD-
5ections.
Repeated Old Story.
/ Years aftcrward. when I was cham
I pion OF the world. my old boss took
great delight in telling that story Il
! didn't lose anything in the telling, yOu
/ can be sure. After fought COTbett IN
/ New York 7 had a neat little bank bal
ance Of something like 81, 600 and I went
| home and bought a few oil wells on my
own account T. was ver- amusing
! down In the OF cOunry 20 hear that
/ old story again and 90 have people ask
/ me II really did have ''superhuman
strength"
! But. all joking aside, there was some
| thing about it that 7 can't explain, even
now after knocking around the world
and seeing many strange things. 7 can
/ explain q any more than the sailOrmar
could explain his impossible jump. I've
| talked O. over with my father now and
J then. thinking his learning might helT
( out Being religious man, of course
he looks 70 the Bible for an explanation
/ Of anything out Of the ordinary, and
I no always quotes Samson 60 me. sam
4 son had 1ust that kind Of strength. Wy
] father SAYS. T came 20 him when h'
! needed ft-when he killed the lion viii
hts hands and when he slew the thou
sand PhTistines with the jawbone Of ar
ass and when he pulled down the col
unns of the temple of GAIA. T stayeC
/ with samson 10 the last. and I have D'
| doubt Il VIII stay with ne the saU'
way. as long as care 70 keep on fight
ing.
| Or That's the only way 20 express
IL. There ha6 always been some sor
OF an idea back in my mind that I'd
hov has that notion. Hut 7 hadn't FOL
lowed the idea I'D. Working snd hunt
ing took all Of my time now. There was