The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1911-06-02
WIEN A.MAN
MADQIfS 6M1
BYNAH0Y ROBE[ETS N1CNEGAlI Gl
oALI77OR. %eThE ClRCUkAR sSLAlRCASE-
Tit MAN IN LOWER TEN. ETC.

Flannigan said, encouragingly. You ii
never saw any one train before.
1t is not a joyful spectacle. First,
Flanagan made Jim run. around and
around the roof He said il stirred up
his food and brought II in contact
with his liver, TO be digested.
Flanagan. from meekness and sub
mission, of a sort, became an autocrat
on the roof
once more" he would say. Pick
up your feet, sir! Pick up your feet"
And Jim would stagger doggedly
past me. where | sat on the parapet.
his poor cheeks shaking and the tai
Of his bath robe wrapping itself
around his legs. Yes. he ran in the
bath robe in Difference TO me. II seems
there isn't much TO a running suit.
Head up Flanagan would say.
Lift your knees. sir. Didn't you ever
see a horse with string halt?'
He let him stop finally, and gave
him a moment TO get his breath. Then
he set him 10 turning somersaults
They spread the cushions from the
couch in the tent on the roof. and
say a prayer, and then curve over as
gracefully as a sausage and come up
gasping, as If he had been pushed of
a boat
Five pounds a day; not less, sir.
drop il in chunks"
Jim looked at the tin as II he ex-
pected to see the chunks lying at his
feet.
Yes he said, wiping the back OF
his neck. IF we're in here 80 days
that will be $50 pounds. Don't forget
to stop in time. Flanagan. don't
want TO melt away like a candle"
He was cheered, however, by the
promise of reduction.
What do you think of that, Kit?"
he called to me. Your uncle is going
! to look as angular as a problem in
geometry. Tll-Tll be the original re-
ductio ad absurdum. Do you want me
to. stand on my head, Flanagan?
! Wouldn't that reduce something?"
Your brains sir" Flanagan retort-
ed, gravely, and presented a pair Of
boxing gloves. Jim visibly quailed,
but he put them on.
''Do you know, Flaunlgan," he re-
marked, as he fastened them, I'm
thinking of wearing these all the time.
They hide my character"
Flanagan looked puzzled, but he
did not ask an explanation. He de-
manded that Jim shed the bath robe,
which he finally did, on my promise
to watch the sunset. Then for fully
a minute there was no sound save Of
feet running rapidly around the roof
and an occasional soft thud. Each
thud was accompanied by a grunt or
two from Jim. Flanagan was grimly
silent. Once there was a smart rap,
an oath from the policeman, and a
mirthless chuckle from Jim. The
chuckle ended in a crash, however,
and | turned. Jim was lying on his
back on the roof. and Flanagan was
wiping his ear with a towel Jim sat
up and ran his hand down his ribs
They're all here" he observed
after a minute. 81 thought / missed
one"
The only way TO take a mans
weight down." Flanagan said dryly.
Jim got up dizzily.
Down on the roof, l suppose you
mean" he said.
The next proceedings were mysteri-
Gus. Flanagan rolled the barrel into
the tent and carried a small glass
lamp. With the material at hand he
seemed TO be effecting a combination,
no new one, 10 Judge by his facility.
Then he called Jim.
At the door Of the tent Jim turned
to me, his bath-robe toga fashion
around his shoulders.
This is a very essential part Of the
treatment" he said. solemnly. The
exercise, according to Flanagan
loosens up the adipose tissue The
next step is to boil Il out. l hope
unless your instructions compel you
that you will at least have the de
cency TO stay out Of the tent"
"I am going at once" | said, out
ragged. I'm not here because I'm mad
about It. and you know it. And don't
pose with that bath robe. II you think
you're character out Of Roman his
tory. look at your legs"
Il didn't mean to offend you" he
said sulkily. only I'm tired OF having
you choked down my throat every
time open my mouth, Kit. And don't
20 just yet. Flanagan is going for
my clothes as soon as he lights the
the lamp, and-somebody ought tc
watch the stairs"
That was all there was 20 II. said
I would guard the steps, and Flanni
gan, having ignited the combination
whatever IL was, went downstairs
How was | TO know that Bella would
come up when she did? Was II my
fault that the lamp got too high, and
that Flanagan couldn't hear Jim call
ing? or that just as Bella reached the
top OF the steps Jim should come tc
the door Of the tent wearing the bar