Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-03-26
SOME TALES OF EXERCISE.
Athletes Have Always Been In Demand
In Every Nation.

In Every Nation.
1t would seem that the Romans,
who conquered eighty-six nations,
recognized the secret of success in
things military when they called their
armies exercitus, bodies Of drilled or
exercised men.
During the Middle Ages 1t was the
custom Of princes and even OF wealthy
burghers, to keep runners who
followed their carriages afoot while
the horses were going at full gallop.
Fast runners were in great demand.
and II parents wanted to qualify their
children for position of that sort
they began to train them from the
earliest childhood, making them un-
dergo a singular operation, namely,
the removal Of the spleen, which was
supposed to have an influence upon
the vigor Of the lungs.
From the town of Puebla, in Mex
leo, sandy road leads across the hills
to the Valley Of Amozoc. Early in the
morning that road is crowded with
Indian peddlers and hucksters. who
carry heavy baskets on their backs.
They frequently come from distance
Of ten or twelve miles, but make the
whole trip at sharp trot and with
out q single stop. Their children trot
at their sides, carrying small bundles
or bags, and thus learn their trade so
gradually that they hardly feel the
hardships Of 1t.
It seems curious that a small, short
legged dog can as a general thing out
run the tallest man. This has not al
ways been the case. An ostrich proves
that two legs can go as fast as four.
Want Of exercise In man probably ac-
counts for the whole difference.
Lifting weights has always been a
favorite exercise for the lungs. There
is a story Of Grecian Samson, the
athlete Milo Of Crotona, who day after
day carried calf around the arena
and gained in strength as the calf gain
ed in weight until finally he could car
ry q steer. We may we'll doubt wheth-
er the steer was quite full-grown.
There is, however, a case on record,
apparently we'll authenticated, to the
effect that one Winship Of Boston,
practiced with dumb-bells and bagfuls
Of pig iron until he was able to lift
(though only for a moment) the
weight Of the heaviest steer in Texas.
In countries where they still rely on
the strength Of their limbs, as in Tur-
key, Hungary and Afghanistan, there
are plenty Of men earning their bread
| by common labor who could astonish
the so-called athletes of the rest Of the
world. A Turkish porter will shoul-
der a box which the driver Of an A
merican express wagon would hesitate
to tackle without assistance. In one
of the Fghan wars the native warriors
carried cannon to a battery on the top
Of hill from where the English SOL
diers were unable to carry them down
again.
The foot soldiers of the Turkish
Janizaries had to drill In full armor,
run, wrestle and even swim without
removing the iron equipments. Such
value did their drill masters set up
on the influence Of early training that
they would never accept recruit OF
more than twelve years Of age. These
cadets were exercised for years, like
the sons OF the old Spartans. before
they were assigned to actual duty,
and the result was that the Janizaries
repeatedly defeated the armies OF
Western Europe.
The ancient Greeks managed to
train not only their troops but the
whole nation by Offering liberal prizes
for proficiency in all kinds Of bodily
exercise, such as running. leaping. lift
ing, spear-throwing and wrestling.
At a distance Of sixty yards their
spearmen could hit a target with un-
failing certainty.-New York Press.