The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1913-06-10


forming a stunt, with the wall as a
basis. He was walking from east to
west quite fast, and every third pace
stepping upon the wall; stepping,
Sedgwick duly noted. not jumping, the
change of level being made without
visible effort.
Now, Sedgwick himself was distinct
ly long of leg and timber, but he real
lied that he would be wholly incapa-
BILE of duplicating the strangers grace
fully accomplished feat without violent
and clumsy exertion. Consequently,
he was interested. Leaning out Of
the window, he called:
Hello, there!"
Good afternoon" said the stranger,
in a quiet cultivated voice.
Would you mind telling me what
you are doing on my wall"
Not in the least" replied the beard
ed man, rising buoyantly into full
view, and subsiding again with the
u, rhythm of a wave.
well, what are you doing?"
Taking a little exercise"
BY this time, having reached the
! end of the wall, he turned and came
back, making the step with his right
leg instead of his left. Sedgwick hur-
ried downstairs and out into the road
way. The stranger continued his per-
| Torrance silently. At closer inspec-
ton it appealed to the artist as even
more mysterious both in purport and
execution than it had looked at dis
lance.
do you do that often?" he asked
presently.
The gymnast paused, poised like a
Mercury on the high coping. Eyes,
said he. otherwise l shouldn't be
able to do it at ALL"
| 81 should think not, indeed! Has il
any particular utility, that form OF
exercise?"
| Certainly. 1t is in pursuance of q
theory Of selfdefenss.'
What III The world has wall-hoppine
to do with self-defense?"
Il shall expoJhd," said the stranger
in professional tones, taking a seat by
the usual method of letting himself
down on one leg while holding the
other at right angles to his body. do
you know anything of jiu-jutsu?"
Very little"
In common with most Americans
For that reason alone the japanese
system is highly effective here, not 81
defective in Japan. You perceive Their,
the basis of my theory"
mo, l don't perceive it at all"
"A system of defense is effective IL
proportion to its unfamiliarity. Tha
is ALL"
! Then your system consists in step
ping up on a wall and diving into OBJ
security on the farther side, perhaps,
suggested Sedgwick ironically
Defense, said not escape, Els
cape is perhaps preferable to defense
but not always so practicable. No
the wall merely served as Temporal!
! gymnasium while l was waiting"
Waiting for what?"
For you"
ii You have distinctly the advantag,
tof me-" said Sedgwick, with frown
for he was in no mood to welcom,
strange visitors.
ITO return to my theory of sell
defense" said the other imperturbably
MY wall exercise serves to keep lin
Der and active certain muscles tina
in the average man are half atrophiet
You are familiar with the ostrich?"
i with his proverbial method Of oil
: tuscation," replied sedgwick.
I The other smiled, THAT, again,
, escape or attempted escape Ny re
/ erence was to other characteristic
!, However. I shall demonstrate" H
+ rose on one foot with an ease tht
made the artist stare. descended, 8
+ lected from he roadway a stone
|. ordinary cobnle size. and handed It
lie tsxE y on the palm of 70,