The central record. (Lancaster, Ky.) 18??-current, 1914-11-05
Making a Man
of Him
By DONALD CHAMBERLIN

NY ucpHr"-
He looks us if he had come in ii
bandbox What's his name?"
ALBERT"
What are you going to do with him
put him in a store window to show his
clothes?
mo. l brought him here to try to
make a man of him. He is my broth.
er's son. His father died when he was
a baby, and he has been brought up by
a doting mother. He had a nurse till
he was fourteen. then IA gOverness.
Since then bis mother has not been
willing to trust him with any one but
herself. and she is the worst caretaker
he has ever had"
Poor fellow! ! have known cases
like that"
His father was a splendid man. and
Bert is as like him as possible at his
age except, while the father was taught
to rely on himself. the son is handi-
capped by a mother who wishes to
make milksop of him."
LAS the twig is bent the trees in
clined.'"
That's it exactly. You can dwarf
man as well as a tree. Now. Bess.
wish you to help me make change In
the boy"
II? How can do anything about
it?
Ctr0O0Cf0d u
could make a start in Bert's reforma-
ton. He had never associated with
any one but girls. and knew that if
| turned him at once over to the boys
they would soon send him back to me.
l proposed to initiate him through a
girl who was more of boy than boys
usually are. There was something else
didn't tell Bess In order to get Bert
away from his mother I told her that
| would make him my heir. But he
was to remain with me so long as
lived.
| warned Bess to go slow at first
with Bert, but she didn't heed the
warming She took him out in canoe,
upset it ION purpose) and was obliged
to swim ashore. holding him up. for
be couldn't swim a stroke. The feat
was difficult. and it sobered the girl.
She didn't upset him any more. but she
forced him to learn to swim.
His next lesson was in horseback
riding Her first lesson in this was
more gentle than her swimming lesson.
At any rate. she gave it on turf where
there was no danger Of killing him
when be took tumble, which he did
every few minutes during his first
lesson. Bess was encouraged from the
fact that when thrown he scrambled
back on to his horse without being
urged to do so.
When winter came such sports as
swimming. horseback riding and the
like gave place to skating and skiing.
Bert put on skates. which he had new
er used. bObbled down to the ice his
feet went up into the al. and he went
down on the back Of his head. But he
was true grit and. getting up. struck
out. fell again and kept 1t up. Bess al
ternately laughing and encouraging
him Then sht. Skated with him. and
doubtless he found that quite pleas
ant
| don't claim that Bert made Il first
CLASS swimmer or skater or rider. To
do tines. we'll one must begin very
young. Indeed. II was moi my pur-
pose to make him proficient in any of
these. What | wished was 10 draw
hirI away from the feminine tastes
li< mother, his governpSs and his nurse
hai implanted i'll him He developed
D taste for manly umusemtntS. and this
drew him toward nIanlineSS generally
BesS took charge OF him when he was
seventeen, and when she had had him
away from her for companions of his
own sex. Within two years there was
not vestige Of feminism in him.
Then he went to college, and since he
had developed physically. coming as
he did of brawny stock, he surprised
us all by becoming Il candidate for and
winning place Oh the university foot
hal. team
When his college won the champion
ship during his senior year Bert. who
waS very active as well as strong was
one of the principal men on Thp team.
and il walls lie who gained the. points
thar gave them the game took BeSs
To >ee the game. and she wis not only
very much Interested IN H. hut very
proud of one whom she hau convert
ed from Miss Nancy 10 II sterlin.
man.
my nephew had been attended with
that OF which | by no means disap-
proved. 1t was plain that the two had
become seriously attracted to each
other. The day Bert was graduated
from college he came to me and told
me that he and Bess were engaged
Bess came to me as soon as he had
eft me to see for herself how | viewed
The matter.
We'll. Bess." said |, won have made
a man out Of u milksop and
He never was milksOp" she in
terrupted angrily.
Anyway. suppose you deserve him
and something else besides-a pecuni-
airy consideration"
What do you mean by thatT' she
asked. bridling
told her that when Bert had come
to me had promised his mother to
make him my heir. Il will do better
than that" I added II will settle a
fourth Of my fortune on you and him
Jointly now"
Bess sprang into my arms.