Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-10-17


noon sun a spare figure rise niertiy
| upon the wall. descend TO the road nnd
rise agnin. He stepped to the open
window and watched n curious prog
! ress. A scrubby bearded man clad In
/ serviceable khaki was performing
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 chnnge or
! level being made without visible et-
fort
Leaning out OF the window he called:
Hello. therer'
! Good afternoon" said the stranger.
in a quiet. cultivated voice.
Would you mind telling me what
| you are doing on my WALTZ"
Not in the least" replied the beard
ed man. rising buoyantly into full view
and subsiding again with the rhythm
OF a wave
well, what are you doingT'
Taking IA little exercise"
BY this time. having reached the end
Of the wall. he turned and came back.
| making the step with his right leg In
stead of his left Sedgwick hurried
downstairs and out into the roadway.
The stranger continued his perform
ance silently.
do you do that often:" he asked
presently.
The gymnast paused. poised like
Mercury on the high coping. Yes"
said he. otherwise I shouldn't be able
to do it at all. 1t Is in pursuance OF
theory of self defense"
What in the world has wall hopping
to do with self defenseT
II shall expound." said the stranger
in professional tones, taking seat by
the unusual method OF letting himself
down on one leg while holding the
other at right angles to his body. do
you know anything Of jujutsu?"
Very little"
I'm common with most Americans.
For that reason alone the japanese
system is highly effective here. not so
effective in Japan. You perceive there
the basis of my theory"
NO; don't perceive it at ALL"
"A system of defense is effective in
proportion to its unfamiliarity. That
is all"
Then your system consists in step
ping up on wall and diving into
obscurity on the farther side perhaps"
suggested Sedgwick ironically.
Defense, l said. not escape. Es-
cape is perhaps preferable TO defense.
but not always SO practicable. No;
the wall merely served as a temporary
gymnasium while I was waiting for
you
,-S,, k,4
OF me-" said Sedgwick. with frown,
strange visitors.
To return to my theory of self de-
Tense" said the other imperturbabIy.
My wall exercise serves to keep
timber and active certain muscles that
in the average man are half afro
phied."
He rose on one foot with an ease
that made the artist stare. descended.
selected from the roadway n stone of
ordinary cobbie size and handed il to
Sedgwick.
Let that lie on the palm OF your
hand" said he. and hold il out. waist
high
AS he spoke he was standing two
feet from the other to his right. Sedg-
wick did rs he WAS requested. AS his
hand took position there WIS twist
Of the bearded mans 1.-THE body, a
sharp click. and the stone. flying in
rising curve. swished through the Ieaf- !
age of lilac fifty feet away.
How do you do that" cried the /
artist
The other showed a slight indenta- /
zion on the inside of his right boot !
heel and then swung his right foot /
slowly and steadily up behind his left |
knee and let il lapse into position
again. AT shoulder height" he ex
planned. Il could have done the
anne. but it would have broken your
hand
Il See" said the other. adding with
distnste. but to kick an opponent.
Why. even rs Il boy l was taught
We were not speaking OF childs
play" said the visitor cooIly. nor am
| concerned with the rules of the prize
ring as applied TO my theory. When
one is in danger one uses knife or gun.
if at hand. / prefer n less deadly and
more effective weapon. Kicking side.
wise. either to the front or to the rear
! can diSarm man. break his leg or
idy MN SenSeleSS. IL Is the Speclat
development of such muscles as the
and plantaris. I owe you
This explanation. | hope you won't
prosecute for trespass. Mr.. Long Lean
f-eggy SedSuick''
CHATTER IT.
Professor Kent Makes a Case.
~ EGGYw The artist had whirled