The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1920-05-21

little dingy group of khaki tents
which stand in the midst of Colum
bus Circle. His start went fast
enough as he worked his way through
the little crowd of men not ready to
enlist but waiting to watch those who
would with vulgar emotion half pity
and half curiosity.
The preliminaries passed rapidly,
and Peter went into a small enclosure
with two other men and stripped to
the skin. He worked slowly thinking
hard as he undressed.
| The other men were naked before
him. He looked curiously from one
to the other of them; to the straight,
fabby lines of their upper arms, to
the significant prominence of their ell.
| bows and knees.
Then he glanced down Ger his own
body with a pardonable pride. He
was not heavily built, but every
muscle stood delicately defined under
the pink skin as if it had been out
lined at the edge with a faint blue
pencil.
He stood lightly on one foot. The
muscles along his shin leaped OUT
hard and long. Many a long jog
around the cinder path and across
country had made his legs as hard as
steel and as toughly pliabe as tanned
leather.
Above his knee the thigh muscles
tensed to a thousand intertwisted
cords, split deeply down the center.
There was the driving power which
had many times sent him into the
football line so hard and so low that.
despite his lack of weight, he had
been able to writhe through for the
needed yards.
He looked with deep contempt on
the hollow inward curve Of the chests
of the other three; then he put his
hands on his hips and drew a deep
breath. His chest swelled like a
pouter pigeons and every bone of the
ribs stood out
He stretched his arms now and
clinched his fists. The muscles on
the back of the forearm bulged and
quivered like hundred whip-lashes
tied together, and on the point of the
shoulder appeared deeply carved
lines. They had supplied the speed
and the punching power which had
made him feared even among the
featherweights and ightweights OF
the boxing classes at college.
James MAXWELL" called voice.
One of the men rose from the stool
on which he sat and stepped into the
next room. Peter sat down to wait
Juggling his summer overcoat around
his body. In few moments Maxwell
returned
Get by?" queried one of the two
who had appeared with Maxwell at
the enlisting station.
Sure, he answered, without en-
thusiasm '"The examination Is Joke
All you got to do is to be measured
and have your chest expansion taken,
and then read off card and do a few
little things like that"
Peter started at the gaunt figure
with vague wonder
What was your chest expansion
he asked.
1.-TWO and a half inches" said the
other, that's half an inch more than
requirements. l could have done an
other quarter of an inch if I'd tried
hard. But l don't care whether they
take me or not. I can go back to work
any day for as much money as I get
here"
peter Crittenden" called a voice
from the outer room.
Peter rose, cast off his overcoat and
walked into the outer room.
A large man in his khaki shirt stood
there with tape in his hand and
beckoned to Peter.
STAND over here" he ordered.
Peter went obediently and stood on
the little platform while the doctor
drew the measuring apparatus down
to his head He looked at it mar
rowly.
"Step out from under" he COM
manded.
Peter obeyed.
"Now step on again and, mind you.
stand straight"
Peter swelled out his chest, straight
ened his back and stepped on again.
Give feet three and three-quarters, !"
announced the doctor. afraid you
won't do, my mani"
won't do? echoed Peter family.
Quarter of an inch shy, that's all.
Otherwise you look pretty fit" said
the doctor. "John Lawrence! That's
all for Crittenden!"
Peter turned and walked with head
down. He had made up his nina
that if one of the three in the other
room asked if he had passed he would
reply with his fists. But they paid
no attention to him. They were busy
rolling cigarettes and talking out of
the side of their mouths.