Various

“ The fact that all this was the result of questionable methods in sport should stand as a glaring proof that straightforwardness, after all, is the only path to success in athletics as well as in any other work. Exeter now stands as a champion of purity in sport, and for that reason we may very well look forward to her brilliant success within the next few years. ”

“ There is no use denying that all these things are at the start uninteresting, and I know from experience that even with the best intentions there will be a strong temptation at the end of a week to give up the whole business. But here is where the sand and determination of the American boy must prove itself, and the lad who sticks to the monotonous exercise in his own bedroom will be the one in after-years to stand the best chance for a position on his college crew or eleven. ”

“ More than fifty years ago one of the bravest men that ever wore the naval uniform of the United States defied the power of Austria in her own waters because she would not give up an American citizen confined on one of her war-ships, and the roar of "Old Ingraham," as he ordered his ship cleared for action when he knew that in a fight he would probably be beaten, was heard around the world.
Most of these "minor episodes" of our navy have been associated with the misdeeds of half-civilized nations. Occasionally one has had to do with a nation of first rank. ”

“ Mr. Belton rushed like a catapult among them, wedged together in the narrow passage, and right behind was old Jimmylegs with a bucket of water. They could see a boyish figure on hands and knees in the magazine with a wet swab, crawling about and putting out the sparks that flashed from all over the floor. The next moment the whole floor was awash; the danger was over, and Mr. Belton and the master-at-arms had time to observe that the boy who had stood to his post when men fled was Crying Tommy, and he was crying vigorously. ”

“ Their chances of rising are about as many as boys ever have—the really able, honest, and pushing boys go up as they grow older. As a dignified-looking gentleman passes along the sidewalk we are told: "That is the president of the —— Bank. He knows Wall Street and all its ins and outs. Been here all his life. Began as an office-boy in a brokerage house; became partner; got elected a member of the Stock Exchange; now he is near the top of the heap. I could name several bank presidents who began as brokers' boys at two or three dollars a week." ”

“ As there has been occasion more or less of late to deprecate the holding of so-called "junior" events in track-athletic meetings, it is perhaps an appropriate time to devote some space to the subject of athletics for younger sportsmen, and to try to impress them, if possible, with the fact that any kind of training for boys under sixteen years of age is not only inadvisable but absolutely injurious. If boys of that age wish to take regular exercise—and they all should—there are better things for them to do than to train for contests of speed and endurance. ”

“ He feels that men older than himself—men in college, or graduates of college, or grown-up men—may be setting example to others, but that he has not sufficient influence with any one to induce him to follow his example in anything. Sometime after the preparatory-school boy has grown up he will find that from year to year the same feeling sticks by him, and that he never considers himself a person worthy to set example to any one else. ”

“ But Teddy had already given her version of the affair, and there was nothing more to be said. She had supposed from the beginning that Arthur was the author of the misfortune, and though she did not like to doubt his word, she greatly feared that he was not speaking the truth when he denied this.
His brothers stoutly maintained his innocence when talking to Theodora, or to any one outside of the family, but with one another they acknowledged having some misgivings.
"You see, Art has been sick such a lot that I guess he is afraid to own up," said they among themselves. ”

“ In other words, you, as a schoolboy, are setting an example to somebody else just as certainly as is your father or your grandfather is setting an example to others; and the feeling you have, that you are responsible to no one as an example for what you do, is wrong. It is very simple to understand this if you think it over a moment. For instance, a member of a college 'varsity team is a great man to the members of school teams. ”

“ A Wall Street boy is expected to be at the office at nine o'clock in the morning, and remain there as long as his services are needed, though he usually gets away about four o'clock. He has an allowance of half an hour at noon for luncheon, but the rest of the time belongs to his employer. He is expected to be neat in appearance, clean as to hands and face, well mannered, truthful at all times, prompt in obedience, and faithful in guarding the secrets of his employers. ”

“ The example is of no value itself. It is merely that you, living your daily life, entering into sports and into studies at school, can never tell when your school-mates or persons whom perhaps you may never know may not be unconsciously observing your actions, and be accepting them as standards for themselves. ”

“ A red flag hoisted at the foremast of an American war-vessel simultaneously with the discharge of a blank charge will be the signal for you to remove from your fort and vicinity to a place of safety all women, children, sick, and wounded, for which purpose a liberal time will be allowed before resorting to more serious measures. ”

“ Do not try to coast unless there is snow on the ground. Coasting on bare hill-sides or down stony roads is not very exhilarating sport, nor will the oiling of your runners help you a bit. The only boy who ever got far by oiling his runners for a slide on a snowless road covered twenty feet, and then had his bob destroyed by fire. He had used kerosene oil, and the friction of the runners upon the road created such an intense heat that the oil ignited, and in a short time the bob was a smoking ruin. ”

“ But, as exercise should form a part of each day's occupation, the sixteen-year-old boy should take his exercise in a way that will do him the most good. He will probably not find it so interesting at first, but he will soon discover that he is becoming a better specimen physically than his fellows who can run a hundred yards or a mile under a certain figure, that really does not mean very much. ”

“ There is a famous statement of the average preparatory-school boy, which has been so often made that it is historic, to the effect that he can do whatever he pleases because nobody will be fool enough to follow his example. ”

“ Thus every man and boy and girl is at some time or other, and often frequently, a guide or example for others, and it behooves him or her to bear this in mind from day to day. It should not cause worry; the responsibility of it ought not to weigh any one down; but the idea that you can do whatever enters your head, provided that in your mind you are satisfied that it is right for you, is not always correct. ”

“ The carrom is permissible, and furnishes occasion for scientific play, but the great sport of the game lies in the skilful utilization of the pitching and rolling of the ship. The disk takes a bias from the angle of the deck, and some impossible shots may be triumphantly brought off—round the corner, for instance. Even in putting, marine golf may lay just claim to the variety which is the spice of (sporting) life. On a gray day the boards will be half as slow again as when the sun is shining, while with any spray coming aboard it is impossible to tell whether the disk will drag or slide. ”

“ When it is proved (as in a jumping contest) that two contestants can do no better, after repeated attempts, one than the other, it is just and proper that some method be adopted to determine who shall have the medal—although the points must be split. If both contestants agree to toss for the medal, well and good; for the medal is merely an evidence of success, and does not in any way affect the merit of the contest which has already been settled and recorded, before the owners of half a medal each determined to take the chance of possessing two halves of a medal or no medal at all. ”

“ They will do better for themselves if they will restrict their endeavors to a milder form of athletics, to simple body motions or calisthenics. This, of course, is not so interesting, and I know these words will fall upon many deaf ears, but their truth will be recognized none the less by those who have the slightest experience in such matters.
It is perhaps natural that young boys who see their older companions constantly at some kind of preparation, or training, for some branch of sport, should wish to imitate their elders, and go in to some similar kind of regular work. ”

“ There are a number of body motions that can be performed at home alone, or in the gymnasium with others, that develop the chest and the arms, the back and the legs, so that when the time comes when it can do no harm for a young man to enter into regular athletic training, his muscles are supple, his skin is clear, his chest is deep, his back is straight, and his legs are firm enough to allow of the natural strain which comes from any kind of training. ”

“ Many a time has some one of our naval officers, thousands of miles away from home, with no means of asking for instructions, taken action which meant warfare, with its loss of life and great expenditure of money, simply because he knew he was doing what was right, and really was acting for the civilized nations of the world. ”

“ If it was found that the school could only support one of these two branches of sport, the choice to keep up baseball was a wise one, but at the same time it is regrettable to see so strong a member of the Connecticut Inter-scholastic League as H.H.-S. fall out of the ranks. So far as I am able to ascertain at the present writing, the reason for dropping track athletics was purely financial, but as the Connecticut Association seems to be rich just now, perhaps this obstacle may be removed. ”

“ Boys are taken into brokerage offices only upon good recommendations, and it is almost invariably required that a boy shall live with his parents and not by himself. Employers well know that a boy not living at home is far more likely to fall into evil ways than one who has a home and is under the eyes of father and mother. ”

“ It is always well to know where you are going to land, particularly when you are bobbing. It is true that when Columbus started out to discover America he did not know where he was going to land, or, indeed, that he was going to land at all, but he had a pretty good general idea of the possibilities, and that is what you need to have before the shove-off. ”

“ Of late years the Stock Exchange Clearing-house has done away with so much of the stock delivery by boys that the number of them on the Street is not more than half what it used to be. Formerly it was not uncommon to see from twenty-five to one hundred boys waiting in line at each of the prominent banks to get checks certified, and nearly every bank employed a private policeman to keep the boys in line and in order. ”

“ If times have been hard, speculation light, and incomes small, the broker's gratuities to his employees are much smaller than if the reverse is the case. In the one instance, he feels poor and forced to economize; in the other, he feels prosperous and is liberal.
There are other kinds of boys on Wall Street than the ones just described. In the Stock Exchange about one hundred and fifty boys are employed as pages to run with messages for members in the Board Room, not outside. They receive from three to five dollars a week, with a gratuity at Christmas. ”

“ The renewal of athletic relations between Exeter and Andover seems to have put new life and energy into every branch of sport at the New Hampshire school. An enthusiastic meeting of the entire school was held a few days ago in order to collect money for the management of a track-athletic team, and a very respectable sum was realized. More men have turned out for practice than for many years at Exeter, and the Captain of the team feels greatly encouraged over the prospects for the winter and spring season. ”

“ Do you understand me? For I hear that you do your duty. And if you don't, why"—here the Lieutenant quickly assumed his "quarter-deck" voice and roared out, "I'll give you something to cry for!"
Crying Tommy fled down the gangway. Half an hour afterwards the Lieutenant was on the bridge, the anchor was picked up, the Spitfire was spreading her white wings to the freshening breeze. Mr. Belton, watch in hand, was keenly observing the young bluejackets, and when he saw that all plain sail was made within ten minutes, he put his watch back with a feeling of satisfaction. ”

“ It wouldn't wake you!"
"It won't have a chance, because I sha'n't be asleep," said Phineas, stoutly.
"Your eyesight is good, isn't it, Phin?"
"Well, I rather guess!" said Phineas, indignantly.
"You have to swing a red or a white lantern. I shall be glad when we have the semaphore signals on our road." (Sam's easy use of learned technical expressions always caused Mary Jane's mouth to open wide with admiration.) "I say, Phin, what color are Mary Jane's mittens?" Sam asked this question with sudden breathless eagerness. ”

“ Now that she had attained her object, and had learned how, she would not mind so much if she were forbidden by them to ride, for she was sure that when her father and mother returned to this country in the spring they would buy her a wheel, and until then she could wait. Indeed, she hoped, from what she had heard her mother say, that Mrs. Middleton would learn to ride herself, in spite of the sentiments of her sisters-in-law upon the subject.
Eight o'clock was Teddy's bedtime, and she bade her aunts good-night at that hour as usual. ”

“ Her companion, on the contrary, seemed overcome with bashfulness on seeing the Lieutenant and the old master-at-arms, and hurriedly saluting, made off in the opposite direction, looking uncommonly sheepish.
"That, sir," said Jimmylegs, with a sly grin, "is Gunner Hopkins, and that is Mrs. Hopkins. They're just married. He used to be called Crying Tommy, and she was Mary Jane Griggs, sir."
"I remember," answered the Lieutenant, smiling.
A BOY'S APPEAL.
I wonder if grown people who have all their growing done
Remember, as they sit at ease, that growing isn't fun. ”

“ Theodora was sadly frightened, and the groans which she heard did not tend to reassure her. Her aunt must be very ill; perhaps she was even dying.
"Have you sent for the doctor?" she asked.
"There is no one to send," said Miss Dorcas, "for John is in bed with a bad attack of rheumatism; so your aunt Melissa is going with Catherine, the cook. They are getting ready now, but I am afraid it will take them a long time to get to Dr. Morton's house; and it is so very late for women to be out alone—after ten o'clock!" ”

“ If he only realized it, he would discover that even as a preparatory-school boy he is looked up to by the younger boys in the lower classes and by those who have not yet arrived at the point where they can enter a school at all. ”