d laughter of
the conspirators. The distance was to be five paces; for it was whispered
so as to reach the ear of Fresh, that Soph was thirsting for his heart's
blood. They take their places,--the signal is given,--they fire,--and with
a hideous groan and a wild pirouette, the Soph falls to the ground.

The Freshman is led up near enough to see the fellow's face covered with
blood, and to hear his cries to his friends to put him out of his misery.
Intensely agitated, poor little Fresh is hurried by pretended friends into
a carriage, and driven off; and it is not till a week afterwards that he
learns he has been the victim of a hoax.

No! it would never answer for me to run the risk of being _sold_ in any
such way as this. I must select a surer and more practical vengeance. I
thought the matter over intently, and finally resolved that I would put
myself on a physical equality with my persecutor, and then meet him in a
fair fight with such weapons as Nature had given us both. I accordingly
said to the friend and classmate who had played the part of intercessor,
"Wait two years, and I promise you I will either make my tormentor
apologize or give him such a thrashing as he will remember for the rest of
his life."

Thus was my resolve renewed to accomplish myself as a gymnast, and, above
all, to develop my physical strength. My previous attempts in the
gymnasium had been spasmodic and irregular. Having now a definite object
in view, I set about my work in earnest, and went through a daily
systematic practice of a little more than an hour's duration.

The gymnasium was kept by a Mr. Law, and, though ordinary in its
accommodations, had a good arrangement of apparatus, of which I faithfully
availed myself. The spring-board, horse, vaulting-apparatus, parallel
bars, suspended rings, horizontal and inclined ladders, pulley-weights,
pegs, climbing-rope, trapezoid, etc., were all put in frequent
requisition. My time for exercise was generally in the evening, when I
would find myself almost alone,--while the clicking of balls from the
billiard-rooms and bowling-alleys down-stairs announced that a busy
crowd--if amusement may be called a business--were there assembled.

Naturally indolent, it was not without a severe struggle that I overcame a
besetting propensity to confine myself to sedentary pursuits. The desire
of retaliation soon became extinct. My pledge to my friend and
sympathizer, that in two years I would cry _quittance