THE CALL OF THE LAND 



gymnasium till crowded out by younger 

 men. He will not deny that his retirement 

 was partly due to the discouragement fol- 

 lowing pretty uniform defeat. But there 

 was one event in which he always bore off 

 the palm, in which today he holds the 

 world-record and is pronounced a wonder 

 by all who have seen him perform. That 

 event is moderation. 



The numerous athletes and trick-gym- 

 nasts of both sexes airing themselves over 

 the cubic feet of air they can blow into the 

 bag, the size of their biceps, and the various 

 records they've made, must not be allowed 

 to lead the less accomplished of us to think 

 exercise of no account because it is informal. 

 Methuselah and Samson never trained in a 

 gymnasium, and not one per cent of the peo- 

 ple in any modern community can do so. 

 We plead for forms of health work suitable 

 for both sexes and all ages, at odd moments, 

 without teachers, set uniforms, rigid hours 

 or rules. Walking is such; so are slow run- 

 ning, throwing, cultivating a vegetable or a 

 flower garden. 



104 



