CHAP. III. ATHLETIC FEATS. 25 



worked together there for about two years, by twelve- 

 hour shifts, George firing the engine at the wage of a 

 shilling a-day. 



He was now fifteen years old. His ambition was as 

 yet limited to attaining the standing of a full workman, 

 at a man's wages ; and with that view he endeavoured 

 to attain such a knowledge of his engine as would 

 eventually lead to his employment as an engineman, 

 with its accompanying advantage of higher pay. He 

 was a steady, sober, hardworking young man, but 

 nothing more, in the estimation of his fellow-workmen. 



One of his favourite pastimes in by-hours was trying 

 feats of strength with his companions. Although in 

 frame he was not particularly robust, yet he was big 

 and bony, and considered very strong for his age. His 

 principal competitor was Robert Hawthorn, with whom 

 he had frequent trials of muscular strength and dex- 

 terity, such as lifting heavy weights, throwing the 

 hammer, and putting the stone. At throwing the 

 hammer George had no compeer; but there was a 

 knack in putting the stone which he could never 

 acquire, and there Hawthorn beat him. At lifting 

 heavy weights off the ground from between his feet, 

 by means of a bar of iron passed through them 

 placing the bar against his knees as a fulcrum, and then 

 straightening his spine and lifting them sheer up 

 Stephenson was very successful. On one occasion, 

 they relate, he lifted as much as sixty stones weight in 

 this way a striking indication of his strength of bone 

 and muscle. 



"When the pit at Mid Mill was closed, George and his 

 companion Coe were sent to work another pumping- 

 engine erected near Throckley Bridge, where they con- 

 tinued for some months. It was while working at this 

 place that his wages were raised to 12s. a week an 

 event to him of great importance. On coming out of 

 the foreman's office that Saturday evening on which he 



