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I . SHOWING DEPTH or (PHEST
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HEN Harry N. cam Into earth Ufa hla chances
of remaining In the body were ao alight that
nitrate and frienda ahook their heada In pity
and phyatctana urged apeclal caution. Hla
father waa no longer young and strong, his
mother had (or yeara been an Invalid, and hla
head was-abnormally large, and her ailment
contained a atrnin of locomotor ataxia. All
In all. the probability of the delicate little thing ob
taining health waa ao alight that it seems Incredible he can
row be regarded aa one of the strongest children of hla ag
in the world. Tet thla It true, and hla folk maintain that
what haa been done for Jilm ran be accomplished for any
child, alnoe the regime contains no fads and much common
sense.
Pefor h waa a fortnight old hia mother had mapped oat
what seemed to her a natural method of strengthening him,
and ah haa not yet had cause to vary from the program.
At that time ahe began giving him calisthenio exercises 'for
arm a and legs. Grasping hia tiny hands firmly in hers, aha .
would gently extend the . arma to a horisontal position,
returning them briskly, but never Jerkily, to the chest. This
' waa repeated twice, then followed by raiaing the hands above
the head, bringing them back to the chest with palms
forward; and thla In turn by a similar exercise ;th palms
turned together. Leg motions were added within few days,
and before the Bret month had rolled away every muscle In
hia tiny body waa being cared for, each exercise being twice
repeated.
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-, Noticeable Benefit In Six Weeks.
When ha waa el 4 weeks old the wrinklea and hollow
began to All out, and h looked like other babes of his age.
From the Brat ha bad a peculiar way of closing hla Asia,
gripping with the right thumb outalde. the left on under
the Index finger, and then out before the second finger
which contradicts the theory that Infants close their fingers
ver thumbs until they learn to think. Perhapa because of
this peculiarity he did leaa grasping than moat babes. The
irusclee of his handa seemed stow In development aa
compared with those of the arms.
Before he was three months old he could draw himself
to a altting posture If his mother held his handa When
thirteen weeks old he began to grasp her fingers for this
purpose,- but did it waverlngly, aa if unable to direct the
course of her handa When he succeeded In holding her
thumbs he became wildly excited, and atrained every muscle
In hla body In an attempt to pull himself up. By this time
he would stiffen his body and raise his back with hla weight
resting upon his head and beds, seeming to enjoy this hard
exercise.
In his fourth month his mother began to awing him by
on foot and the corresponding wrist Those who saw this
beted as if they expected to aee the babe dismembered, but
be chuckled over It and continued to develop fine muscles.
All exercises were given regularly, morning and evening,
and followed by a brisk tubbing. During the summer months
thla was often given on the porch, calling forth assurances
that " the child would catch cold." but never fulfilling the
prediction. After exercise and bath a good nap was aura to
follow.
Keenly fnoys His Exercise.
Pictures taken the day after he was five montn oid
how him with his whole weight suspended on his own tiny
hands. At this time he would easily draw himself up by
holding to any one'a thumbs and hang with no apparent
effort for aeveral seconds. Never did he loosen his grasp
until laid down. No adult could show less concern about It
than he. and there waa no appreciable quickening of the
heart action from this strain. A snapshot taken Immediately
after (whll he was In the tub) ahowa that he waa by thla
time a normal healthy babe, with a keen enjoyment of life
and a sweet disposition. Another shows his remarkable depth
'of cheat.
In the sixth month he began to show a surprising sense
cf balance, alwaya throwing up the upper arm and leg when
raised with a support under hla aide. Photoa taken the day
after he waa aix months old show this Instinctive knowledge.
At this time he would stiffen his bsck. holding himself
perfectly straight when held up with face downward. He '
could easily hang by one band for aeveral seconds, and would
hang by both for nearly a minute hia grasp being so rigid
that his tiny fingers beoame bloodiesa, aa plainly aeen In a
picture in which he is holding his godfather' thumbs. The
same day a picture waa taken while he was holding to a
cane, but It so fogged t(iat a delay of two weeks occurrea
before this was duplicated. These cane pictures make on
who haa doubt of hla delight In the exercise cringe, for they ,
wer taken on the roof of an apartment house, where a fall
aright have resulted In death. But the mother says " sne
knew Harry would not let go" A he waa screaming with
delight while being snapped, her faith Seems wsll placed,
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For the rest, his life has been most simple. His only food
is condensed milk, upon which he so thrives that at aeven
months he weighs nearly eighteen pounds, of which not an
ounce Is flabby flesh. He Is never given any tidbits, soothing
sirups, or change of food. While fairly regular in hia hour,
there haa been no Ironclad rule. Each aummer morning that
the rain did not blow on to the porch he took a nap In the
hammock, and aa his mother Intends that he shall contlnus
this practice all winter, ahe haa made a wadded Klondike
sleeping bag for his protection. His bath la taken in water
which I Just comfortably warm, and he doea not know the
aenaation of being In hot or cold water. He has Just learned
to sit up. but not yet mastered the art of creeping, though
he shows such an Inclination to pull himself up by every
object upon which he can lay hold that It would not be
surprising if b began to walk by the time he la nine jnonth
old.
This Is the true account of a weakling who haa become
wonderfully strong through moot simple meeuis. The
accompanying photographs clearly show the babe' surpris
ing muscular development, yet he I In no way abnormal.
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