Remarkable Feats of Strength by Two Little Boys.

Manawatu Standard, Volume X, Issue 60, 10 August 1885, Page 4

Remarkable Feats of Strength by Two Little Boys.

An esteemed correspondent from Danevirke sends us (Waipawa Mail) the following : — At a concert held here on Frid iv last, the Rev. Mi*. Robertshawe announced from the stage that he would match a hoy only ten years and vine months, to put up dumb-bells, 1 2 Iks m weight, above his head, against any , man m the' audience; and' a boy only four years and two months - x to. raise 6lb dumb beik against any lioy twicoi his age, -or' twice his size, if any ona r was game, to accept tho challenge, Two. muscular lookiug aspirants to athletic fame at once entered the li^ts against the elder l>oy ; and the first of them Blraightway commenced his task. He succeeded _m raising 1 ihe l|2lbs dumb-bells 103 times before he threw up the «pquge, , but after that he ; ceased. , The second coin - petitor then came for wai?d ; he was a Very well-built ' strong^j^gking ni:in, •and t«i.aUrap(>earance]w^no novice at raising^ the bells* ' l He succeeded j iniifting them fairly i|nf i^hg^une'd tliefl^Oith 4iine, lifter'^hioh he became decidedly shaky, aud crj^g-were raised fi'oiu the audience to "put up your arm ," but he could not ansiver ibiviun^sio ami retired with a .record of 14j^to his i * • M? jßobertsljiawe then called upon Mr ■Robt. s Siiiith, the popular athlete (whor has " f ptoved hiiuself } h<> small rival tothej;ivat Donald Dinnio) to introduce his you ng "Donald Dinnie. " He af b'nee :'■•' i-esporidijd and aiou utcd tHo platform, accompanied by his_ litti'e *on : |4 years and 2 liionth.s qlii, v and Master John Hamilton, el/h^t I son o£ Mr ; G; D " 'Hamilton;, of MangatQrbftwo of the sturdiest Jittl« boy ath l«f te3 ever seen. » Tlie yonn^er of .stliee? stepped forward, dieted m a. 'neat'tjiMtume, and with, h 61b : dumbi t>H jin ciich hiuid ;'staii. iitig a.i erect as if he had-bpeu stuck oh jhe floor; •iiidjwiili'aa much case as jf noiliin-s 1 3 %er» m his tiriy hauds, liecommeucedto raise the bells at arms' length, above his- head. This he kept g<iinrg*inT quick succeiiskn until the 78th time was reached, at which poi'nc his fatht'i (Mr Smith) told hiui to atop. The little Diunie was theu Carried off the stage umiilgt cheers and defif^nmg api>lause. (Master ;J[ohn iiamilton then commenced his tank of raising a l*?ib dumb-bell m one hand ; and this he required to do 149 times to beat the highest record of his two man-corn-netitors. He lost no time iv making his appearance, and was dressed m a tight fitting jeisey suit, with arms and legs bare; and although the little fellow appeared to be as hard as a race hoive, he did not sitem to have quite the same confidence as the Ly<iiuiger boy. Mr Smith handed >him the weight, and the excitement Jcommenced. For the first twenty |tiiue3 he appeared . as if he would ;g;ive up the contest very early, b»t a few words of c'.tcouiagemeut from his favorite, Mr Smith, soon set him going again, and he very soon scoivd the number of lifts required to put him on equal terms with bis antagonist, "and then he won the match amidst .cheering and. Applause that quite shook the, building. When the lad had raided the ir»>n 185 times, Air Snaith refused to let him do any more, '' jEor.fear. of healing him, the evening r being; veiy cold. . r _■/ '' ' Our corre/spondentbelieves that the little *5 Dinnie " growled at . being toj stop before he had reached^ r2OO timbsat any rate.. He also asks us wliether there- arc any VectJrds m the world that can beat the alove for agq aud -inches, and- although we believe them to t be unapproached, we should be glad to hear if any o£ our readers think otherwise.