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Around the World in 88 Years -E Book - Arthur Burt

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girl was exposed to more temptation <strong>in</strong> a month than her homelysister would be <strong>in</strong> all her lifetime, because of <strong>the</strong> homely girl’sproject<strong>in</strong>g teeth, flat chest and crossed eyes.If an unattractive sister does not live <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> truth, she may believeshe is go<strong>in</strong>g on with God because she is spiritual and may judgeher attractive sister who is always flirt<strong>in</strong>g and s<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g. All we cando with whatever endowments (or lack, <strong>the</strong>reof) which God hasgiven us is to say to our Creator, “Amen, Lord. True and righteousare all Your judgments.” I could wish I was like some o<strong>the</strong>r person,but I am not. So I give thanks because of what I am.When I was a boy, penned up under <strong>the</strong> load of heavy responsibilitiesto my fa<strong>the</strong>r, I was rar<strong>in</strong>g to go, burst<strong>in</strong>g with energywhenever I did get out. My friends who nicknamed me “Shirty<strong>Burt</strong>y” would coax me to scale <strong>the</strong> backyard wall, which I lovedto do. It was part of my glory, my pride. I was very strong andhealthy and could run, jump and climb well and would alwaysbe <strong>the</strong> one who would climb <strong>the</strong> walls to retrieve <strong>the</strong> ball wheneversomeone kicked it <strong>in</strong>to <strong>the</strong> neighbor<strong>in</strong>g back yards. I had areputation to uphold and was a showoff, even though sometimesI had my beh<strong>in</strong>d beaten with a broom by a shout<strong>in</strong>g womanchas<strong>in</strong>g me out of her garden.Once, on a dare, I crossed hand-over-hand underneath a bridgeover a small river, when my strength gave out <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> middle andI fell <strong>in</strong>to <strong>the</strong> water. When I climbed out, soak<strong>in</strong>g wet, I took mytrousers off and hung <strong>the</strong>m up on <strong>the</strong> bridge rail<strong>in</strong>g to dry. Oneof <strong>the</strong> lads ran off with my trousers, and <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>rs wouldn’t tellme where <strong>the</strong>y were.Dur<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong>se adventures, I suffered some <strong>in</strong>juries. Once <strong>in</strong> a fight,one of my teeth broke as my head slammed <strong>in</strong>to a brick wall.Some time later, when I was show<strong>in</strong>g off with <strong>the</strong> lads, I climbeda tree higher than <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>rs to prove I was better than <strong>the</strong> rest.I was descend<strong>in</strong>g when I slipped and fell. My nose was flattenedfor a long time and was never <strong>the</strong> same aga<strong>in</strong>. When I collidedwith <strong>the</strong> ground, I not only flattened my nose, but cracked ano<strong>the</strong>rtooth.I broke a third tooth <strong>in</strong> a wrestl<strong>in</strong>g match at school when I slipped,and my tooth pierced my opponent’s leg and snapped off. Hehad to have my tooth extracted out of his leg. I now had three25

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