Men of Muscle, and the Highland Games of Scotland, etc.

ALEXANDER MUNRO, OF HELMSDALE. L IKE the famous boxer, Fitzsimmons, Alex. Munro was brought up to the trade of a blacksmith and horse– . hoer. His father was a son of Vulcan in the little town of Helmsdale, in Sutherlandshire, and when young Munro was still in his baby clothes his father removed to more commodious premises in the town of Lairg, in the same hire, and here at t .e age of 14 years " Sandy" began to hammer iron. At •nis time there was a dearth of athletes in Lairg, and no local games were held, so that until Munro was 16 years of age : e had never seen a champion at hammer, caber, or ball, and with the exception of putting with an ordinary stone on the road he was entirely ignorant of athletics. At 16, however, a new aspect came over the scene by the arrival of a fairly good athlete named Murdoch Grant. Murdoch, who was a shepherd, came to reside in the district, and soon began to exercise himself in the national sport, which the youth of the town were not long in discovering. Thus an impetus was imparted to athletics in Lairg, which, but for Grant might have remained dormant. Next summer, games were resuscitated, and Grant carried off the prizes. Munro, who was now 17 years of age, com– peted, but did not get a place. Next year, when the games came round, Sandy was better prepared, and so much had practice improved him that in the putting competition he not on1y defeated his own companions, but Murdoch Grant as well. The ball weighed 17ilb., and Munro made 34ft. 92