The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-07-31
vow rarLLERN vs.. TIME.
The German Gill Beats the Sc, the Bearer

| fatteringly called the conqueror of all things,
| but for short distance he is evidently no match
| for the little German girl, who undauntedly
| challenges him to the trial.
| Three hundred people, perhaps, were assem-
| bled in the hall when Miss Won Hillern came
| in. The audience was in great part m ade up of
members of the medical faculty, whom pro-
| fessional interest drew to the spot, and of la
| dies eager to do honor to one of their sex who
has signally refuted the allegation so frequent
| ly made that. woman does not possess physical
| stamina and endurance in a measure at all COM
mensurate with those of men. The audience,
small at first, and but thinly peopling the hall,
grew with the hours and interest of the occa-
| sion. All the afternoon it increased in num-
bers, and the gasight in the evening drew men
aRd women as it draws moths. There was at
first little excitement, but as the minutes sped
Cd, and the needle of the chronometer made its
record, the interest rapidly increased, and the
sympathies of the people went out to the brave
little German girl who was SO earnestly and
cheerfully fighting her way to victory. The
spectacl? certainly was an inspiring one, as the
little woman with the Bsrserker eyes and hair
swept round the hall with the stride of race
tie attention to the curious faces about her,
though a smile of qualification would steal over
her face when the applause of the audience was
more liberal than usual, and CLEAN of tri-
umph would come into her eyes as the tell-tale
board on the platform told of score below the
teens. Whenever tokens of interest and SYM
pathy came from the ladies who clustered close
about the track-and they were lavish in the
demonstrations of their regard-her face light
ed up wonderfully. and she looked far better
pleased than at the more pronounced and quite
as sincere expressions of admiration from the
men 10 the hall.
All through tue afternoon she kept up the
rapid, easy pace with which she started, and
offered striking contrast to Mr.. D. S. Thorn
as, her manager, who. with flushed face and
labored breath, stode by her side Toward five
o'clock she showed signs of tagging and her
steps grew laggard; but after taking a short
rest Of nine minutes at the close Of the thirty
fifth mile she came upon the track again, evil
IDENTIFY much refreshed, and struck winning
stride at once. By that time the hall was filled
by deeply interested audience which cheered
her at every round, and her path was made
easy if admiration and applause could do any
thing to ease the tiresome way. The inspiring
music from Chambers Band contributed not
little to that persistence which was necessary
for success. AS the end of the walk approach
ed, it became evident that the contest with the
Teller who 'gathers em inn would be close
one, and the excitement of the spectators rose
to feverish heat In the closing hour, however,
she made steady gains, and at every circuit was
greeted with round after round of applause.
During the last five miles of the walk the hall
was packed, and all through the closing circuits
the audience, wrought up to the highest pitch,
was vociferous in applause. Men shouted till
they were hoarse, and women waved handker-
chiefs and beat their gloves until there were no
gloves to beat AS she stepped across the chalk
mark on the last round, completing the fifty
miles in eleven hours, fifty-two minutes and
thirty-seven seconds, the enthusiastic specta-
tors crowded closely about her and seemed
minded to take her upon their shoulders; but
she pressed on over the course once more, and
was then caught up in the strong arms of Mr.
Thomas and borne to the ante-room.
The walk was, considering all the drawbacks,
q wonderful illustration of physical endur-
ance. The day was about as bad for the at
tempt as possible. The atmosphere was heavy
and depressing, the air in the hall, despite the
ventilation, hot and close. Indeed, but for the
thoughtful kindness of Mr.. D. w. Clark, who
furnished great quantities of ice, and of Ken
dali & Whitney, who loaned the tubs in which
to place it, the pedestrian might have failed
But she came through her trial in better phys
cal condition than when she entered upon it.
AT the start her pulse was at "a degrees. At
the close it was at but 100; and her step was
firm and elastic, her face had healthy color
and she was utterly free from muscular tremor
She was started precisely at II a. M, and on
the first round was accompanied by her agent,
Mr.. Thomas. The first half mile was made in
just seven minutes, with apparently no effort.
The mile was made in 81. The next mile
was made in little over -, and the next still,
quicker. She ran along this way until the sixth
which she made in II minutes, 46 seconds, the
quickest mile during the trip. 1t was noticea-
BILE that she perspired very freely about the
face, and her agent suggested that she slow
down, which she did, walking in about 10 min
utes. From time to time she was given stimu-
lants while walking, and at the end Of ten
miles one would hardly have known from her
appearance that she had walked half mile.
Her face did not perspire scarcely any and was
as natural as when seen on the street. She con-
tinued about the same until about the Goth
mile, when she showed signs of WEAKNESS,
The hall was hot, and the hall was not very well
filed, and those who were there failed to show
much enthusiasm. She made the twentieth
mile in Il. Oh, and continued about the same I'M
til the 9th, which was little over Is minutes.
This was done about tea time, when there were
but few in attendance and but little order was
shown by the audience. At about seven clock,
however, the crowd began to rush in, and the
time began to improve. She finished the 18Th
mile in eight hours and seven minutes and for
ty-seven seconds. The announcement of this
result was received with great enthusiasm. At
this point Miss Won Hillern was taken from the
track and her shoes changed. She appeared
again in just nine minutes and made the next
mile ia IA minutes and % seconds.
1t was very apparent that the rest and the
enthusiasm of the audience in attendance had
done wonders and she stepped off apparently
ceiling as we'll as when she commenced.
The miles were made in about fourteen min
utes and at the end of each mile the young lady
received a perfect ovation. The excitement
grad ualy increased to the last mile When
the last circuit was announced the whole au-
dence arose as one man to cheer the yonng
lady. The last mile. was made in,13 49, leaving
Z minutes.sand % seconds to spare. The
young lady made an additional circuit and then
retired to the ante -roon, where she was
visited by several physicians. Her condition
was remarkably good and she was able to con-
verse with her visitors very freely. Her pulse
was 100. being but 16 degrees higher than whe
she started
chronometer, which was loaned By w.
Senter & Co., was used to mark the time
Each mile was announced by the stroke of
bell on the table. The time was kept by rep
resentatives of the PRESS and Advertiser, an d
the time made on each mile was posted on
blackboard on the stage.
The following is table giving the time made
on each mile:
Miles. Time. Miles, Time.
........."..... 1881 rs .,.............. 14,2O
....''''''....... IZ39I2l -. ..........,. 1902
................ 1926 2S .........,...,. 1442