The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-03-14

During the day he received "A few friends and
nt O'Clock entered "A carriage and was drivento
When tho reporter called on O'Lenry last
night he was seated before table covered with
tempting dishes, but he WAS unable to eat solids
and contented himself with u CUP OF tea and
some pruncs. Then he wheeled an easy chair
near the bed. settled himsef comfortably with
his bare feet. which have begun to he irritable.
on the bed. and began to talk about the walk
and his failure.
He began to be alarmed about his condition
on Monday afternoon and from that time to the
time he left the track the symptoms OF general
breaking up OF his system augmented. Twelve
Walks since ne Gompeted ioItnn AsteS Pe We're ere
heavily taxed. and she retaliated. The Hot
Springs had nothing to do with his break down
but afterward erred in walking too much to
train for the present match, and In swinging
sledge, hammer to, develop his muscles dld not
net judicously, To use his own words. he WIS
- too fine" Now the stories about my drink
ing" said o'Leary, :, are just rs foolish as the
poison administered to me- haven't drank.
sup Of liquor since the day before Now Years.
and all | took at the Garden was sup
the only thing could retain on my stomach
did not have one cent on the race. | came
So 900 that Would would 90 $40 miles. but Al Smith
persuaded me to take up my money. | might
have struggled around tho track while longer,
have made no difference with my friends ont OF
New York city. They would have continued to
bet on mo in spite oil unthNofaDle accounts, Nnu
] WAS determined to stop that at any rate. You
know that outside Of betting people. persons
who bet are in the main prompted by liking
for the person they back Well. in my case
hundreds who never saw me back me for my
name. and In going of the track when | did
saved many q poor man dollar 49,,
80 How was | treated mt the Garden AS VOL
as have ever been Aaron and Harding did
their best my quarters were desirable. and
did not suffer moro than tho other contestants
from bnd air aud tobacco smoke. feel all right
now. Ny heads clear. haven't an ache any
where. and the onlytrouble is with my stomach;
but that will pass of. Igo to Chicago Monday.
| don't get a cent from the Garden. but my eN
penses there are paid. l shall not walk again.
at least not for some time Before | started as
n walker | and my wife kept millinery notion
and book store. I've been talking with my wife
tonight, and think wei go into that business
again. Well, don't mind answering that gues-
ton am ahead Of the world little but not
SO much ms some people say
In regard TO my companions in the match.
would like TO sav that | consider Rowell very
good. When first saw him run. admired his
style. as he went fiat footed. He Is not
walker always said that runners were bound
To bent walkers and am not a runner. Men
who are natural runners 60 fHster than
walker and the effort Is not greater Rowells
looks like the winner of this race. Hartman
would be better IN a two or three days walk
but has not N myludgment. endurance Tor ask
days walk. He is too slim for his height. and too
finely trained, Ennis 10 strongly built and has
endurance. I've beaten him two lOO-mle
matches. square heel and toe but he could beat
me running. I'd be better pleased than to have
a good deal OF money 10 see John win. as want
through. but / cannot see how he's going to
overcome Rowell's lead. As far rs Rowell is
concerned | have a great respect Tor him for
coming so far but want to sec him beaten
Ms | know that II the belt goes 10 England II will
stay there. The idea that the belt ia going to
leavs America gives me n feeling round my
heart ke that OF fellow who's buried every
body belonging To him.
girl moving rapidly along Beekman street
VpSfarlnV uftgrnnau slnnldprs ct
ly and hips moving with the stin motion that
marks the Efforts Of one unaccustomed to pc.
gait. attracted some little attention. All DOUBT
as TO what her motions meant was issipAted
nen ins ThS S0ns ws 1gi8nT oSa yaa
beat him yet" The girls actions were but IN
embodiment OF the thoughts that were. passing
through the minds OF about two-thrds OF the
people in the city.
A short distance in advance were four young
women, and one was telling the others story
90 which they listened eagerly The reporter
heard portion Of ii. II ran thus;
"A rich no9lrman IN England took great
walker. and made him present ~ n beautiful
golden belt. But he said that unless he could
beat three men walking he would not take the
belt. So h" walked with one man. and heat him
easily. then he walked with another and beat
him, hut he had 10 walk faster to do ~ and at
last said the young woman. who in her cN-
citement at this point threw Of all disguise
and boldly showed her Hihernian nature and
accent the nohleman in England. had coss to
that throtted away TIL he killed poor O'L'ary
and now II he bates the other two he'll take
buck the bolt and give II to the noblemRn. ~ and
ihrn the other girls all said II was Just like
Opposite all the bulletin boards. and there
were many of them, crowd OF men and bows
were standing patiently from hour 10 hour
watching the changes IN the figures. rs they
were made every sixty minutes Il was conf
deuty predicted that ROwpll would break down
before o'clock. but In the majority Of instances
the wish WAS certainly father 10 the thought
He cant last said onn; a man was never
made to trot like horse" But | o'clock pass.
ed. and 2. and 3. and still the record showed
that he was tr9tting. and holding the lead that
h. had won. Then nm unreasonable sentiment
OF bitterness toward O'Lesry began 10 manifest
Why did he ever take the belt at all II he
mrers and. getting no reply. he began to count
up how many miles Rowel WIS ahead OF Har-
riman and was not at all eonsoled by the result
OF n IS calculation.
O'Learys friends and admirers in New York
would, probably. outnumoer. three TO one the
friends OF the other three contestants put to-
gether; and many of these positively refused 70
believe THAI the champion had withdrawn. H.
was onlya little sick. they said. and he would
soon 20 again upon the track. and with one oi
his old time Efforts dash ahead Of all competi-
tors. But gradually III" truth dawned even
upon III" most ohtuse minds that the great pee
d"strian had taken his last walk. Then the in
ter"st centred in Hartman. for in tn" early
rested the responsibility OF keeping the belt In
tins country.
We must not let II he taken from us" OK
claimed one gentleman hutoning uu his coat
ana looking determinedly AZ the crowd that had
collected around THE sun bulletin hoard whore
the figures showed that Kowe was twenty
three miles ahead Of Hartman, " Something
must be- done. am golne M 10 Glmorr's Gar
den, - and he Jumped upon Fourth avenue ear
while the crowd looked after him in dumb ad-
mratiou. wondering II he wis going TO rescue
tn" belt and bring II hack with him.
The most rNiravngant theories prevailed with
regard 10 O'Leary's condition. " He's dead
poor fellow said one man. looking toward the
City Hall.
How 10 you know p asked n startled friend
Don't YOU see all the flags at half mast p re-
piled the INST speaker, gravely
As the day wore on II began to be rumOred
that Ennis, and not Hartman, WIS the man
upon whom American hopes depended. and
men who had never mentioned his name before
now remarked that they had thought SO from
the beginning
HIS cool. easy walk" said one. Shows that
he is resrrvlng his strength"
Yes said another who seemed to be Of q
din rent way of thinking, he'll reserve II tC
the end He waste Just enough of it to get hun
over the 450 miles and earn his share of tho
gate money; but he knows that IL he eXrrtrd
himself any more than he il doing now he
would probably get sick and forfeit everything
That is the secret OF his Jogging along sc
quietly"
THIS opinion however. was by no means gen
eral, and toward evening. in the hotels and
around the bulletin boards. Ennis's stock went
up rapidly. and, next to Rowell no became the
fHvorite.
What do the three men look like ?" asked