Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1879-10-03
Phantasms Of the Walkers.


Speaking of the international walk
ing match FOR the Ashley belt in New
York, the Sun of that city tells how walk
ers suffer while trying TO sleep: The
weary pedestrian is spOnged or has
bath. He pitches in his cot. He is
wrapped in his blankets. The lights in
his tent are eXtinguished. lie closes his
eyes and enters a world of phantoms.
The cheers ofthe crowd, the music ofthe
band, the clapping hands, the murmur
rs of vast hive of bees, and the tread of
many feet fit through his sleep. His
body is racked with pain. There is an
appalling heat in his feet. His temples
throb. The blood becomes stagnant and
frequently nightmare follows. The
dreameris still on the track. He see his
competitors passing him one by one, and
is unable to increase his own speed.
O'Leary says that during his walk for the
belt In London he never went to sleep
without the shadow of Vaughn before
him. 1t would follow him around
phantom track with looks of exultation
in its eyes. At times it would bar his
way, 1t would stand facing him at the
curves, making grimaces and contortions.
Up to the moment of waking Vaughn's
shade never left his sleep.
Guyon has similar experience. One
night the pain in his feet was so intense
that it had turned his stomach. Weston
was ever before him. When he turned
in Merritt had passed him and taken
second place. Weston was doing SPLEEN
did work, and rapidly overhauling him.
A ghostly Weston pursued him in his
dreams. Whichever way he turned
Weston was at his heels. Nor was Wes-
ton the only phantom. The dials as
sumed the faces of the other contestants,
and tainted him as he passed. A spirit
Khrone fifty feet high was walking over
him. Although he was in the Putnam
House, far removed from sight or sound
of the Garden, he heard the murmur of
the CROWD. the roar of brass instruments,
the tread of thousand feet, and peals of
laughter. When he awoke toward
morning he found tumbler beneath his
pillow. The pillow was drenched. He
was unable to account for it until he re-
membered that in his dreams he had
had spirited contest with Weston.
Every nerve had been strained to hold
his own, but the champion gained upon
him. At the critical moment the dream
er recuperated, and was able to prevent
the spector champion from passing him
and taking third place. Then he was
seized with terrible thirst. He turned
into phantom tent, and saw the appa-
rition of Jim Smith, his trainer. Seiz-
ing glass of water, he tried to swallow
the liquid. To his horror, it would not
go down his throat. 1t ran from the
corners of his mouth over his chin, and
drenched his knit shirt. Rushing from
the phantom tent, he saw Weston's
ghost sweeping round the track with a
look of JOY. The ghost had taken the
third place. While thus dreaming Guyon
had really arisen and got a glass of
water, spilling its contents upon his pill
low. This is not strange, for Guyon 8
trainer, Smith, who had even less sleep
than Guyon, says that he thrice admins
tered to the wants of his principal while
asleep. He rubbed him down, gave him
water, and answered his inquiries with
out being aware of it until told Of it the
next day.
The dreams of the pedestrian are based
on the condition of his stomach. When
the stomach refuses nourishment threat
ening apparitions frequently appear. In
one case pedestrian fancied that he was
rolling among old logs covered with
thousand-legged worms. In another
case the pedestrian thought himself on
the track, but unable to walk. Upon
glancing at his feet he was shocked to
see that they had turned into hickory
sapplings, and the sapplings grew with
such rapidity that they raised him il. the
air.
The agony of these hours of unrest is
increased when the hapless walker
awakes. His blood is still stagnant.
There is prickly heat upon his skin.
He feels as though he was being pricked
by million of needles. Neuralgia pains
throb through his muscles. His joints
are stiff. His eyelids seem paralyzed
Worst of all his feet and shin bones are
numbed. Every movement sends 9
thrill of pain through the body. He is
oiled and rubbed. His trainers cheer
him with words of encouragement. A
swallow of warm beef tea, or some Other
decoction, puts him into little glow
and infuses him with a painful energy
He wobbles upon the track, and the
noise, the lights and the dark shadows
of his competitors confuse him. The
, cold air strikes him unpleasantly. He
, makes one lap, and the impulse to re-
enter his cot is frequently so great tina
: he finds it irresistible.
Before coming on the track he lies
upon his cot in a semi-unconscious state
,, while he is rubbed and clad He hardly
appreciates the situation before he finds
himself upon the track. If his shoes
have been changed during his rest, hi
feet feel like lump of lead. The sorC
, spots smart more than ever, and it il
, with the greatest difficulty that he car
lift his feet from the track. He occasion
ally feels nausea about the stomach
and his nerves are strung to the utmos
tension. The swapping of whip, de
formed face, q wide-b rimmed hat, or ,
: peculiarly shaped bouquet excites hi
1 mind, and he becomes in measure in
: sane. Weston has a peculiar abhor
renee of tobacco smoke. 1t probabl,
affects his stomach. At times the sigh
of pipe or cigar throws him into ner
vous spasm, and he becomes so excited