The New York herald., 1879-09-28
The End of tho Walk.

The belt goes back to England, and
being wrested from us by such magnif-
cent work as Rowell has done during
the week, and against the strongest
body Of adversaries that ever met on any
track, manly appreciation of manly work
disp.aces entirely the sentiment of regret.
Rowell is said to have started with the de-
termination to make six hundred miles,
and it is not impossible that he might have
done so had he not been disabled on Fri
day he certainly would have exceeded
Westons great record Of last June, for
he left the track last night with five
hundred and thirty miles to his
credit and two hours to spare. Add
these two unused hours to the six lost on
Friday, consider the slow time that he
made for several hours after he returned to
the track, still weak. and it seems certain
that had he not been interrupted Rowell
could have made fully fve hundred and
eighty-fve miles. Good luck to him; he
has handsomely earned every friend that
he has made, and he deserves to retain
them oil.
AS for the ex-champion, he has only him.
self to blame for the small amount OF SYM
pathy that he will get in his loss. BY his
talk and manner he has repelled thousands
who have wanted to like him he has, ac-
cording to report, taken no proper care Of
his physique during the race, and, worse
yet, he has not done his best on the track.
1t is no small evidence against him that on
Friday, when every one else was sadly worn,
he made not only the best record OF the
day, but covered more miles than he had
done on any other day but the first. Mr..
Weston has o great deal to do before he can
again command the regard even of the
lower order OF sporting men.
What black and jolly Frank Hart might
have done had he not just finished another
exhaustive contest is hard to say. To be
less than fifty miles behind the winner,
and such winner, too, is, under the cir
cumstances, magnificent record, and the
ablest pedestrians may we'll regard with
apprehension this healthy, lively fellow,
who is so heartily in love with his work,
and who, instead of saving himself, seems
always to have vitality to spare. Merritt,
too, is decided surprise, and one
to be proud of, for no man on
the track had less experience. His record,
fifteen miles better than that OF Rowell
when he won the belt last spring, is one to
marvel at. Properly trained Merritt will
bo terror TO oil the greater pedestrians,
Rowell not excepted. Hazael, in spite of
wonderful capacity for shorter efforts, is
apparently TOO erratic and headstrong to
ever be q dangerous opponent to a steady
man.
| Who can help being sorry for fine John
Ennis, who has will enough to do almost
anything on the track except keep his own
digestion in or1cr2 The man evidently has
q nervous system too sensitive for his busi-
ness, and accident has added to misfortune
ever since no took TO the track. No one
could retire from podostrianism with a bot
ter record as n man or kindlier remem-
brances from those who have watched his
career. Guyon, too, who has for two or
three days suffered tortures that would
have broken down many stolid savage,
has deservedly gained hosts of hearty
admirers.
No one is likely to take the track again
on diet of pie and tea, or because he has
trundled wheolbarrow on leisurely walk
across the Continent. As for the others
who have dropped out by the way, they are
at least warning against attempting such
feat merely on youthful enthusiasm. In
deed, among the general and desirable ef-