The Dickinson press., 1884-02-09
RACING IN THE ANTIpoDEs.
| Scenes Around the Melbourne Graud
Stand.

Scenes Around the Melbourne Graud
Stand.
By noon the hill above the grand
stand was thickly covered with q pic
turesque forest of humanity; it looked
still in the distance, but was as unrest
ing as a beehive when approached.
This was the democratic place-admis.
sion two shillings-anl it was decided
y the best point from which to see the
course. 1t is an artificial hill built by
the committee (they could afford it on
their receipts of 100000 a year,, and
there was plenty of room on it. even
when occupied by some 100000 people.
The babies could freely roll down. its
turfy sides while their mammas were
lost in admiration of the costumes on
the lawn below, where they intend
those o babies ,s.bas shall promenade with the
e sesae when from they this grow hi Hp' T Nss
wonderful. Beyond the nigh
priced lawn and Enclosure was the great
"flat," on which an ever-moving multi
tude stretched away into the distance
until they looked like industrious ants.
But when the bell sounded they massed
themselves in a twinkling along the
course and became al organic whole-a
long curving anaconda. When a race
was over the momentarily motoinless
monster broke up again into bits and was
soon distributed over the plain.
What can l say of the grand stand?
Probably $4,000 people were there or
thereabout, mostly in costliest costumes
some Of these imported for the occa-
sion at q cost of from s1OO to $500. The
wonder of 1t! CreduIous travellers III
times tell lis of Hindoo jugglers who
c~onjure from the floor a bush which
clothes itself with blossoms while the
spectator is gazing. and it st ems as if
some magic had evoked this vast Vivto-
ria Regia, whose petals were brilliantly
arrayed ladies. The dresses were finer
in genera! effect than in detail. But criti-
c;sm was sdisarmed when one saw the
happy, beaming aud generally intelligent
faces of those so finely decorated. 1t
was pleasant to see 80 many people. evi.
IDENTIFY of humble origin, who had grown
rich enough 10 indulge their tastes in a
matter Of SO much moral importance as
dress. There is something to be said
"the consciousness of being perfectly
dressed affords o satisfaction not to be
obtained from the consultations of re-
~lision." That sort of satisfaction was
visible in every feminine face on the
grand stand and its lawn, and what is
anybody else's preference compared
with theirs? The whole ~race.course, its
environment and arrangements, can
only be described as q work of ait. Their
completeness is due chiefly to the secre.
tary of the Victoria Racing Club, who
tells me he knows nothing whatever
about horses or racing. 1t this gentle
man could only succeed in reducing O,
regulating lf ii is incuraole) the betting
mania, he ought to go to England and
teach them there how to make a race
an enjoyable holiday. EPSON knows
nothing of these careful preparations Of
tables for luncheons, or of the regiment
of boys that remove all bottles and re-
tuse from the sward in large baskets.
I had nearly forgotten to say that
shere was some racing yesterday, too.
Several times l managed to turn from
the human attractions and observed
small islets of y%arlegated caps and sashes
floating around the pear.shaped course,
dark streaks of steeds beneath them,
Ioam of dust in their wake. Each horse
and rider were fixed in one Centaur
LOI1iS dilu IL was uOI Wltilout uoduGy.
But eve the strained sinews we're less
pleasing than the continuous murmur
chat accompanied the mutned drum-beat
Of the hoofs, rising through all the scale
the single voice Of the hundred thou
sand-to break at last in a wild cheer to
the victor. In that cheer 1 joined in.
wardly, but it was with citation at be.
holding such a vast concourse of human
beings. with shining faces and glad
voice, forming together a magnificent
happiness framed in the scenery of q
fresh and prosperous land.-M. D. Con.
way in San Francisco Chronicle.