The Portland daily press., 1895-04-29
RACE ON WOODEN LEGS.
Sport for the Timber-tOed as Enjoyed
in France.

A race between sixty-six wooden-legged
men and one wooden-legged woman was
the novel sporting event which took
place on March 10, at Nogent-surMarn
pretty village three miles east of the
Paris Notifications. Judging from the
widespread attention which the contest
attracted and the ardor OF the numerous
wooden-leg races, bld fair to become cpl
demic in and around Paris during the
coming summer
The novel idea originated in the MIN
BILE brain of NJ. Ward, the one-legged
tavern-keeper i'll this village On the River
| Marine. Business for the surveyors of
food and drink-aspecialIy drink-nas
| been much depressed Of late, and one rainy
evening not long ago, after listening for
some time to the boasts of pedestrian
| proves made by two Of his patrons who
were "tim ber-toed" like himself, he
offered to race them both twice around
the large room for bottle of wine.
The innkeeper won, and, while enjoy
ing the fruits of his victory, suddenly
proposed to the assembled company a
similar contest Oh a large scale. The
| idea met with instant favor and COM
mittee was organized for the reception
of entries. The sixty-seven who Compel
| ed respond ed at the fist call, and it was
deemed wise not to increase this mum Der
until the success or failure OF the first
meeting was assured.
| A short time before the race took place
the competitors filed into M. Wards
cabaret in order to verify their entries
and to receive the numbered armlets
which were to serve them for their COL
ors Some of the names of the contest
ants were most picturesque. One, a M.
Tissot, insisted on being. described in
this fashion: 1.-THE Terrible Champion
of Belleyille, widely known as Head of
Celery;' the professional acrobat, who
will perform tomorrow in one Of our
grand Partisan Cafe concerts"
SOME OF THE COMPETITORS.
The other curious types ranged in
years from boy of Q to a graybeard of
CO. There were M. Roulin, who had
come all the way from Orleans; M
an undertaker's mute; N. Florent, I" q
| lyric artist" from the Delassements-Com
iques of Menilmontant, a we'll known
quarter of Paris, and the descendant Of
an illustrious family, NJ. LIE Comte de
Stock. The one who attracted the most
| attention, however, was the sole repre-
sentative of the feebler but more beauti-
full sex, Mile. Collet, who did not draw
back at the prospect of showing her
wooden leg.
The commissary general in the tavern,
who had assumed temporarily the duties
of secretary, noted down the age of each
contestant-Mlle Collet owned up to &c
years-and likewise the cause of his in
| trinity. One of the odd propositions
which NJ. Ward had to listen to WAS
that Of deaf man who asked that the
signal for starting might be pist oil
fired close to his ear, as otherwise he
might be left at the post. The commit
tee deli berated on this some time, but as
there were no firearms handy they were
unable to grant the request, and the
| deaf man was forced to how respectfully
| to their decision.
The course was about 600 feet in
| length. along the road lying between the
river and the base of the viaduct of
Nogent-sur-Marne. 1t was a most pic
| turesoue SPOT, and a large crowd lined
| both sides of the track.
Before the races began the contestants
busted themselves with all sorts of pre-
parations. Some took preliminary
canter over the course, while others spent
their time in putting the finishing touchs
to che, wooden members. One of the
champions even went SO far as to give
his & careful scraping. The ground was
10 DIST, and by this means he hoped to
diminish the adhesion OF the mud.
When o'clock came the starter called
the first race through an immense speak
ing trumpet, but when the contestaEt is
lined up an unforeseen difficulty present
ed itself-there were sixty-five who had
lost their legs at the thigh, and Jwo
whose stumps extended below Their
| knees. After much discussion the com
| mittee declined to make any distinction,
and lively storm Of protests al once
arose. One of the runners objected OBJ
stinately and retired from she race.
Finally, everything having been az,
and M. RouIin. who had the advantage
of a knee, was easily the winner.
| 1t was so evident that his leg, having
been cut below the knee, gave him great
superiority over the cUissards,' or those
who had lost theirs at the thigh, that he
at once unanimously disqualified. He
| acknowledged the justice of the decision
should mention his victory, and that he
should not lose the bets he had made
He took great pride in the fact that his
name would thus pass down to posterity
as the champion wooden-legged runner
of the world in the lam bard" class.
SOME SPECIAL RACES.
Special races then followed, the con
testants being matched according to age,
those with the right leg gone being pit
ted against each other, while those--whose
left legs were missing raced together.
Then there were races between the cham
pions of each class, and finally consoli-
dation race.
The weather was threatening, and the
track slow and heavy from recent rains,
but both participants and spectators
were more than satisfied with the re-
suits, and there was much laughter as
some of the runners Went by jumping on
all fours and turning cartwheels like a
| ,T