The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-11-12
THE RACE=MEET OF THE
ATLANTIS WREELMEN.

BY MARY
c. FRANCIS.



heat for a final does not alter the po-
sition of the men in the final and so
when they were lined up in the ladder
once more for the trial that would de-
eide all, the relative position OF the
ucn was the same. Scott was on the
scratch again, but he did not enjoy the
prestire OF Baird the local favorlte,
who. although he had run "in ana out
as the turf wond say, still held the pop
ular favor--something as ineNphcaoie'
bv the way, rs the supremacy OF manya
footlight queen whose physical charms
might alone explain the lack OF arusuc
merit.
ALTOGETHER. twelve men had qualified
for the final, and the "ladder' was maze
m with one man on scratch and one
each at a dozen different distances up
TO three hundred and fifty yards. The
crowd WINS Inassed IN the closest possi-
ole space 10 witness the event, and the
favorites were roundly cheered as they
took their places on the track, but, al
though Scott had his share as he went
|, out it was nothing in proportion to the
| greeting accorded Baird.
| !, Again the track was cleared, and
preliminary hush fell over the crowd
as the men awaited the signal. .Io-
| sephine had forgotten that she might
be the object of curious scrutiny and
| leaned over the edge of the box, know
! ing only that all her interest was CEN
tered in one of the men who sat mo-
tionless on his wheel, ready to shoot
/ n, nj
instant Ideas jostled strangely in her
brain. "Not Australia-anything but
| that" she said, to herself. "lie will
/ win the race--he must win it--but not
| Australia"
The last word had scarcely formed IT.
| self in her mind when she felt shock
from the starters pistol. The men were
off, and the final of the great handicap
race was taking place before her eyes.
Only experienced eyes could follow the
men, as they shot around the track on
the first lap of one-third of mile, and
keep their relative positions. Stewart
led: behind him came Burrelle, Martin
and Baird, in the order named, and they
started out in manner that left no
doubt that they intended to set the pace
for the entire race. The eight other
| men followed after in no evident haste
for the first mile or SO, Scott prudently
reserving himself for Developments at
the end of the third or fourth mile.
At the end of the first mile no one
could tell that any man had an advan-
tage over any other man, for they ran
easily in front of the judges stand in
line. Scott knew that il was n race,
not merely of speed. but of endurance
and tactics. and. while he did not re-
lax his gait, he kept wary eye on every
man ahead of him. with every muscle
ready TO sprint at run speed the instant
there was necessity for it. The sec.
ond mile was run much the same as the
first, and then the calls of the spec
tators indicated that there was de-
mand for display of speed. The men
began to warm up. IN the second lay
of the third mile the four men in the
lead showed a disposition TO creep up
on each other, frame of mind quickly
emulated by those behind, and the rival
ry of the two factions worked itself out
so promptly that a rapid pace was soon
set At the end of the third mile
swift race was in progress.
The relative positions of the men
were rapidly changing, and II seemed as
If everyone were rapidly coming up TO
his neighbor. Slowly but surely Scott
lessened the distance between himself
and Richards, the man just ahead OF
him. The second lap of the fourth
mile showed that the men were racing
for records--they passed the stand
amid a shout of applause that must
have stirred the blood in their veins to
renewed effort, If they were not already
making IT. AS they rounded into the
backstretch, the grand stand broke out
into a great cheer, for all the men sud
denly seemed to set a new pace, and
sprinted ahead at n gait that set the
! spectators wild. There wos break In
the color line, and, as they turned the
, corner for the final third of the fourth
mile. and came down the stretch at q
killing pace, there was roar that
/ echoed far out beyond the track The
l men had divided into two groups--thf
first bunch consisting of Stewart, Bur
, relle, Martin and Baird; the second of
r Scott, Richards and six others. A
| they rounded the turn for the last lar
: after the fourth mile, Scott shot ahead
G of the bunch in which he was travelling
e and set out closely in the lead of th'
r ,econd group, knowing that his rea
:. struggle would be there, and wher
5 hey passed the stand again, it was evi
I, 4
MI