The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-06-14
A LIVELY RUN.

hpleasantr
"but IL was very strange
EVERY morning, You must know, I am
walked by my landlady, who puts tho
morning paper and other mail In al my
| bedroom door. I can Just reach them
from the bed, and by leaning over some
what can pick up tho letters.
"This morning II was just the same.
heard the knock and the rustic of the pa
| per on the floor opened the door and
found the newspaper and letter from
you"
"From meY'
"Yes, from you. First read the pa
per, Of COURSE
"Oh, of course" said he.
"Then tore open the envelope and read
your letter. 1t was long letter and as
illegible as ever.'
"What on earth do you meanP" he ex.
claimed. II have not written any
''That Is Just the mystery, If you will
only wait. When ! woke, found the
newspaper on my bed, but no letter. ]
searched everywhere, but could not find
10. Then looked at the paper. 1t had
evidently not been opened, and when l
had not read word. Wasn't that oddf'
"What was in the letter." he asked.
II don't remember"
"Too bad" said he, with a mock sigh,
"for who knows how far the spirit may
have prompted my pen. But let me tell
yon something that happened to me, oven
more odd. Do you ever dream while you
are awakep"
"Do you mean day dreams, when one Is
reading book or sewingP" she asked.
eyes, often"
No, not day dreams Do you ever soc
things that aren't therep'
"No."
"Well, do. Do you remember the time
I ran at the games and broke the record2"
eyes. didn't know you very well
then, but l remember how you came up
to us, after the race was over, when you
had rested, and l remember how different
you looked In your ordinary clothes. :"
The young man laughed. Every WELL"
he went OH. "That is the time l had my
vision.
II was the fourth man on the outside
you may remember, when we started. The
fellow in black on my right believed to
be champion runner, end was awfully
afraid of him. Every time that looked
at him my knees felt weak. Suddenly
there came the bang Of the pistol and off
he went. I took the lead and kept it for
the first three laps There were nine laps
to go. l could sec everything as distinctly
as though it were picture. remember,
for instance, just where you sat- and that
you had bunch of flowers on your lap,
and when l came around the fourth time
1t was gone, and l wondered to whom you
might have given 1t. remember also
how some of my friends shouted my name
and waved their red flags frantically
Just as was crossing the line on that
same fourth lap heard one of the judges
or timers say, That little fellow in black
Is going to win the race. The words were
spoken low, but I could hear them dis
tinctly. At the same time there came a
pattering of feet behind me. l made
squirt, but the pattering came nearer and
nearer, and presently a figure in black
passed Inc. Pinned on his back was
piece of cotton with his handicap number,
but it flutterod SO wildly that I could dis
tinguish only the nought. made another
dash to get the lead again, but he kept
right ahead Of me, and l saw that would |
squirt on the home stretch.
ave had three more laps to go.
Just then the band began to play hid.
eous march, with some high piercing notes
in the middle and loud crash toward the
end I remember that afterward, when
we were coming homo, I heard nothing
but this march all night long as lay toss.
ing in my berth in the sleeping car.
AS l was saying, wo had two more
laps to go, and still the little fellow in
black was right In front of me. Our boys
cheered and shouted to me to run faster,
and the heavyweights who were throwing
the hammer in the middle of the field
stopped to watch the finish. Throughout
that lap tried to catch up with him, but
not an inch nearer did / get, and now
ca:le the last lap and the final squirt and
felt played out before the end When we
turned tho last curve, ! gathered up what
little speed was left in me, clinched my
fists, gritted my teeth and ran down the
home stretch as If it were 100 yard dash.
There was big din of voices and hun.
dreds Of flags seemed to be dancing up
and down necessarily. myself was sur
prised that should be able to run so fast.
But no, too, was running like fiend, and
when / crossed the line he was ct least
five yards ahead Of me.
Somebody caught me and laid me on
my back. They sprinkled water on my
face and gave me an orange to suck. My
chum came along and shook my hand.
Others came and grasped me by the hand.
"As soon as l cared to speak l asked
who had beaten me.
Nobody beat you,' said my chum.
You were way ahead Of the rest
I" Where was the other man. said I,
the little follow in black2'
There wasn't any fellow In black.
Oh, yes-let me see-he was back, behind
the others; he and another who gave out
early. They must have come in more
than half lap behind you
When did he fall baokp' asked with
growing wonder.
" oh, quite at tho beginning. He
WASH { in it from the start
" DO you mean to say, asked l, that
was first all the wayP'
Why, certainly, old man. You were
way ahead. guess your head feels lit
lie queer, doesn't itp'
No, it doesn't, said I, as I got to my
eet Only man can never be sure that
le sees straight when he is running
ace
l always see straight said my chum,
while limped off to take bath and to
Iress."
Eyes, that was very strange" said the
,irl, taking long breath. II am sure |
lid not see any one ahead Of you during
hat race. Have you ever seen that other
-other-man-againT' ,
ono Rut I also have never come ouh
rst in any event since then. However,
1T s take walk and talk about something
ensible." {
So they went and talked about them" ,
elves for the rest of the day.--Now York '
I'm. !
Philadelphia Fed.
First Chicken (thoughtfully)- wonder