The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-12-11
NY GREAT FOOT RACE.
BY AL BERT BRITT

the white feather. but for the first time
m my life l was afraid-a pure physical
16d 1e WASH very tired, although the
~ IS a hard race, and viii wind the best
Vi inem. was in the pink of condition
dHu NJ 70 run for my life, but so was
BalIeys and had seen enOusn of him in
the Ilfst race to know that he had the
endurance and heart of a thoroughbred.
L mad Won the race, but it had taken All
my speed TO do it, and the DO was always
my best event. The Thought of the main
OF the longer race at a killing pace. with
the agony OF defeat at the end of it, and
right before her eyes. too. was almost too
much Tor me, and l rolled over on nv face
ana clenehed my teeth hard together
You fool, / whispered to myself Are
you going to give in now? What's a
over2'
1t seemed as though the afternoon
would never wear away. I could hear the
shouts of applause from the crowd as the
other events We're being finished, and
men We're passing in and out of the
dressing room continually. Some We're
flushed with victory and some We're pale
and sick in defeat but nothing could take
my mind off the fateful race that was
coming There were other men entered
for the same event, but / feared no one
but Bailey.
When at last the race was called. Jack
came in and helped me up and walked
out with me to the start holding the
blanket around me with his arm was
shivering as though in a chill, and my
D'f'f-A%'
strain / was in. Jack noticed my pale
face and weak limbs. and whisDered L
Know how you feel, old fellow. but you'll
10 all right when you get going. She's
watching you" L didn't dare look up
brt Bailey did and waved his hand.
1t was a four-lap track and Bailey
drew the inside. Get on your markSi
Jack stripped the blanket from nv
shoulders and stepped to the white
mark. was steady as d rock now and
c IL my fear had left me. Get setr' and
a leaning
ward, with muscles tense and Cuivering
and anxious eyes staring straight ahead.
Bang! We leaped ahead and the race was
| begun.
The pace was bound to be hot. for
Bailey was thirSung for revenge, and I
Mas not disposed to lag. now that my
6f)Od was UP. The other three men
dtJpped behind in the first 100 yards and
were never in the race at all. [ knew
that my only salvation was in making
BAILEY set the pace and then Sprinting
saSt MIN at the finish but the pace was
tremendous. At the upper end of the
stretch, ITO yards from the tape we were
abreast ard knew that whoever won
now would do it in record time. My feet
felt heavy as lead and my breath was
coming in snort, quick gasps, that cut
my dry throat like q knife Nv knees
were weak and gave with every stride as
though about TO collapse. This was where
1 always won my races and | gathered
myselI Tor the last sprint. 1t was no use.
Strain as L would, he kept steadily at
my elbow, and then began to forge slow
" ahead. Inch by inch he edged past
me and 1 knew that l was beaten. Fifty
yards from the tape 1 summoned all my
strength in a last desperate effort and
held even for twenty yards, but he pulled
ahead again and broke the tape a yard
IN front or me. A. L crossed the line,
everything spun around for an instant
and then darkness settled down upon me
and L tumbled over in Jack arms.
As they were carrying me into the
dressing room, consciousness came back
and 1 saw the SrandStand like a tossing
sea OF color In the midst of it all sat
Lillian, pale and still, with her banner
motionless in her hand. The next thing
/ knew We We're on the train bound for
home. Lillian was on the same train. but
L was too tired and sick and gloomy to
care even Tor that We HAD won the
meet, but what were a thousand meets
compared with what l had staked on
that one race. Jack seemed to under
stand my case exactly, and cared for me
as Ienderly as a woman. when l knew
he would much rather have been in the
smoker celebrating with the other fell
lows.
Late that evening, as L was sitting I'D
IN bed slipping some sort OF a warm de-
coction that Jack had mixed for me the
door bell rang and Jack ran downstairs
In moment he was back again with a
large fiat box addressed to me. L opened
1t and there in a bed of damp moss was
d great bouquet OF fragrant roses. wi hat
/ the deuce?' L began and then note fell
! out OF the bunch as l lifted ii. [ knew
the handwriting at glance. and a warm
I glow ran all over me that wasn't due
| to the liquid warmth 1 had been sipping
L tore the note open and read:
/ Dear Mr.. ROgers-AcceDt these flow
ers as partial COMPENSATION for my
! rGdeness OF Yesterday and your defeat
! of this afternoon. L really wanted YOU
/ 20 WIN. and shall never forgive Mr.. Bal
I ley. for beating YOU (shs had called him
] George the day before). Il shall be at
nome tomorrow evening. Sincerely yours,
/ LILLIAN J. BLOCK
was able to be out the next day and
/ called or Lillian in the evening. As L
/ was going up the steps of her home. L
! met Mr.. Bailey coming down. He WASH
/ looking especially fresh for a victor. and
] l stepped aside to let him pass with a.
/ wicked thrill of exultation in my heart
| was half sorry for him, too. He had
! beaten me. but had lost so much. Then
I the door opened and L went in to my
victory.