The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-02-11
to be wound up and he said, "Did they

to be wound up and he said "Did they
wind you extra tight, Jlmmy?"
Jimmy's face went white as II struck
him that he had not been wound al all,
but boy like, he thought he'd probably get
through all right, so he said nothing. But
he stopped jumping and said: Lets
hurry up and get to the library"
There was quite a crowd of Winchester
people at the library for the local paper
had contained a notice of the coming race
and as II was Saturday nobody In town
had anything to do. That is nobody who
counts for anything. / believe some Of
the grown ups did have some work to at
tend to, but after ell what are grown
ups? only children who have outllved
their usefulness. You'll have great times
when you grow up and some, OF you won't
regret that you are no longer children,
but tell you that when a fellow is a boy
everything is fresh and new and he doesn't
know it all, even IL he sometimes thinks
be does. When he grows up he doesn't
know 1t all either but he certainly does
know that he was awfully lucky to have
had boyhood and the more he Keeps his
memory on II the better time he will have
right up TO the end of the chapter.
AT 10 o'clock old Mr.. Dixon started them
off 1t was to be square heel and toe
walk and for block they kept pretty c,oss
together. Then Jimmy and Elgin began
to walk away from the others and II began
to look as If It were going TO lie between
them. But it's long way to Arlington
and some of the boys were reserving their
force for the end of the contest so there
was hope even for plodding Dorchester
Medford who at the end of the first mile
was two blocks in the rear of the process
sion.
Mr.. Dixon had hired a wagon and he
rode along, cheering the boys and urging
them to do their best
a n "a "a Az
said Jimmy. at lies between me and you
and / bet I'll win" He and Elgin were
neck and neck.
You'll have to take an electric to do Il,
then" said Elgin, with spirit. Anyhow.
boy that's wound up ought TO go faster
than a plain everyday boy. l don't think
il was fair 10 let you in"
Again Jimmy's heart sank. What II he
should run down? He felt all right. but
he knew that when he stopped he'd stop
all at once and without any warning.
Don't talk, walk" said he shortly, and
pegged away. his little legs swinging back
and forth with the regularity of piston
rods.
When they reached Arlington, Medord
had crept up to fourth place and Somer-
vile Newton was neck and neck with Ell
gin, but Jimmy had gained the lead and
was steadily increasing 1t.
Across the tracks they went and around
old Mr.. Dixon cheering Justify and grow
| ing almost apoplectic with his exertions
ITS Jimmys race" he shouted, and
any one could tell that he was glad. Wen,
Jimmy was a general favorite and next
to winning It himself l guess every boy
would rather have seen Jimmy win It than
any one else.
The pace began to tell on them all on
the way back, but they were game lads
and while the old gentleman rode along
as pacemaker, they would not have given
up IL the way had been ten times as long
They were all Massachusetts boys and
there are no boys TO beat those unless 1t
Is the boys Of the rest of the United
States.
They were within a quarter OF a mile
Of the home stretch when Jimmy began
to slacken his pace. This encouraged Med
ford who had been gradually working his
way up in the procession and he passed
someryilie who had long ago dlstanced
Elgin and steadily advanced until he was
within rod Of Jimmy. 1t had been re-
dropped out.
You should have seen MIR. Dixon's face
when he saw his favorite losing ground.
As for Elgin, he was so encouraged that
he broke into a run and of course lost
his chance OF winning.
For one brief moment Jimmy thought