The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1903-06-25

He kept bic syes GIed on the tfsot .
be rem. l, seemed 10 be rnshins 10 uts
him, snd hs isncied IL swsysd and reeled
Sonetincs his foot hii The cindtrs to
soop. sometimes The track dropped dosr
slnost ou, OF reach. Bat still bs force,
bis legs up and dovp, up snd down, uI
snd down. until l, seemed thst the te
rible, uouotonous strids mast auslly civ,
gay 70 the toddiius gait Of little bab!
iost learning to Walk.
Elton lost oil connt OF bic position on
the irsct uttil bis e,s, isll upon The II
tls boles The runners Of the hundred
yard dash bad dus 10 starting. Then h'
knew the rsce YES almost ended snd b,
tried TO pot forth the whole strength
OF bic body. Gould he run those lssl
100 yards without fslliusi
Up 10 the stsnd stsnd the crowd was
yelling maaly. He heard bis own name
shouted sssin and ssaib, bot the sounds
seemed 10 come from great dis,snce.
The iooti.lis Of The other runner bed
died ont now, and he wondered II II
we're possitle that the man bad passed
him With out tis noticing Il, BE looked
d the track ahead. half expecting TO see
the runner. bot Il vas deserted clesr up
10 the tsut little string that marked the
6oish. 30 be lowered bic head and be
ssn to count once more ss bis feet bin
the cinders.
He wss close 10 the finish now, running
si,h mouth open snd eyes bali shut, He
staggered from side 10 side OF the track,
only dimly seeing the crowd thst lined
IL. Then. through his hsli-cloeed eyes,
be saw .he tspe Iust ahead.
The sigh, seemed to put new strength
into him. he opened bis eyes vide and
threw bsct bis head. tqusripg bis shoul
ders. His legs .humped up and down
with more ,venness,
There was one awful second when the
tape. just 10 he reached 1t. seemed to melt
away in the distance. Bot the next In
slant be came foil upon II. and With
arms high 10 The cir felt IL bresk across
bis bres.t he hsd won the isce.
A dexcn friends rushed out to catch
him, As be fell into their arms there
was . quick sweep Of cir behind him,
and the runner who had followed close
1t bis heels crossed the line. . good
second. Elton looked onrionsly st him
for . minute. too tired to grasp The truth,
Then be biinked wonderingly, rubbed bic
eyes once or twice, and started to spesk,
But before b. had uttered three words,
the snnouncer OF the races beloved
great megaphone: Resnlt Of
the mile run: First, Eltor; second, DaD |
"; third, Psstor.
1t was true. The rurnsr who Elton |
hsd feared would pass him was none other
thsn Den,y, bis own man. The thing
vas explained simply enough. Az the
lime when Elton glsnoed over bis shoul
der, TO And bis mate apparently missing.
Dsnty bad joss come up rspidly into the
place OF one Of the other runners who
dropped ont exhausted. EIton's blurred
vislon had been unable to distinguish
laces. Instead Of getting Hrst place by
nsiov margin, bis tesm hsd taken second
,s we'll. The meet was unquestionsbly
Won,
For The 6rst time since the race, Elton
smiled broadly. His university had won
'he meet, be had taken arst place 10 the
mile run. Such Q combination be had
opg ego regarded % impossible.
While be was still emilioe. the mega
phone beloved ont some other announce
nent. 10 On instant the crowd wss yelling
'nd cheering 10 . perfect iury. The
,osch Of the team rushed up and erssped
Elton's hand.
Whist is III asked E ton half dsEsd.
Don't you knovi demanded the coscb
With hsppy face. You broke the inter
'olleests record for the mile iup. l.
They we're crowding around him nov
o great mum bers. ssch ready for congrstu
ssions. The coach tbumped him on the
,sck with great heartiness. The big
ooibsll player soss.lrsd The crowd right
nd left % be made bis wsy 10 Elton's
ide, and slipped one Of the runnert
,hits hands iuso bis great brown.
Bat bes. Of sll, plesssn,-'sced man
pushed bis wsy through
be group oil EIton's admirers. and reach
o. him u last threw IN arm thectionsts
: round his shoulders and turned TO in
roduce him 10 the men who bad followed
i'm.
Gsntlemen, be ssid. With ptoud emphs
is. this 10 my sopl : Youths Compspion
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