Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-28
A HUSBAND AS THE PRIZE.
Strange Contests in Which the Par
Elephants Were Women.
From Tit Bits

The joint birthday of King Carlos of Port
ugal and his consort was celebrated at a
village near Braga in novel way. a hand
some young farmer named Goethe. for
whom several local beauties had long sighed
in vain, determined to sacrifice his freedom
by offering himself as a prize to her who
should be successful in a bullock race.
Seven handsome peasant girls appeared
at the starting post, riding barebacked on
bullocks with decorated horns and tails. A
capital start was effected, but ere half the
distance had been traversed the favorlte
was thrown and displayed her chagrin by
seizing the tail of the second bullock In an
endeavor to impede a rivals progress. This
resulted in an unpopular competitor coming
in first, whereat the onlookers were so dis
gusted that they ducked the judge in
pond.
New Brunswick was the scene, four years
since, of a bicycle race, over course of
two miles, between a couple of girls who
were rivals for the affections of an eligible
swain. The prize himself, with parson by
his side, took his stand at the winning
post, and no sooner had the winner, Miss
Nellie Donnelly, passed the goal than the
ceremony was performed, and the newly
married couple left the ground amid the
acclama tons of the large concourse that
had witnessed the contest.
To run to point some hundred yards
distant, there to change dresses for others
idlQ IN readiness on the ground, ana TO re-
turn to the starting point was the trial
undertaken last year at Brussels by some
half dozen women to decide which should
wed a who had offered himself as a
prize to the winner. On the word being
given, one at once dropped to the rear and
logged on quite unconcernedly, for she was
aware that the sleeves of the dresses laid
out for her rivals had been sewn up. The
confusion consequent on this enabled her to
win the race and the prize. who. it is more
than likely. was well aware of the ruse.
The keeper Of a Havre restaurant some
eight years back offered himself as a prize
TO be run for in an obstacle race by young
women Here. too. suspicion pointed to the
result having been previously arranged, for
the last difficulty to be overcome consisted
of wriggling between two bars close to-
gether that none but the slimmest could
pass. Six out of seven competitors were
thus put out of the race, which was won
by wisp of a girl, who, negotiating the
narrow space with little trouble, carried off
Boniface. In accordance, probably, with that
willy mans intention.
The first prize In a cookery competition
held at Vienna In the early sos a
young man, the owner of pork butchers
establishment, in whose declared opinion
good household management was an indis-
pensable necessity in married life. Some
score or more spinsters and widows dis
played their culinary skill that of a pro-
fessional cook being accounted worthiest of
the prize. The young man, however, stultt-
fed the decision of the judges by clipping
with the prettiest of the competitors.
Equally perfidious was the conduct of a
young Liverpudlan who some years back
offered his hand and fortune as first prize
for sack race, over fifty yards, to be
competed for by girls under twenty-five
years of age At the goal he stood ready TO
surrender himself TO the winner. but when
he recognized in the leader a gaunt woman
of notorious temper bis courage failed him
and he fed. The baked woman threatened
both law proceedings and personal chas-
tisement. but was at length moliiiied by
sufficient money TO set her up in business.