, 1908-08-29

HAANS H
THE SCENE IN THE STADIUM
An enormous crowd filed the Stadium to
witness the end of the race.
"Clear the course for the Marathon race"
comes the announcement through the mega
phone. A policeman is waiting az one of the
gangways on the further side of the ground.
There is a continual Glamour of tens of thou
sands of people talking and shouting. The
photographers are kneeling on the grass at
the edge of the track waiting for whoever it
may be. Most probably Hefferon, who at
81 miles is still leading, followed by Doran-
do. There is an indescribable thrill of ex-
element in the air. The judges are cluster
ed round the tape in front of the Royal Box.
And at last he comes, A tired man, daz-
ed, bewildered, hardly conscious, in red
shorts and white vest, his hair white with
dust, staggers on to the track. 1t is Doran-
do, the italian. He looks about him, hardly
knowing where he is. just the knowledge
that somehow, by some desperate resolve Of
determination, he must get round that 200
yards to the tape of the finish, keeps him on
his feet. Fifty yards, and it cannot even do
that. He falls on the track, gets up, stag
gers on a few yards and falls again, and yet
again and then he reaches the last turn.
The goal is in sight, though his closed eyes
cannot see it. He is surrounded by officials
almost, if not quite, supporting him, urging
and cheering him on If they were not
there he would fall. He cannot run straight.
And yet so Yards from the end he suddenly
burst into o pathetic, almost a horrible,
parody of a squirt, drops again ten yards
from the tape, rises, staggers forward over
those last terrible few yards, and has reach
the goal.
But not with much to spare, Hayes, of the
ULited States, follows him into the Stadi-
UNI, q long way behind him in time, bat,
comparatively, q fresh and strong man, who
can actually run, and is fast catching him up.
Not quite, however, though he has run %
magnificent race. So have several Of the
Americans. They come in, one after the
other, Americans, Indians, and Canadians,
none of them, happily, in the Same dreadful
state as Dorando, the Italian, but with a
bewildered look on their faces, drawn and
pale with exhaustion, as though wondering
what they are doing. 1t seems as if The first
Englishman will never come. And all the
time the cheering goes on, every few minutes
swelling round the course into q louder roar
as one by one they come. For if only one
man can win, it is something even to finish
in this Marathon race. Dorando was very
i'll after leaving the track, but he soon recov-
cred from the effects OF the race.
SUCCESSFUL PROTEST BY HAYES.
The Americans protested against Doran-
dos win on the ground that he received
assistance, and the protest was finally sus-
tanned by the council. 50 that, after all,
the unfortunate man had his agonized strug-
giles to no purpose. Altogether the finish of
the race was far from satisfactory. The rule
about attendants not being allowed on the
course was fagraDtly broken. The position
of those in authority was undoubtedly diff
cult. It seemed inhuman to leave Dorando
to struggle on unaided. and inhuman to urge
him to continue. 1t did not seem right that
thousands Of people should witness a man
suffering as he did. 1t seemed hard that be
should lose the victory after having reached
the Stadium so long before any one else.
And yet, after all, the race was not to the
Stadium entrance, but to the finish in front
Of the Royal box, and it is extremely doubt
ful whether, by his own unaided exertions,
Dorando could ever have got so far. And
the Americans, who enjoyed the signal hon
our of providing three out of the first five
men home, are justly entitled to the special
glory Of claiming the actual winner.-i6 Ibid