Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1911-07-26

- UsUeooDo WAAeoVoe -
athles3cs.
Or day. 10 ~ surprise q IN. Il
was announced that the pAflsoopAse
hal nads applicatiea for tss psdns
co., hand and had offered 70 abade
b. The eonditioas she had laiA down
Tor her suitors. Ths city was at once
thrown Into great excitsnsnt One
said that the race would b Given 10
ths stranger Intentionally, another
that when Il should come on Il would
b found to BE- with the intellect In.
stead Of the legs. and in this case the
stranger would surely win. All sorts
Of rumors were anoat, greatly exaR-
gernted from those that had before
been circulated. as to the identity Of
the sutton. A few of her admirers
claimed for him a divine origin, hint
Ing that he was the offspring Of Mi
nerva. beside whose statue he had be-
gun his discourses. and that his moth
er had put In his head the words of
wisdom that came from his mouth.
At the other extreme were those who
upheld the theory that he was a freed
man.
That the race was to be a muscular
one was soon evident from prepare
tons at the stadium for the event,
a large number Of extra seats being
put In for the occasion. 1t was ru-
mored that the king was 30 incensed
at the idea Of his daughters holding
such contest with an unknown per-
son that he had consented to the race
only on condition that II she failed to
win she should be beheaded Then
those who admired and loved her were
appalled, By an edict from the king
confirming this report Suppose that
BY accident or temporary weakness
she should ioss the race. she would
lose her head and they would lose
their princess.
Such Q contest between these two
was enough to excite the citizens Of
the island. and when 1t was ordered
that the princess should loss her head
II she did not win everybody went
Wild to obtain admittance to the sta
dunn where It was to take place. When
the gates were opened q throng at
once poured In that soon Oiled the In
closure. and they were closed again.
leaving a multitude without
The princess and the philosopher
stood on the starting line. the princess
with loose cloak about her to protect
her from the wind in lieu Of the mod
ern sweater. The philosopher wore
the same baggy garments in which
he had discoursed. When the order
was given to make ready the princess
threw of her cloak, while her antag-
onist doffed his upper garment and,
unloosening a cord about his waist,
dropped his neither covering on the
ground.
An exclamation of surprise greeted
his uncovered body. He proved to be
a combination of bone and muscle,
without particle of superfiuous fat
Then came conflict Of feeling
among the onlookers. Perhaps the
princess would lose the race and her
head. Perhaps she would beat this
splendid combination Of muscles work
ing under soft white skin, What a
match between such n perfect man
and woman!
The stadium was an oblong affair
sunk in the ground. with stone seats
for the spectators. The terms OF the
race were that the contestants should
20 over the course on three laps. the
goal being the starting point. where
was also the royal box. The princess
showed an exhilaration or. rather. an
interest which clearly indicated that
she knew her fathers edict to be no
mere threat 1t was matter Of life
and death with her. There was that
about the stranger to indicate conf
dence None knew whether he would
doom to death the woman he desired
by winning the race. but the prevalent
BELIEF was that he would win II he
could
The signal was given. and the run
ners were Off like the wind. The stran-
ger slowly fell behind. then maintain
ed a trifing distance When they pass
ed the starting point after the hrst
lap II was evident that both were put
ting forth every effort On the second
lap the stranger continued to lose. but
midway round began to gain When
the point for the third lap was passed
the two were neck and neck. The
princess breath was noticed to b
coming hard. while that of her antag-
onist was improved
The race was long one. and when
the runners neared the goal they came
slowly. tho stranger In the lead Then
II was seen that the princess was
staggering. Suddenly cry arose from
the spectators. The stranger. seeing
that their eyes were turned on the
princess. looked back and saw her lying
on the ground Though he was within
. hundred feet Of the goal he stopped.
went back TO her and lifted her In his
arms. She was unconscious