THE StTNDAT OREGONTAN, PORTLAND, MARCH 21, 1915.
HELURLS TOEH-E WILE
WINNING INDOOR RELAY RACE
TOt'CHED THE H AN 1) OF THE
.iiiiiiiii'ttTT -
OR weeks the oval cinder running
track in "the cage" under the
Westover Institute's gymnasium had
been crowded with boys in training to
make the relay team which was to
race against Kelmar Academy in their
annual contest.
Afternoon after afternoon, under the
watchful eye of Trainer Martin, the
big squad of candidates had worked
out on this palatial indoor track that
measured only 16 laps to the mile.
There were fat boys with squatty,
pudgy legs, and thin boys with spindle
ones; boys with bulging muscles and
lads who, as Trainer Martin put it.
"hadn't a thing but their running
shoe's."
Round and round the track they had
gone, each of them training hard for
the quarter-mile run and hoping to be
picked as one of the four boys who
should bear old Westovers orange and
black to victory over Kelmar's red and
white.
Gradually, as the afternoons had
sped by, the trainer had "cut down"
the squad until but a dozen remained.
Then the .training had become more
rigorous than ever; for each of the 12
boys was leaving no stone unturned
to increase his chances of being picked
for the relay team.
Not one of them but what cheer
fully passed up pie and candy and
coffee and fhe dozens of other things
a boy in training is supposed not to
eat And when taps sounded each
night they were all in bed before the
last notes of the bugle had died away,
firm in their resolve to get the neces
sary hours of rest, as ordered by
Trainer Martin.
Then, as the day of the great race
drew near, the squad had been cut to
eight boys. And then had come the
afternoon when the trials were held.
One at time, each of the boys toed
the mark, tense, taut, alert to be oft
the very instant the pistol shot rang
out With Trainer Martin -noiaing
ju...
the stop-watch on
had run
the quarter-mile "against,
. .. v .v. 1 .t hid com-
And when the last boy had com
pleted his dash Trainer Martin had
"grrunners and announced his se!
lections for the team. v
They were: "Red" Morris, 53 sec
onds flat: "Josh" Wilson. 54 1-5 sec-
onds; "Bud" Allison. 65 seconds, and
Skeets" HarriFon, 51 4-5 seconds: with
"Spindle" Shanks. 56 seconds, as the
substitute. And they were to run in
that -order, with "Skeets," who had
been the acknowledged school cham
pion ever since his flrst race for West
over, running last As for "Spindle"
so-called because of his long legs and
his last name he was simply the ub
tltute who had no chance of getting in
the race unless something prevented
one of the four regular running.
Then the live boys had settled down
to have the finishing touches put upon
them for the great race. With what
seal' they had "worked out" and with
what care Trainer Martin had watched
to get and keep each of them "on
edge," only boys who have themselves
trained for the quarter-mile the most
difficult perhaps, of all distances can
know or evn imagine. ,
And now it was the night of the big
race. .Westover gymnasium or. rather,
the big "cage" in the cellar of it with
its costly cinder track, was crowded
with spectators.
There were hundreds- of- them.
The
Sf OUR PUZZLE CORNER M
l TIG PgZZLE. I
Caa yon find the pig In this picture f
COLOR PIZZtE.
If the following are written one be
low another, their central letters will
speil the name of a color.
1. A solution cf alkaline salt
2. An instrument used to open
locks
3. A drink.
4. Not well.
5. The opposite to high. v
. A bird that fhes at, night
Xl'MERICAL.
I am composed of eight letters.
1. M; 1, 1, I, lit the limb of a
bird.
CROUCHED, WAITING "JOSH,
- T - - - - - - - - ' ..!
. ' . -
Westover rooters were massed Just op-
posite the "Apish," while right next
them were seated several hundred
students from Kelmar Academy who
had come with their' relay team to
cheer it in victory or defeat .
The school yells of the two factions
defiantd "snPy
occasion were their annual football
game. This relay race had long been
an annual event between the two in
stitutions and was considered quits as
important as their field and track meet
each Spring, or their football or base
ball contests. To win it' was the dear
est desire of every'student present
Presently the Westover team made
its appearance, Jogging around the
(i, . "warm uD.".They were
. . . 1- h it
And' thPlr snooorters
Ana tneir Buiijuiw,
Kelmar, boys.
took up th6 cBeerlnr wnere e
fcand ceased play,ns
preparatory to begin-
ning the thr.li.ng air scheduled to be
Dlayed during the race.
The two teams lined up at the
"start" each on opposite sides of the
I THEN IT HAPPENED.
track. A coin was tossed and Kelmar so swiftly they scarcely seem possi
won the "pole." or inside position for ble. It takes a quick-thinking and a
its flrst runner. Tom Gordon. "Red" cool man to meet such an, emergency
Morris took his place beside him, on
the mark, determined to wrest the
"pole" from him at the. first oppor
tunity. As the boys toed the mark, a hush
fell upon the spectators. ,
"Get on your mark get set "
cried the starter. An then "Bang!"
went his pistol. Both boys were oft
hmmHa iiririnlv unleashed. And
the band instantly broke ,forth in its
stirring, militant air. ,
Side by side tne two runnora uuu
around the track. . Tom Gordon still
holding the "pole." Every person In
the audience was on his feet and
cheering.
One lap two laps three laps Tom
and "Red" raced side by side. Then,
when they had completed about half
of the fourth and last lap itea s- nery
head forged to the front inch by inch,
until as he crossed the line and
toucnea ine nunu 01 mo ivu.
waiting "Josh," he was leading by
scant two feet. This, of course, gave
2. My 6, 7, 4 is used in writing.
S. My J, 5, 4, 7 ls a number.
My whole is a city of Canada.
Answers.
Color Puzzle: Yellow. 1, lye; 2. key;
Z, ale: 4. ill;. 5, low; 8. owL
Pig Puzzle. Turn the picture upside
down, hold it horizontally at tho level
of the eyes, close one eye and look to-
wards the center of the picture.
Numerical: Winnipeg. L, wlnr; t,
pen; 3. nine.
Westover the "pole" and a Slight lead.
-Josh" was off like a flash. But
Bill Southerland. the second Kelmar
runner, was right behind him. .In fact;
so excellent had been the latter's start
that he all but closed up the gap. For
two laps the two boys held their same
respective positions. Then "Josh"
oponed up with a burst of speed that
not even Trainer Martin thought was
iri him. . .
He seemed to literally walk away
from Bill. At the beginning of the
fourth lap; be had increased his lead
to nearly four yards. The Westover
rooters were wild with Joy. Bill fought
back nobly and managed to win back
a yard before tb next two runners
took the race.
With a three-yard start. "Bud" Alli
son, the slowest man on the Westover
team, excepting the substitute, ran
like a frightened rabbit If the truth "
ba told, maybe he was a little frigh-.
ened for this was his flrst big race.
But fear often lends wings to flying
feet for the first lap or two, anyway.
Dick Morgan, the third runner ton.
Kelmar, was a game lad and a good
runner; yet he was the slowest man
on" the Kelmar team. At the end of
the first lap" "Bud" had increased his
lead to six yards, though neither of
the boys was running a really fast
"quarter." And by the end of the sec-
and iap he had added another yard.
But Dick was running easily and glv-,
no apparent B.gns of distresa.
The Westover rooters were mighty
anxious. If "Bud" could only stick it
out so that "Skeets" could start with
even a one-yard lead they felt certain
the race was won, for "Skeets" was
at least two-fifths of a second faster
Kirk Thomas. Kelmar. la, t and
best man. But if
Bud" should fall
or weaken in the
stretch as they
feared he would do because he seemed
to be "running himself out" already
then a yard start to Kirk would
make It all but certain that "Skeets"
could not catch him.
Yet as Is sometimes the case with
green" runner, nothing of the sort
happened. In the third lap "Bud"
lost ground, but he stuck grimly to his
task. At the beginning of the fourth
la- Dlck had cut- down Ws" lead to
i i .. a at
little less than five yards. At the flrst
turn on the fourth lap he picked up
anotner yarJ. and aa the two boys ap
proached the turn at the other end of
the bowl the crowd was on Its feet
and shouting itself hoarse.
And now came one of those queer
happenings that occur so suddenly and
and Trainer Martin was certainly of
that stripe.
He was standing Just inside but oil
the track with "Skeets. and "Spindle,"
watching the oncoming runners and
giving :'Skeets' his last instructions.
"Skeets" was "'warming up," that is,
"running up and down without moving
out of his tracks," Waiting until the
runners made " the turn so he could
take his place on the mark, ready to
dash away the instant "Bud's" hand
snouia toucn nis own outstretenca one.
Then it happened.
- Down came "Skeets' " foot on a hard
substance that should not have been
in the cinder floor but was there.
His long spikes caught his ankle
twisted and down he went in a heap!
Trainer Martin Jumped like a man
electrified. Ha lifted "Skeets" to his
feetf Baw that he couldn't touch his
foot to the floor, gave one look at the
sprained ankle and turned ana
shouted:
"Get in there Shanks! Jump!
"Skeets" is done for! - Run like the
dickens all the way! Jump! On your
mark!"
Poor "Spindle" was taken so una
wares that for the veriest fraction of
a second he stood with his mouth
open. Then he obeyed, s feeling
mingled with fear and hope and joy
welling up inside of him. As he
jumped Into the "get-set" position on
the mark, his mouth was set his eyes
burning and his breath was pominf
fast
He the substitute he was to finish
the race!
' Poor "Skeets" tried gamely to rise,
but despite his nerve he- couldn't so
much as' touch the Injured foot to
the floor. He collapsed again and
cried Uke a baby! There was nothing
"yellow" about "Skeets," you bet! And
he wasn't even thinking about that
ankle; already-his whol attention was
centered upon "Spindle" Shanks and
what he could do.
All this, of course, had happened in
fur lass tlma than it took mil tn mart
about it As "Spindle" jumped into
place tho two spent runners were less
than a dozen yards of the "finish."
Arid "Bud" was still leading but by
less than three yards! If he could
only stick it out if he could only
hang on just a few steps farther!
Sudenly an exclamation of amaze-'
ment audible h above the cheering
went up from the Westover rooters'
section. Instead of seeing "Skeets"
waiting at the" finish, their astonished
gaze beheld the substitute!
Some of them had seen "Skeets"
fal, but the majority had been watch-
Ing the runners.
They were aghast Also, not a boy
among them but what felt a lump
come up in his throat Surely, the
race was lost! Then, almost aa though
Little Stories of the
Great War
The Little gift and the Soldiers.
THERE was ones a little girl from
A California who went to live with
her parents in . the Canadian City of
Winnipeg. Then soon after the war
broke out and Marion grew immensely
excited over the soldiers.. For every
day they marched past her house on
lne 10 ar"'-
mother if she might stand out on the
steps as mcy passeu ana wav in uu..
jack out of compliment to the brave
soldiers who were going to fight-for
Little Marlon Waves to the Marching:
Men.
their mother country. Now, you may
say "Why didn't she wave theStars
and Stripes?"
Because there is an international
courtesy as well as-B, private one: and
if you are in another country, while
you may hang out your own flag on
national holidays it is considered po-
lite to display the standard of the land
you live in as well or by itself.
Well every day through September
and October little Marion waved to
the marching men. Tbey began to
look for her arid they always smiled
at the little maid But she was not
very strong and when the cold days
tnr "Marion must
Daclc to ner home of sunshine."
And then she cried because -she didn't
want to leave her soldiers.
Tm going away to California!" she
shouted, "going away in iwo-uaya,
inoir for ma anv more."
. The nie-ht she "went away she saw
n the station Dlatform almost all of
"her soldiers" who had come in a body
to say goodbye. to their little friend
and as she got on the train, greatly ex-
f .hem nlaced in her arms
the loveliest of blue-eyed dolls.
ml , . v hic ctnrv la that
xne v"- w-
it in nil true. When sne grows up
. . . .. . . . l A th.
ipyou't her cnnaren iovw w xw"
day when "the Winnipeg soldiers said
goodbye to mother?"
.
j thir school soirit came
f t . hrnka forth
simultaneously Into a mighty cheer for
B""uiiuwu. j
"Spindle"
"Bud" staggered across the line, two
..j nnp-half vards ahead; and the
w..t. substitute was off like a shot
out of a pistol. He took the turn with
Hot aaomort to be Increased rather
than slishtly decreased speed. Kirk
the fourth Kelmar runner, was run-
-10. ..loan and strong, his eyes fixed
upon the enemy ahead. He knew better,
of course than to entertain any
of saving himself for the finish in so
short a distance as the quarter-milej
and he wasn't doing it But he seemed
to be doing Just that thing. Judging
from the way "Spindle" Shanks was
forging ahead.
Literally, "Spidle" made that first
turn "like a house afire." And down
the "straightway" he flew like one
possessed. He had actualy gained two
yards in that short time and distance!
And he held this lead until the be
ginnig of the third lap. with his
schoolmates raving like maniacs. -
Then when the pace seemed to "get
him." Slowly, steadily, Jum cioBea up
until as they crossed the line 'at the
beginning of the fourth lap and the
p3tol shot rang out "Spindle" was
tnan a yard ahead.
w.imor wan now on its feet cheer.
ln Jike demons. The race was theirs,
Th race was already won! This sub-
stitute could never beat
out Kirk
not even if he had two yards
Thoma
start!
But in so reasoning they and, it is
safe to say, every other person in the
ball, omitted to take one factor into
consideration. Indeed, even Trainef
Martin did not "see it" until the two
runners came thundering down - the
stretch. Then he recognised the
"symptoms" and he knew the race was
won for Westover
, "Spindle" the substitute "Spin
dle" Shanks crossed the line not only a
winner, but two full yards ahead of
the' crack Kelmar man! And he had
made the fastest time of the evening
51 1-5 seconds three-fifths of a sec
ond faster .than the best "time" even
"Skeets" had ever made.
That's another one of them, ' said
Trainer Martin afterwards, in talking
t(J the faculty athletic director. "You
amt find them otan but when you
flQ tnen iook outyou.ve got a cham-
pion, They never , know. and you
never' know, how fast they can run
until they get in a real race witn
somebody fighting them every step of
the way. At a time test or an exniDl-
tion race, they're just dubs. But stack
them up against a real, sure-enough
battle and they're there, believe me,
they're there to the finish.
"Now who would have imagined
this 'Spindle Shanks, as they call him,
could have beaten out Kirk Thomas
the way he did? He's one of that
kind, all right and he's the fastest
runner Westover"s had in ten years!
One year from now, understand me.
he'll clean up the state
The Legend of Joan
rN Russia there lived a very rich man
X and his wife with their only child,
Ivan. They loved him dearly and in
return for their love he was a bright,
obedient child. v
One day, as they were all at dinner.
their pet bird, a nightineale, sang very
Sweetly in its cage near the window.
As the father listened he said he would
like to be able to understand the lan
guage of different birds.
Ivan afterwards remembered this
and wondered how he 'could learnjto
understand what the birds said. "
One day, as he was hunting in the
woods, a terrible storm came up. When
it had passed and he was on his way
home he saw in the branches of a tree
fou- little birds shivering in their
nest. They were wet and cold an
crying lor ineir parenu. vu w
sorry for them that he climbed up to
me nssi ana pni nis coai over mem.
He started on his way again and w
surprised to Hear a big bird than'ting
him for helping her children and ask
ing how she could repay him. He told
- her all he Wanted was to be able to
understand bird language.
The bird told him if he would stay in
the forest for three days she would
teach him. So he did and soon was
able to know what the birds talked
about . , ' '
He went home and the next time the
nightingale sang Ivan began to cry.
"His parents were alarmed and asked
what was the matter. He told them
that the bird said: "Ivan, the rich man's
son, will be Ivan, the King's son and
his own father will be his servant"
The father and mother thought their
son was crazy -and so one night they
gave him a drink, with a sleeping pow
der in it and when he was fast asleep
they put him in a boat, which they
pushed out into the ocean.
Ivan slept soundly until his boat
bumped against a large ship. When
the sailors saw him they took him on
'board. He heard some birds telling of
a- storm that was brewing, and told
the men to go to a safe place, but they
laughed at him.
Things happened as the birds said
and- the ship was nearly wrecked. The
next time birds were flying around the
sailors inquired what they said,
This time Ivan told them that the
birds were warning the men to get out
of the way of the pirates, who were
sailing near, xne sailors a
birds' advice this time and hid until
the pirates had passed.
The ship soon reached a town where
there were notices everywhere saying
that anyone who' could deliver the King
from the nuisance of three black crows
which flew around the palace all the
time could marry the King's youngest
daughter. But anyone who tried and
failed would be killed, v
When Ivan saw these notices he went
quickly to the palace and listened to
the birds. Then he went to the King
and told him why the crows bothered
him.
It seems that they wanted the King
to decide whether the youngest crow
snouia
go with his iatner or
his
'mother. The -K-ing aeciaea mi
the
son must- go with its father and the
crows flew away at once and never
bothered the people any more.
The King gavo lots of money and
his youngest daughter to Ivan and a
Brand weddlntr was celebrated.
While all this was happening. Ivan's
mnaD, tmri Aiaa and his father had
- T
lost all nis money, as no w i-u
.1 - kt. . .. 1 . v, V. n rJ tt rionanri
umi xcvuio w ui iv, ua . -
on charity and went from one place
to another, begging for bread. As he
wandered on and on he came to the
city where Ivan now lived in the midst
nf nianlv.
As ho begged for bread from Ivan ha
... . . i i
was recognizea Dy nis own boh. rai
did not know Ivan. Ivan brought him
into the palace and give him plenty to
eat ard drink, and asked him what he
could do for the old man. The old
father begged to stay at the palace as
a servant
Ivan then made himself known to
his father and the old man was over-
joyed. He spent the 'rest of his life
with his son ana mey oiien ueu iu
talk over the prop -?cy of the night-
ingale and how it came true.
BLOSSOM TIME.
Blossom time's a-comin'
Children soon may go
To the fresh green country
Where the flowers grow.
Buttercups and daisies
Now low in their beds,
Over all the meadow ,
Then will lift their heads.
Every sunny morning
Brings the Joy more near;
Blossom time's a-comin'
It ts almost here!
Expanded.
(Harper's Bazar.)
"The Senator who has just sat down,"
whispered the guide in the visitors
trallery, "began his public career as a
page.", . - ,
"Indeed!" said the visitor. "I judge
from hiB speech that he has developed
into a volume."
pi&fyith encfes4r taAi3
( Z&n&c off of the? Top offu&oty.
j I3im3&Ifon. the .fpysuncl, ) I
. i a a. i . .. i t i r - --.
FRIEND NIG-HE
XIG,
NIG, COME HERB, OLD
COAXISiGLY, BIT 1VIU
wN a big apartment building in
1 great city lived a very Important
personagB named mg.' What was he?
Just aa. though you couldn't guess!
He wag a cunning mtl6 cat. ,
And of course tho reae,on he- was
amed Nlg ls easy to nd. He was
named that because he was as tflack
ag a coal Black all over his plump
iittie body.
you have all seen black cats cats
that peopie caU biack, but which
reaiiy have some white on them,
white or gray ears or tail or some-
thing.
But Nig was not that way. He was
black all over, black in every hair on
his body. Black every bit but his
tiny pink tongue and his eyes. '
"What color were his eyes?" you
ask.
That was hard to tell. When he was
happy, his eyes looked yellow. Then,
quite suddenly, if he heard the dog
next door or the Janitor or anything.
his eyes would turn to brilliant green,
Green as emeralds, they would shine
.mi : A
and
" dfr"' j ul wwmuoiw "
von AVir thmifrht thanT vol In s
- -- a ... . . . .
You see Nig lived a very hard life!
Of course he had the best of feeding
oh. yes, of course! And he had a
fine master and mistress and a com-
fortable bed and good care and all
that But even so. he had a very hard
Ufa
Because, you see, there were
many things to be afraid of.
so
eat
It's no laughing matter to be
and live In a big apartment building
in a big city! Try it some day and
In the first place. Nig was afraid of
the cat upstairs. He was a huge
striped cat very well and strong and
j. ...o
the garbage
rouna a cnoice tiaDit in
can, tnat old cat upstairs was sure
to be there to pounce on it and gobble
it up! And Nig had learned from bit
ter experience that if that upstairs cat
Wanted anything. It was best to let
him have it very much the best!
So you can't blame Nig for being
afraid of him.
Then there was the Janitor. Maybe
he meant to be kind, but he had very
heavy soled shoes, the kind Nig par
ticularly disliked and feared, and he
had a way of disapproving of nearly
everything Nig did. And when he
disapproved, he- let Nig know it very
plainly.
Then there were the big boys of the
neighborhood. Nig sometimes thought
they were the greatest trouble of ail
He could never tell what they would
do or when they would do it They
were a great worry, a very great
worry.
And as though that was not enough
for on. little eat Nig found another
worry a brand new one that he had
not even thought of before,
Listen and I'll tell you what It was.
WAS JUST A CAT
FELLOW," THKT WOULD CALX
PAID SiO ATTENTION.
One day last Summer some new
People moved into the flat where Nl
"ved. They came from far away, and
they brought with them a very lnt.r-
estlng quantity t boxes and barrels,
almost beside himself trylr.B
to keP track of everything,
- The new family consisted of two
""I girls. Of course their father and
mother belonged to the family, too, but
N'S didn't count them,
The little girls he was very much
afraid of. were they not the same
height and
general appearance
coys? ne eyea tnem carecuuy ana
keDt ,Jt -f their way.
Thy tried to talk to him. "Nig. Nig.
come here old fellow." they would call
coaxlngly. but Nig paid no attention.
The boys had called him quite as po
litely as that, and thea when he went
to them had teased and tormented him.
No, sir! he'd not answer the girls.
But gradually as he watched them a
new Idea came into his frightened
little black head.
friends of mine."
'Those children are
he thought, "they
mean to be kind to me."
And oh. how happy he was.
He followed them around from place
to place, he could hardly bear to go
to bed in his own home: he wanted
to play with them all the time.
One day the mother of the two little
' grirls said to them, "come, children,
von mnjit nton nlavlnv with V" I n- .
you must stop playing with Nig for
while. I need you to help me arrange
your things in the storeroom."
"But mother," said the youngest
mtIe ,rl- '" to play with us,
Bnd ie"li b very lonaome if we start
to work." (It a Just barely noaslble
that this little girl didn't like to work
any better than you do, but we won't
say anything about that)
Her mother laughed. "I guess -
ing N, has only known you four days.
ne can get along somehow while you
help me 20 minutes."
So the little girls and their mother
went to work on the storeroom.
Now Nig didn't agree with the chil
dren's mother not one bitl Ho didn't
think the length of time he had known
the girls had anything to do with the
suojeot. And he was qulto sure that
he couldn't get along without them for
20 whole minutes. However, ha wu
a well-trained cat and he knew better
than to argue the matter. Ho knew a
better way. He simply tucked up his
tail and slipped down the stalra after
them.
Down the back stairs and Into the
storeroom he went all unnoticed by
anybody. He was so afraid they
w,"Id ,le.Jhlm Bn,d nd hlm
u u 1 1 u uviiiiih hid uu.ri
and barrels as best he could. Ha
never knew how many times be was
nearly killed either.
Finally the work was all dona.
Every toy, every game and doll wu
put in its place and everything was
."".k " 'V.r." uT"' ,-
said mother cheerfully, "many hands
make light work. Now you can go
and play with Nig all you wish." And
before you could think, she had the
door shut and locked and the little
girls were out in the yard calling for
Nig!
"Nig, here Nig, oh Nig! Com here.
Nig," they called. But no Nig an
swered. "Where ean he be?" the chilrea
asked their mother.
"I'm sure I don't know," she he
plled, "likely he's right around In the
yard, you'll Bnd him if you hunt"
So the girls hunted and hunted,
but not a sign of Nig did they Cnd.
At last night came and the little
girls had to go to bed without find
ing him.
They worried about hire and
dreamed about him and waked trp la
the morning to find that ha was still
gone.
"I Just know something dreadful ,hna
happened to him," said the llttfext
girl, and she felt so bad about It she
could hardly swallow any breakfast
"Oh I know, I know!" exclaimed the)
older little girl, suddenly, "why didn't
we think of it before!"
And without a word of explanation
she jumped up from the breakfast
table and ran downstairs. .There she
opened the. locked door of the (tors
room and out walked Nlir.
He was hungry and frightened but
otherwise none the worse for his ex
perience. He purred and licked their hands and
showed In every way he could that be
was glad to see them and very. ry
happy to be out of the dark storeroom.
They gave him the finest kind of a
breakfast and tried to make him for
get his lonesome night. But I doubt
if ha ever did really forget It for new
he eyes the storeroom vary respect
fnly every time he goes by. As If he ,
were saying to himaelf, "I'll not r
near you, for you might lock me opt"
I really believe he thinks store
rooms are almost an dangerous as)
boys or Janitor
ra 109.01