PEDESTRIANISM EXTRAORDINARY.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1121, 1 March 1872, Page 2

PEDESTRIANISM EXTRAORDINARY.

Under this appropriate heading, tfie Betvdigo Advertiser describes a fast racfr, which lately took place on the Back Creek ground :—" The, great event of the day, however, was a five-mile race, in which A. E. Bird, who is denominated as the Champion of England, ran that distance against Bird, but the pace was very slow, and the latter won easily. Bradshaw, of Ballarat, then started the second half of the distance, and this was also a very-slow affair. Of course there ■ was ; tne I Usual ' passing and repassing each other, and the sprinkling of wafer by 'bottlehpldera. Great anxiety appeared to v be manifested by certain gentlemen interested; in the race, and the refreshing shbweV was usually bestowed at the back part of the course, where there were • only a few spectators, aud " little conversations'! took place, snatches of which were occasionally • overheard! A.; with a bottle, would run alongside and say, 'Is it all right, Bird?' , ' All' right/ says the champion, B. would then come — 'It's all right, is it Birdy?' 'Right as the bank,' is the response. C. would next arrive with his bottle to make assurance trebly sure, and say, * It's all right, Bird ; you're to lose, you know.' 'AH right, my boy,' sang the Bird again, a sardonic grin spreading over his countenance at the humor of the thing.' A., in the joy of his heart, lays 5 to ] that Bird will: lose, which is taken ; B. lays 5 to 1 that Bird will lose, and it is really .taken ; arid C. does ditto. ,Iv their- hippy iunocence they shower gingerbread nuts amongst the boys. The last round come* and, oh, dismay ! Bird wins bya'dozea yards. Bradshaw stops, but Bird continues another round, and in the straight run home, A sings out, " What.the — — *■ is the meaning of this V f B, more impul>^-*. s.ive, and too much overcome for speech, dashes at Bird to trip. hi?n up, but the Bird dodges, and runs ph. C despairingly shouts after him, 'Do you know what^ you have done f Heedless of'all, Bird passes the winning-post; aiid runs off the course, a.nd stops facing his foes, who are after him baying like a; pack of hounds. Just as they are on him he turns Jko> flee, but B gives him a tremendous lunge in the back; With the assistance of this impulse, Bird, as if he was as fresh asalar'i, bounded over the chain fence at the back - of the pavilion, and darting through the carriage gate, which was open,' sped down the road at the rate of 20 miles an hour, to 'where the cabs were assembled. ;; lnto one of these he flew, and awajr it dashed with him to town, straight fpjr^the" lockup, where he took refuge till^allj fear 'of further pursuit was. over. . A^B^iiqd.C followed from the ground as hard as they could, but the lock-up threw them off the scent; they had no idea that A. Bird wonld vpriture within such a cage. Bird's clothes were subsequently • brought to him, and when it was discovered where he wasj a rush was made to the spot, but the Bird had flown, ho • one knew where. A, B, and C returned home wiser and sadder men, speculating on the slips which will take place between the cup and the lip, and fully impressed with the - truth of the ; proverb that ? the best-laid schemes of mice and men gang af agee.'" , ■ ;