FRENZIED BY SPORT.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXII, Issue 8897, 17 August 1907, Page 4

FRENZIED BY SPORT.

Some of tho public may posnl'b ,e aware that tlio world’s sculling ihainpiouship was won by a \\aurauui rosidout. The following is ’vliat “The General,” in the Anckaud Herald, lias to say about tae subsequent proceedings -.—What’s t.ie natter with. Waugauui, auyway- Gt lourse, one doesn’t liud a \vopu on 3 vory busu—not a sculling web—hut why take such infinite pains to nn- I press such an obvious fact upon us?/ There are so rcral things I am still waiting to hear. What’s the size «I his skull? Is ho a vegetarian? Is ho a married man? This last is v cry important, because we hear of so many great men, Bismarck, and au ■ the res l ' of them, who say, “ iVliat I am my wife has made mo. _ I owe | everything to her. If tneye isaugnt . that" I have accomplished that is , likely to make my name remoinhere I j of tho people after I am (lead, to my . wife belongs the praise.” ijow, about this lionso and land that vo are all going to give Wobb tor having such brawny arms and winning Ibis boat race for us. I have noted that Mayor Myers has received a subscription list from Wanganui, and it is possible I may subsenoo i>st to show I’ve no grudge against '-’Vbody; but since discussing (ho subject with His Nibs down (lie street. I am as a man witli two minds. I want to, and I don't want i to, if you understand. His Ti in i put P this" wav : “I’m agin it and 1 ain’t. On broad grounds I’m agin it. on !.j’vcmuds I niu’l', ,J 1 ;i t him inquiringly. “Ah,” says His Kilos, letting his spectacles down and peering over tho top of them at vjc, “you don’t quite understand the historical reference. . .THU, , i’ in funking of what they did for Horatius in the bravo days of oh I. “they < ivo liim of the corn laud, that was ex public right, as much as two strong oxen could plough from morn (ill night.’ So, from au historical standpoint I approve of tho house cud laud, and I’d throw in a emu me of cows with it. And then there's the image—l suppose they’ll make an image—they could set it up on tho h-mk of the river to certify, Amira, hud they might have an inscription fur the coming generation to read “It stands at Wanganui, Plain f- r all iolk to sc <\ Tho sculler in his harness Halting upon one knee ; And underneath is written, In. letters of pare gold. How valiantly he conquer on Towns, In the bravo days cl old.” That, was one side of the question. “As I have said,” KisiNdhs went on, “I object on brood.grounds. id’s all right for Wangauui to makoa-nunieu imago, l-ee.nu-o he’s one of tv.c family, so to speak, but to want ■ ° malm it n national leeuiimen! is out of perspective, as the _ tin.av.-mg-masters say. When 11 in -■•11 “..-'-us came bask from i-he Oh I Colon r.-. ■with their Jumours thick upon them did wo lose onr heads and s.y , bar us put up au imago?’ Hal wo say, ‘Como, J*'t us buy them houses mm laud?’ Hat we --ivo (hem Ko, hut '.v ' gave yams, th grip o. our hand, anal said; • VvclHdia'.s, aar.. welcome hack to worn l’_ J)i<l_ v.c Jiear of a grant of laud to tb'aa wliou Isoetuilorm won tne mi.,-.-traliu:.'. Derby? Bven hi > nandoa, where, tlu.y do everything lug., bmy never spake of chucking a nouse ami laud iu along tho stake when Barns gave Bill t’quires h-s quietus with a hare gla.ve! Tne stake—tint's it. for. see. (lies" yellows outer into the spurt for rha inn of (lie thing, and for (.ho slake, and if they win, i hey flunk iuemseives well repaid. Kow, if V.Vhh had lost, I could'understand them getting up a subscription for him, and buying him a bouse hind and cows, and maybe a, few pigs, and i d even go so fax' as to favour a idov.-rument subsidy ; but \Vobb ha.su- 1 10.-t, aml hods mmle quite a, pile ol nancy already. How, honestly, Gem ral, are we not in danger oi bseinang sporrma.d? J.s it any givaier honour i-n‘ a man to win a. headrace or a. (.■/C’X'ace, than for one to go on iightimy uoggodly a,gainst the odes in ;he oat tic of life, year iu, voar rail , and to win iu that race? It is? There are men and women, “iu (ho broad work you t of doors, ami underneath its isreo sky, and iu its crowded places, and among its busy life, trying to assist and cheer it. and 10 do .some goad, all doing rlicir share, rocingy without any hop.- of reward, and at last saying ' life buttle is long past, the. victory ions; won,’ A good race io win, G-meral. loo; hut we si-t r.p no images. They just go on racing, io win, as a mm (loos his duty, bmiuso it’s the right lining to do. end because it brings it.-, ov. u reward. And sometimes one tails by (be wayside, and we lift him up tenderly and put onr heads together to help him, and then we put our shillings together, and give them to him, saying: ‘Y.'o’rc sorrv, oh], man, Unit your luck was out—take this and make another start —somebody has to lose, you know. ’ ” The poor old fellow seemed to grow quite sad about it, and ho wiped his specs, with his handkerchief as if .something had blur rod them. It was some minutes before ho spoke again. “That s how I feel about it,” he said; “I’m not grumbling, I’m only comparin' things. It may be it’s odious, but I can’t help it. ’ ’