THE FEELINGS OF THE CROWD.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XLIX, Issue 12641, 31 October 1905, Page 2

THE FEELINGS OF THE CROWD.

AN AMUSING DESCRIPTION

The seven or eigiht thousand sons of Devon who watched the game went through the whole gamut of emotions. An onlooker gives, in tihe Exeter " Express," an intere^tiing description of the effect produced upon the crowd by the New Zealanders' extraordinary display. Curiosity and speculation (he says) 'beguiled tihe short wait as _ the spectators secured the beet positions. Then

a hearty riheer greeted tihe redoubtable New Zealanders —all in 'black. From the ■^-.'kick-off the visitors rushed away in grand style, playing ■with the sun, and

within five minutes had eooired and goaled. A sporting oheer greeted this, followed by another round when a penalty goal was added. Then the crowd settled back easy and shouted "Up, Devon! " Another score, another oheer (not quite so strong). More ories of " Up, Devon!" a tone of impatience creeping in. Another score for the irresistible visitors, and now the crowd opposite the stand intimated they ihad had enough. "Play the game, New Zealand!" was the tip, and the visitors, whose peculiar outside formation seemed to give them numberless men in the passing bouts, did so by adding to the total. At halftime the total stood: New Zealand, 27 points; Devon, nil; and the crowd were frankly disposed to treat the matter as beyond a>x joke. " Wait until Devon get the sun, and you'll see," Gaid the few remaining optimists. Soon© of their neighbours said they preferred to wait outside, and they did; Still the procession continued over the Devon line, and the crowd grew silent and then angry, a bit of infringement by the touch-judge acting as a safety value, 'while the inevitable dog also helped to divert attention from the irout. Still the men from " down under " piled on the agony, and the crowd was ironic, imploring and indignant in turn. Finally it became morose and disgusted, so that when the score reached 40 points, and I left with hundreds of others, the last I heard was an offer to give two to one against Wales, and a cheea- heralding another score. Alas, poor Devon!