Petersburg High School - Missile Yearbook (Petersburg, VA)

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The Missile 11 his hopes will be realized, as there is no one abroad or at home who can beat him. If I can defeat this ambition I shall consider myself revenged, and this I intend to do thru you.” “What asylum did you escape from? I, a rank amateur, beat the champion, Owens?” cried Jack. “Exactly. You have the makings of a champion and I shall now state my proposition. You are to come out to my farm and live until the next Olympic Games. During that time you can have everything money can buy, and you will be trained by the best coach in the country. In return for this, you are to run against Owens.” “When do we start?” inquired Bear. “The next train leaves in two hours. We will catch that.” Bear went home, packed, and, bidding his friends a hasty farewell, met Harvey at the station with ten minutes to spare. They reached Harvey’s farm the next day at noon. Under Stringer’s careful coaching, Bear was really be- coming a “bear.” He was in the pink of condition and with the Olympic Games two weeks off, he did the distance, for the first time, against the watch. Stringer would not tell his time but Jack knew it was good, as both Stringer and Harvey appeared satisfied. Nothing was thought of Bear’s entry, as nothing was known of him. The day of the games came at last. The two mile was not to be held until the third day. Bear slept well and when his race was announced he was ready to run the race of his life. He had never seen Owens, but the mental picture he had formed of him resembled a “Black Hander.” Wlien they lined up for the start he was surprised to find Owens a man whose features denoted gentle birth. He was kept from fur- ther observation by — “Beady all? Take your marks! Set!” — Bang!! An Italian runner set the pace with Bear and Owens second and third, respectively. The others of the field of

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10 The Missile 3ark iSarp It was the starter’s gun for the two mile race. This event, along with several others, was an attraction of the Corntassel County Fair. There were ten entries. Most of the contestants were gawky, muscle- bound country youths, who did not know the first rudiments of running ; but one stood head and shoul- ders above all the rest. This was Jack Bear, an orphan, who worked in the village. He was clean limbed, well muscled, of good proportions, and had a natural, easy stride. When he broke the tape his nearest rival was four hundred yards behind. All during the race a strange, well dressed man kept muttering, “He’s just the man! He’s just the man!” That night at the hotel Jack was accosted by the stranger who introduced himself as Johnston Harvey. This was a name with which everyone was familiar, as he was the richest man in America. He invited Jack up to his room and Jack, wondering, accepted. When they were seated, Harvey turned to Bear and said, “I suppose you are wondering what possible business I may have with you, aren’t you?” “You guessed right the first time,” smiled Jack. “I am going to tell you a story. Once there was a Har- vard two miler who had a bright future before him. At Yale there was also a good two miler. When the dual meet between Yale and Harvard came off, the two cracks were pitted against each other. The pistol barked and all the run- ners shot to the pole in a bunch. The Harvard crack was spiked by the Yale man in what appeared to be an accident, but I know it was not. The Harvard man was carried from the field and has been lame ever since. Now I was the Har- vard man and Tommy Owens the Yale man.” “Not Owens the A. A. U. champion?” “No. That is Owens Sr.’s son. I happen to know that Owens’s greatest ambition is to have his son win the Olympic Championship in the two mile, and from present indications

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12 The Missile sixty-five were in a straggling bunch. The race was eight circuits of a quarter mile track. For the first four laps their positions remained unchanged. At the start of the fifth Owens, by a spurt, gained the lead, passing both Bear and the Italian. The Italian was laboring hard and was about all in. He was easily passed on the sixth lap by Bear. Owens steadily increased his lead and at the start of the eighth lap he was about fifty yards to the “good.” Bear quickened his stride on the bell lap, and gradually cut down Che lead and, when the final sprint came, he was only ten yards behind. He started his spurt first, and before Owens knew it he was “breathing on his back.” They both sprinted, but Bear seemed to have more in reserve than Owens, and passed him. He increased his lead until the cheers of the thousands proclaimed him the winner. Bear escaped the crowd and returned to his hotel. Har- vey was highly elated over his victory and promised to make Jack his private secretary at a salary of $5,000 a year. Jack was a little late in coming down to dinner and you can imagine his surprise when he saw Harve y in earnest conversation with Owens. “My son. Tommy Harvey, Jack.” “But I — ” began Jack. “I know you did,” said Harvey. “I was very much op- posed to Tommy’s running, and when he said he would not quit until he was beaten I gave him one year to change his mind or be disowned. I regretted this afterward, but was too proud to retract my statement, so you see I had to find some one to beat him in the space of a year. Fortunately I hit upon you. Although I really was spiked, the Tommy Owens story was a myth.” “Then I suppose my being Private Secretary is also a myth?” ruefully asked Jack. “No; that still goes,” smiled Harvey. “But come, the dinner is growing cold.” “I may get over this, but 111 never look the same,” said Jack, between bites. — Page Rees, ’17.