. The Burton Holmes lectures;. s are gazing westward, when at last a cannon-shot isheard. It means that the first runner has reached the outerboulevards, that in a moment he will be here. Who or whathe is no one can tell until the crowd outside thunders its joyin a great roar, A Greek ! It is a Greek ! Zito, Loues ! And a young Greek peasant, Spiridione Loues, all dust andperspiration, staggers into the Stadium, where a hundredthousand people acclaim him as the hero of the hour. Then, while from the sloping sides of the Stadium ava-lanches of applause come crashing down ; while the King ofGree
. The Burton Holmes lectures;. s are gazing westward, when at last a cannon-shot isheard. It means that the first runner has reached the outerboulevards, that in a moment he will be here. Who or whathe is no one can tell until the crowd outside thunders its joyin a great roar, A Greek ! It is a Greek ! Zito, Loues ! And a young Greek peasant, Spiridione Loues, all dust andperspiration, staggers into the Stadium, where a hundredthousand people acclaim him as the hero of the hour. Then, while from the sloping sides of the Stadium ava-lanches of applause come crashing down ; while the King ofGreece so far forgets his royal dignity as to rip the visor fromhis royal cap in waving it like mad ; while staid and propercitizens embrace each other frantically ; while tears of joy areshed ; while doves, to which long white ribbons are attached,are loosed and flutter in the air ; while all Athens utters atriumphant shout, Loues, the simple peasant, the farmer LOUES, .marathons VICTOR entrance to await theexcitement is SILENT COMPANIONS OF THE CENTURIES THE OLYMPIAN GAMES 75 from the little hamlet Amarousi, is escorted by two Princesand a Russian Grand Duke —all three embracing, even kissinghim — from the entrance to the far end of the Stadium wherehe is greeted by a royal hand in the midst of such a scene asAthens has not witnessed in a thousand years. All the otherrunners who arrive in quick succession are, with one excep-tion, Greeks. The native cup of happiness is full. Theinnate endurance of the Greek peasants prevailed in the greattest, over the scientific training of the American Invinci-bles. The winners time, as announced by the judges,was two hours and fifty-eight minutes, the distance fortykilometers, a trifle over twenty-five miles. The following Tuesday was appointed for the ceremonyof the presentation of prizes ; but the ceremony was post-
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjectvoyages, bookyear1901
