174 



RECREATION 



7 hr., 16 min. Lancia driving a F.I.A.T. 

 pressed the victor very closely in the early 

 stages .of the contest and at one time had a 

 slight lead, but radiator troubles caused the 

 F.I.A.T. car to withdraw, and from this point 

 on Thery had the race well in hand. 



It is interesting to note, however, that two 

 F.I.A.T.'s finished second and third, and the 

 showing made by these Italian machines was 

 very good indeed. It is somewhat surprising 

 that the six Mercedes cars entered did not 

 do better, only one of them showing up at all 

 well, and that one of the Austrian Mercedes 

 driven by Braun. 



As Recreation pointed out, the American 

 cars were at a great disadvantage and were 

 hardly expected to win or to prove dangerous 

 competitors. At the present writing it is im- 

 possible to get exact details, but it appears 

 that although one of the Pope-Toledo's broke 

 down in the first round, the other, driven by 

 Lyttle, completed the circuit, finishing twelfth 

 in the race. Tracey, driving Dr. Thomas's 

 locomobile, withdrew in the third round. The 

 showing of the American cars may not seem 

 very encouraging, but one must appreciate the 

 difficulties of the course and other conditions 

 to realize that the American team made a 

 very good showing indeed, certainly the best 

 showing ever presented by an American team 

 in the Gordon-Bennett race. In a few years 

 we will undoubtedly win the cup and bring it 

 to America, but it will take a great deal of 

 hard work and a great deal of money. 



It was reported recently that the French 

 Club will not take part in any future Gordon- 

 Bennett race, — a rather startling report, but 

 not altogether unbelievable when we consider 

 the attitude of the French Club this spring in 

 attempting to hold another race so as to min- 

 imize the importance of the Gordon-Bennett, 

 and their apathy in permitting the course to 

 be closed, preventing visiting teams from 

 practising after the French had spent months 

 in running over the course so as to get thor- 

 oughly familiar with it. It seems absolutely 

 impossible that the French will not compete 

 next year. Perhaps Thery may not race and 

 the Brasier firm stay out. Possibly a wise 

 proceeding, considering the fact that Thery 

 won the Eliminating Trials and the Gordon- 

 Bennett both last year and this year, and he 

 can very well afford to rest on his laurels, 

 and the Brasier people as well. 



WONDERFUL MILE. 



Webb Jay early in July broke Chevrolet's 

 record at Morris Park, covering a mile in 

 48 4-5 seconds, — a truly astonishing perform- 

 ance, and also of interest as showing what an 

 additional quarter-mile on a race track will 

 permit of in the way of fast time. It seems 

 unlikely that such fast time could be made 

 on a one-mile track such as that at the Em- 



pire Race Track. The White is certainly a 

 very fast machine, however, and Jay an ex- 

 cellent driver, as was shown in his notable 

 contest with Walter Christie, who drove his 

 new freak racer, which has an engine at the 

 front and another at the rear of the car. This 

 car, at present writing, has not been tried out 

 fully, and apparently will break some of the 

 records, as it is very highly powered and has 

 already given a good account of itself. It is 

 claimed by experts that this car will surely 

 lower the world's record for a mile at Or- 

 mond Beach this winter. 



Man is never original, but he can possess 

 individuality. 



Originality is a divine attribute and used 

 but sparingly by the Great Creator himself. 



THE FOKESAKEN CANOE. 



I ^slecp all day and count my dreams — 

 Live my gay ventures o'er again — 

 See the dead campfires, and the men ; 

 The spruce - topped hills and willowed 



streams ; 

 The gray geese, homing from far South; 

 The jammed logs at the river's mouth; 

 The cat-kinned alders, near and far 

 Starting the banks with fairy gleams; 

 The drift-wood, swinging a the bar — 

 I sleep all day and count my dreams. 



My master's love has passed me by; 



But I remember those old things — 



The splashing, and the beat of wings; 



The flitting king-fisher's long cry; 



The heron at the water's rim 



With checkered shadows over him; 



The songs the bending paddles knew ; 



The winds across the hollow sky. 



All these come back, so dear, so true, 



Though his brown hands have passed me by. 



The frosts of winter chill me through. 



The suns of summer do not reach 



This dusty loft. On spit and beach 



I know the sunlight washes true, 



I know the clear winds wake the trees 



To honest, woodland melodies, 



While I lie here, and spiders twist 



Their webs, and those dear things I knew- 



Taste of the rapids, trick of wrist 



Come not, and silence chills me through. 



Winter and August, Spring and Fall ; 

 Wet fields; ripe cherries; shingles bare 

 To sun and summer; April, rare 

 With magic fragrance, and the call 

 Of gray geese in the midnight — Dead ! 

 All dead to me, save in my dream ! 

 So, let me dream. The rapids brawl, 

 The blue smoke blows across the stream, 

 And God's wide peace is over all. 



Theodore Roberts. 



