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THE STAKLES. A&

and drag that bicycle. Also it has been demanded of him on more than onc

occasion that he ride along the whole length of a Dbricklayer’s ladder, over the rungs, as it lies upon the turf. This practice now scems to have been abolished —probably at the instance of one ol the humanitarian socictiecs who protest against the custom of hook-swinging in India.

A confused row of stakes driven into the cround and standing up a foot or two. 1s pretty certain toadornthe course atsome point. They are a fearful thing. They look so insignificant, and they upset so effect- ually. Unless they have been carclully planted with the humane design of fetting evervbody through scatheless (and they never are), a cropper 15 almost

a certainty o for, cven 1f the front

wheel be o steered through accurately, the back wheel must follow as 1t list, and catch whatever be in its way. And then the sufferer must get up as gracefully as possible, carcfully refrain- ing from rubbing himsclf, smile pleasantly, and proceed toward the finish in what comfort he may.

7H75 STRAND

MAGAZINL.

The plank obstacle IS an casy one — - merely an mchned planc a foot wide or more, up which onc must ride and down anothcer. It requires nothing morce than steadi- ness and carclul o steering, but 1t s - bad for the com- petitor who ap- proaches it with a wobble s for, verly, that wobble, oncce on, shall not leave his wheel until 1t goes over the side of the plank, and carries him with it, so that a certain amount of 1n-

nocent rustic enjoyment may be extracted from the contemplation

even of this simple obstacle.

The water affords factlitics for obstacle races cqually with the land, and such a race among swimmers has 1ts points of intercst. Often a condition 15 that cach competitor take with him, the whole wav, a large mflated

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N\ OMMER YEENY R

THE PLANKS,

bladder or an cmpty barrel. These things must be taken wnder certain obstacles, such as a pole fixed across just over the water, a row of punts, or the like. Let anybody who