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32 THE HALF MILE
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By T. O. Beachcroft
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THE HALF MILE, by T.O.Beachcroft, in New Country , edited by Michael Roberts, London, Hogarth Press, 1933, pp. 72-85.
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T. O. Beachcroft is one of the younger writers of England.
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Saturday noon. The town-hall clock boomed the hour in the distance. All over the town hooters called to each other from street to street. From the gates of twenty different potteries men, women, boys, and girls streamed. Ones and twos grew to a steady flow, then died away again to ones and twos.
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Andrew Williamson, a dipper at the Royal Chorley, was stopped at the gate by old Jones the doorkeeper.
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“So long, Andrew,” he said, “good luck for the half mile.”
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Andrew glanced at him, and looked away self-consciously.
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“How did you know I was running?”
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“Oh, I takes an interest,” said Joe, “used to run a half mile myself.”
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“Go on?” said Andrew, “I never knew.”
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“I was good for one fifty-eight,” said the old man. “That was good going in those days.”
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“Go on?” said Andrew again, “but that’s class running. That’s a class half mile.”
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“Oh, I dunno, plenty on ‘em do it now!”
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“Well, I wish I could. That’s my ambition: to get inside two minutes, I’ve never beaten two four yet!”
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“Well, this is just the day for it,” the veteran told him. “You have a nice trot round first: get some good summer air into your lungs: you’ll win.”
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“But I’ve never run in a class race,” Andrew persisted. “I’ve only done Club races. I can’t hope for more’n a place; look who’s running.”
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“Who?” said Jones.
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“Well, there’s six of us in the final. Let’s see: Joe Brewster, the cross-country man, he can run a four thirty mile, and now he wants to try the half.”
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“Well, he’ll never do minutes,” said Jones,“take it from me.”
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“Then there’s Perry, him as ran at the ‘Three Clubs’ meet at Derby last week. He did two four then.”
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“Well, who else?”
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“There’s that Redbrooke, the Cambridge Blue. I ain’t got an earthly.”
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“He’s a fine runner,” said Jones, “but d’you think he’s trained in May? Not likely; it’ll be his first time out—trial spin like. Are you trained?”
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“Pretty good,” said Andrew, “been at it evenings all the month. Had a good race a week ago.”
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