The Marvelous Marathoner

The young business man knew nothing whatsoever about athletics, but he had the misfortune to fall in love with a girl whose father was one of the Olympian heroes of a generation or so ago. The old man, a widower, was very willing to give his daughter everything she wanted, but he insisted that when the time came for her to marry she select an athlete helpmeet. The businessman only shone in athletics as a spectator, and if the truth must be told he was very much bored at such affairs. After they had attended one meet he made several efforts to propose to the young lady but something always intervened to prevent it. The following day he saw the young lady and her father in a taxicab in front of an office building. The father went into the building, leaving the girl alone in the machine. The young man saw his chance and hastily walked toward the taxi. He was interrupted, however, by becoming entangled in the chain of a pet dog, and did not notice, while apologizing to the wrathful owner o