NOTWITHSTANDING the cloud of difficulties that seemed to hang over the H. A. A. a few weeks, ago, some light seems to have broken in on it at last, and the prospects of a very good meeting at Beacon Park are becoming hourly better.

The action of the Association in offering to send men to the Intercollegiate games at Mott Haven has had the effect of inducing men to train who would not otherwise have done so; yet it is a cause of great regret that announcement of its intentions was not made earlier by the Association. This could not well be, however, for the difficulty of getting a track near the college appeared insurmountable. It was useless to talk of Jarvis Field for this season; in fact, we may consider ourselves fortunate if we are allowed to use it at all next autumn. Holmes Field next suggested itself; but the possibility of harming it for base-ball prevented its use. Beacon Park is always open, and the manager has kindly put it at the disposal of all who wish to train; yet its distance from the college was discouraging. At last, a happy thought struck some one, to measure off the path around the Soldiers' Monument. It was done, and a very good track of one hundred yards, quarter-mile, half-mile, and mile has been made of it; and it is there that most men do their running and walking now, though the number at Beacon daily increases.

The programme - for which we refer to our Brevity column - includes some events that are new in our sporting history, - the potato and the bicycle races. For the former we can only say that it is very amusing, and is sure to be entertaining to the spectators. For the bicycle race we hope to see at least five entries, and good honest entries. A very handsome prize has been offered, contingent on five men starting, and as there are at least five men in the University who own machines, it will be a pity if they do not all enter.

The prizes given in each instance will be handsomer than ever before, and they are worth hard work. Those offered by the kindness of private gentlemen and club tables are made conditional on a given time being equalled or beaten, and that is quite right; if gentlemen subscribe handsome medals or cups, they do so to induce men who do not train for the honor or love of athletics, to train sufficiently at least to make our time creditable and respectable. Were we to criticise the gentlemen at all, it would be rather on account of the generous allowance of time made in most cases.

The times that must be equalled or beaten will be found in the Brevity column; second prizes will be given in all events, provided there be a sufficient number of entries.

There is certainly more interest and enthusiasm shown in athletic sports now than there has been for some time past, and it depends only on ourselves whether or not we shall increase or decrease that interest by the number of men who enter the sports. There are men enough at Harvard who can run and walk and jump; we have plenty of good material; all that is now wanted is a little more energy on the part of athletic men, and a willingness to sacrifice their personal comfort for a time to their physical and even mental good.