Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-07-25
A CHAPTER FROM tom BROWN"
His First Experience in College Boa
Race.-The First Bump.

Concluded
The captain turned ON his seat, and looked
up the boat. His face was quiet but full of
confidence, which seemed to pass from him
into the crew. Tom felt calmer and stronger,
as he met his eye. "Now mind, boys, don't
quicken" he said, cheerIly; -four short strokes
to get way on her, and then steady Here,
pass up the lemon"
And he took a sliced lemon out of his pock-
ct, put a small piece in his own mouth, and
then handed it to Blake, who followed his eN.
ample, and passed it on. Each man took
piece; and just as bow had secured the end,
Miller called OUT
Now, jackets off, and get her head out
steadily"
The jackets were thrown on shore, and
gathered up by the boatman in attendance.
The crew poised their oars, No. pushing out
her head and the captain doing the same for
the stern. Miller took the starting rope in his
hand.
GLOW the wind catches her STERN" he said
"here, pay out the rope, one of you. No, not
you-some fellow with strong hand. Yes,
you'll do" he went on, as Hardy stepped
down the bank and took hold of the rope !;
''let me have it foot by foot as | want it. Not
700 quick make the most OF it-that'll do.
Two and three, just dip your oars in to give
her way"
settled to her place. But now the wind rose
again, and the stern dritted in towards the
bank.
"You must back her a Bit Miller, and keep
her a little further out or our oars on stroke
side will catch the bank"
$50 l see; curse the wind. Back her, one
stroke all. Back her, l say! shouted Mil
Ter.
1t is no easy matter to get crew to back
her an inch just now, particularly as there are
in her two men who have never rowed a race
before, except in the torpds, and one who has
never rowed race in his life
However, back she comes the starting rope
slackens in Miller's left hand, and the stroke,
unshipping his oar pushes the stern gently
out again.
There goes the second gun ! one short min
ute more, and we are off. Short minute, in
deed you wouldn't say so if you were in the
boat, with your heart in your mouth and trem.
bling all over like a man with the palsy.
Those sixty seconds before the starting gun
in your first race-why, they are a little life
time
'"By Jove, we are drifting in again" said
but said nothing; it was too late for him TO be
unshipping again. "Here, catch hold Of the
long boat.hook, and fend her of,
Hardy, to whom this was addressed, seized
the long boat hook, and, standing with one
foot in the water, pressed the end Of the boat
hook against the gunwale, at the full stretch
of his arm, and so, by maia force kept the
stern out. There was inst room for stroke
oars to dip, and that was all. The starting
rope was as taut as harp,string will Miller's
left hand hold out
1t is an awful moment. But the coXswain,
though almost dragged backward off his seat
is equal to the occasion. He holds his watch
in his right hand with the tler rope
eight seconds more only. Look out for
the flash, Remember, all eyes in the boat"
There it comes, at last-the flash OF the
starting gun. Long before the sound of the
report can roll up the river, the whole pent up
life and energy which has been held in leash,
as it were, for the last six minutes, is loose,
and breaks away with a bound and dash
which he who has felt it will remember for his
life, but the like of which, will lie ever feel
again2 The starting ropes drop from the
coxswain's hands, the oars flash into the wa
ter, and CLEAN on the feather, the spray flies
from them, and the boats leap forward.
The crowds on the bank scatter and rush
along, each keeping as near as may be to its
own boat. Some OF the men on the towing
path, some on the very edge of, often in, the
water; some slightly in advance, as If they
could help to drag their boat forward some
behind, where they can see the pulling better 4;
but all at full speed in wild excitement, and
shouting at the top of their voices to those on
whom the honor of the college is laid
"Well pulled, all p "Pick her up there,
fiye!' YOU'RE gaining every stroke p Cline
in the bows!' "Bravo ST. Ambrose -
On they rush by the side OF the boats, jost
ling one another, stumbling, struggling, and
painting along.
For quarter of a mile along the bank the
glorious maddening hurly -burly extends, and
rolls up the side Of the stream.
For the first ten strokes, Tom was in too
great fear Of making mistake to feel or hear
or see. His whole soul was glued to the back
of the man before him, his one thought TO
keep time and get his strength into the stroke.
But as the crew settled down into the we'll
known long sweep, what we may call con-
seriousness returned and, while every muscle
in his body was straining, and his chest heav-
ed, and his heart leapt, every nerve seemed to
be gathering new life, and his senses to wake
into unwonted acuteness. He caught the
scent Of wild thyme in the air. and found
room in his brain to wonder how it could have
got there, as he had never seen the plant neal
the river, or smelt it before. Though his eye
never wandered from the back of Dogenes
he seemed to see all things at once. The boat
behind, which seemed to be gaining lit was
all he could do to prevent himself from quick
ening on the stroke as he lancied that the
eager face of Miller, with his compressed lips
and eyes fixed so earnestly ahead that Tom
could almost feel the glance passing over his
right shoulder; the flying banks and the
shouting crowd see them with his bodily eyes
he could not, but he knew nevertheless, that
Grey had been upset and nearly rolled down
the bank into the water in the first hundred
yards, that Drysdalcs dog was bounding and