The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1873-12-17
Z VERY EVEN RACE.

Z VERY EVEN RACE.
4 broad and sinuous line of river
bright with the full sunshine Of Sep
tember noon, here boardercd Will
meadows, there fringed with low
wood, and winding toward the clust
cred roofs of a distant town. Two
wherries drifted idly in the shadow.
of hemlocks and pines, while theil
prone and meditative occupants
watch the lazy wreaths Of smoke cur
above the bowls Of their pipes.
OF these two individuals one i,
David Whipplc, a Bostonian aged
nineteen, fair-haircd. fair-skinned. and
six feet two. The other, with his
cap pulled low over a pair of dark
eyes, is of sligEter make and more
vivacious. expression; this is Ernest
Walch, young Nirginian.
Fifteen minutes of silence had cri-
IDENTIFY tried the latters patience cx-
cessively. He had frightened sever
al turtles back to their watery haunts,
had whistled to birds, and apostro-
phized flies. He finally pocketed his
pipe and sat erect, with the remark,
Il say, Dayy.'
"Wcll?"
q | saw Miss Wentworth, to-day.
That this announcement possessed
some interest in the mind Of the youth
called Davy may be surmised fr ON
the fact that he too suddenly sat
erect bnt he only said as he knock
ed the ashes from his pipe, "Iumph. ="
You'd have said something else
besides 'humph' if you had seen her.
She rode past our hotel"
And | presume you mooncd after
her in your usual styic."
Very near it, admit" rejoincd
the other, with a shrug. The case
is unique, | never before tried un-
successfully to gain an introduction
to lady But shall succeed
yet"
IN wager anything yoa choose"
was the reply, emphasized by 4 -four
ish of the pipe, that I'll have an in
PRODUCTION first after all,n and the
speaker faced his friend with the last
trace of indifference banishcd from his
countenance.
Safe enough to wager where
neither is likely to win commented
his companion.
That's as one thinks | consider
my winning as certain as-as that |
can reach the stone bridge two miles
down the river at least a minute in
advance of you"
"Done.' exclaimed the Virginian,
with laugh and Il quick straighten-
ing of his 1.-the figure. "The loser in
the race abandons his chances, eh ~
just So"
In two minutes the wherrie boats
were abreast, and their owners ready
for a start The next, they were
swept off down the stream, pulled
easily and evenly. Both the young
men were powerful rowcrs. Ernest
had the most effect stroke, David
greater reserves Of strength. 1t was
pretty to see the wherrics dart through /
sunshine and shadows, past bold /
wooded curves and banks CAV with /
golden-s0d. Their progress during /
the first ten minutes was quiet, but
at the beginning of the second mile it |
became more lively. Laborers in the
fields OH either hand paused to see
the wherries go by, and now the red
jacket, now the blue, seemed gaining.
For awhile the fates favored David,
and be won half a boats length in Il
quarter of a mile. Then Ernest bent
more gallantly to his oars, aud regain
ed his place. But in the next quarter
he lost again, and David's greater
strength told steadily against him.
When they were on the last half
mile, a long straight stretch with the
bridge before dwarled by distance,
they pulled like two young giants.
David's teeth We're set and every
muscle in play. Ernest's cap had
ALLEN, and his black eyes CLEANED
.riumphantly as he noticed that each
determined stroke brought him near
n his first position. Independently
)f its puerile cause, the race was mag
lilicent. There happened to be one
spectator of its close. This was a
yray-haired gentleman, who, seeing
he two boats sweeping around the
upper curve of the river, checked his
horse on the bridge.
They came in grandly, darting like
birds through the smooth water,
straight and swift for the bridge.
The intent watcher leaned far over
he rails, and as both boats simulta-
leously, swerved on opposite sides of
he central stone pier, uttered an in
voluntary "hurrah'' that was like an
electric schock TO the two excited row.
RS below. (
"By Georgel" gaspcd David try
ng his best for breath, I'VE hit the (
,ier in the same second"
Ernest, in no condition to dispute
II to assent, replied by nod and the
ejaculation.
Tough one, wasn't it?n
Who's the party on the bridge?"
Ernest was saved an answer by
he appearance of the party" who
scrambled down an embankment and
approached radiantly
Pretty well done young gentle
men! Haven't seen such race since
ny college days. Pretty evenly
matched Now | should have said,n :
With glance from the powerful
David to hislighter companion, 'that
his young man had an advantage
,ut it seems not"
"Walch makes up in science what
le lacks in strength" said David
nagnanimously, grounding his boat.