The weekly Shasta courier., 1873-11-01
Spoons and Sparks.

Spoons and Sparks.
A broad snuous line of river, bright with
the full sunshine of a September noon, here
bordered with meadows, there fringed with
low woods, and winding toward the cluster
ed roofs of a distant town. Two wherries
drifting idly in the shadow of hemlocks and
pines, while their prone and meditative oc
cupants watch the lazy wreaths of smoke
curl above the bowls OF their pipes.
OF these two individuals the one nearest
the sunshine is David Whipple, a Bostonian,
aged nineteen fair haired, fair-skinned, and
six feet two. The other, lying at full length,
with his cap pulled low over pair of dark
eyes, is of slighter make and more vivacious
expression this is Ernest Walch young
Nirglnlan.
Fifteen minutes of silence had evidently
tried the latter's patience excessively. lie
had frightened several turtles back to their
watery haunts, had whisted to birds, and
apostrophized flies. He finally pocketed
his pipe and sat erect, with the remark, 81
say, Davy!"
"Well?"
Il saw Miss Wentworth to-day"
That this announcement possessed some
interest in the mind of the youth called
Davy may be surmsed from the fact that
be too suddenly sat erect but he only said,
as he slowly knocked the ashes from his
pipe, =" Humph."
You'd have said something besides
Humph if you had seen her. She rode
past our hotel"
And presume you mooned after her in
your usual style" .....
Very near it, l admit" rejoined the 9TH
er, with shrug. "The case is unique. |
never before tried month unsuccessfully
to gain an introduction to lady. But |
shall succeed yet"
"lll wager anything you choose" was
the reply, emphasized by flourish of the
pipe, that Ill have an introduction, after
all and the speaker faced his friend with
the last trace OF Indifference banished from
his countenance.
Safe enough to wager where neither is
likely to win," commented his companion.
That's as one thinks. I consider my
winning as certain as-as that 1 can reach
the stone bridge two miles down the river
at least minute in advance of YOU"
Donel" exclaimed the Virginian with
laugh and quick Strengthening of his
dons his chances, eh?"
"Just so'
In two minutes the wherries were abreast
and their owners ready for start. The
next, they swept of down the stream, pull
ed evenly and easily. Both the young men
were powerful rowers Ernest had the
most effective stroke, David greater reserves
of strength. 1t was pretty to see the
wherries dart through shadows and sun
shine past bold wooded curves and banks
gay with golden-rod. 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 on
either hand paused to watch as the wher-
ries shot by, and now the red jacket, now
the blue, seemed gaining. For while the
fates favored David, and he won half a
boats length in quarter of a mile. Then
Ernest bent more gallantly to his oars, and
regained his place. But in the next quar-
ter 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
dwaried 10y distance, they pulled like two
young giants. David's teeth were set. and
every muscle in play. Ernest's cap had
fallen, and his black eyes cleaned triumph
antly as he noted that each determin-
ed stroke brought him nearer his first posi-
tion. Independently of his puerile cause,
the race was magnificent. There happen
ed to be but one spectator of its close This
was gray-haired gentleman, who, seeing
the two boats sweep round 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
and swift, for the bridge The intent watch
er leaned far over the rails, and as both
bows simultaneously swerved on opposite
sides of the central stone pier, uttered an
involuntary "Hurrah !" that was like an
electric shock to the two excited rowers
beneath.
by George!" gasped David, trying his
best for breath, we hit the pier in the
same second"
Ernest, in no condition to dispute or to
assent, replied by nod, and the ejaculation
Tough one, WASN'T"
hos the party on the bridge? ?"
Ernest was saved an answer BY the an
pearance of the party" who scrambled
down an embankment and approached radi
antly.
Pretty well done, young gentlemen
Haven't seen such a race since nv col
lege days. Pretty evenly matched Nov
l should have said, with glance from tn,
powerful David to his slighter companion
'that this young man had an advantage
but it seems not"
Walch makes up in science what b
lacks in strength. said David, magnanimous
ly, grounding his boat.
Ernest initiated his friends example, re
marking that " with all the science he coul'
muster. he had rarely won race with Davy.'
"A fine sight it was, indeed resumes
their enthusiastic friend, Il used to b