Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1874-01-27
ed his pipe and sat erect, with the
remark, 81 say, Davy"
"Well 2"
81 saw Miss Wentworth to-day"
That this announcement poss ass-

eel some interest IN tne mlnu OF
the youth called Davy may be sur
missed from the fact that he too
suddenly sat erect but he only said
as he slowly knocked the ashes
from his pipe, "IIumph."
"You'd said something else be-
sides 'Humph' if you had seen
her. She rode past our hotel
"And l presume you mooned
after her in your usual STYLE"
every near it, admit" rejoined
the other with q shrug. 81 never
before tried for q month unsuccess-
fully to gain an introduction to a
lady. But | shall succeed yet"
"I'll wager anything you choose" !"
was the reply, emphasized by a
flourish of the pipe, "that I'll have
an introduction first, after all ~
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," commenc-
cd his companion.
"That's as one thinks. I consid-
er 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"
"Donc !" exclaimed the Virgin
ian, with a laugh and quick
Strengthening of his 1.-the figure
"The looscr in the race abandons
his chances, eh :"
"Just so."
In two minutes the wherries
were abreast, and their owners
ready for q start. The next they
swept off down the stream, pulled
evenly and easily. Both the young
men were powerful rowers. En-
nest 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 wooden curves and
banks gay with golden sod. Their
progress during the first ten min
utes was quite, but at the begin
ming of the second mile it became
more lively. Laborers in the
fields on either hand paused to
watch as the wherries shot by, and
now the red jacket now the blue,
seemed gaining. For while the
fates favored David, and he won
half boats length in quarter Of
a mile. Then Ernest bent more
gallantly to his oars, and regained
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, long straight stretch with
the bridge before dwarfed by dis
tance, 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 triumphantly as he noted
that each determined stroke
brought him nearer his first posi-
ton. Independently of its puerile
cause, the race was magnificent.
There happened to be but one
spectator of its close. This was
gray-haired gentlemen, who, seeing
the two boats sweep 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 the rails, and as both boats
simultaneously swerved on oppo-
site sides of the central stone pier
uttered an involuntary "Hurrah y
that was like an electric shock to
the two excited rowers below.
"By George !" gasped David try
ing his best for breath, 1--WE hit the
pier the same second"
Ernest, in no condition to dispute
or to assent, replied by nod, and
the ejaculation,
"Tough one wasn't it p
"Who's the party on the bridge y
Ernest was saved an answer by
the appearance of the "party'
who scrambled down an enbank-
ment and approached radiantly.
"Pretty well done, young gentle
men. Haven't seen snch a race
since my college days. Pretty
evenly matched. Now / should
have said," with a glance from the
powerful David to his lighter COM
panion, "that this young man had
an advantage /; but it seems not"
"Walch makes up in science