River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1879-02-13
INDIVIDUAL PRIZES.


achievements, At any ate, | found it so
when applied the theory to Kate.
1t seemed to me that had been in despair
regarding the indifference OF this bonny erea-
ture since time in immemorial. In reality IL
was only about year since the fact dawned
upon me, as she sat in the stern OF my boat
her dark hair darker, and all her soft outlines
clearly cut upon tender evening sky, her
cheeks bright with the breeze, her eyes
| bright with pleasure, that she was the most
charming object that ever SKINNED the river
and absolutely in dispensable to my existence.
| But had never once attempted to let her
know as much without meeting rebuff suf-
ticient to make ones blood run cold; and it
was in one such instance that | had declared
| no man could hope for favor with the women
| of her set who was not the captain OF nine,
| the driver of a four-in-hand. or walker
against time.
"You are quite mistaken, so far as am con-
cerned,' said Kate. For my part don't be-
| lieve in muscle at ALL Samson and Goliath
could do nothing worth while if they were on
the earth to-day. ! don't believe boat-race,
for example, was ever won by brute strength
| In the world
by what, them"
| "By science and nervous pluck
| had occasion to remember Rates words
| when parcel of our fellows came into the
office and began discussing the challenge
| lately sent to onr club, the Cheviots, by the
/
demoralized by their victories, and were, so
| to say, lying on their oars 1t had been hot
summer, and the club had really done no
work at all; now and then some members
taking out party of ladies, or solitary man
/ enioying stretch; but for the most we had
contented ourselves by lounging over. to the
| boat. house for bath, and gossip and a
smoke on the balconies in the sunset. Our
| best men-those that had won in the preVl-
GUS contests--were one in Europe, one in
| Australia, and the rest 1.-THE lands end, with
/ the exception of Rogers, who was ill. We
were certainly in no condition to accept a
challenge from the Gaths, yet still less could
we refuse one. Holding the champion
colors as we did, we could hardly lower
them to any, even to the Gaths. The Gaths,
| indeed, were in a splendid trim; there was
| Converse, an Englishman, who had been
stroke of winning crew at Oxford, mag
nifcent creature, one hundred and eighty
| pounds clear muscle; shoulders and chest
| that would have made Hercules shed tears
| there was Dunbar, another young giant, who
had beaten professionals at single scull four
| times; there was--weil, there's no need to go
| through with them now; it made ones flesh
| creep to do it then. We hadn't a man left in
the club that they couldn't get away with.
| Realizing the situation, we looked at each
| other hlankly.
you'll have to get into the boat yourself,
Geohreys," said Harden.
mot unless / want to sink it,
81 don't see what else we can do"
eve can't do that we cant afford to 60 it.
| No, we must look about-not in hun ry."
ooh come, Geoffrey's, you've been lying off
| long enoughln cried Jersey.
"What do they propose to W for? H 6
'emn
"Individual prizes"
"Indiyidual prizesl We can't afford to do
that, either; it will stick us foI couple of
hundred extra another assessment, and the
| 4. h.. 1fa,1a
Row as we always haye-row for colors."
Wei, we looked about us, and the end of
II was that they came on another day and
| took me by main force, and the crew was
| made up-Hafden and Rogers, myself and
little Jersey; | to pull stroke, little Jersey to
steer; and he weighed, maybe, hundred and
sixteen pounds. And that was the most we
could offer. The Gaths insisted on their in
dlvidual priz9s. tell you, things looked
dark the whole thing seemed preposterous;
and for week | didft dare look a soul in
the face.
$50 YOU are going TO show the Gaths what
we can do" said Kate one day; for the girls
whom we were in the habit of taking out on
sunset parties and at other times were all ar
dent Cheviots. There was another club in
town--the Jasons-but the girls never seemed
to know it.
cor what we can't" said T.
stDown hearted? Faint heart never won,
YOU know" she said.
Nor monstrous conceit either. We can't
refuse; we must row that's all there is to it,
Oh, we've no show at all ~
81 won't listen to such talk moment"
cried Kate, STOPPING to gather her train, and
bringing her bright flush to her peachy cheek
II have wagered all my next winters gloves
on Cheyiots, and if you make me lose them
Mr. Geoffreys, il the Cheviots don't win,l don't
know that I'll ever speak to you again!" And
off she swept, the laugh on her lips, but good
deal of snarkIp In hpreVe,
'And that too!n / said; and plunged my
hands in my pockets with groan, for OF
course there was nothing but dead failure
before the Cheviots.
"Still. all we can do is our best said
Harden; and we used his remark as catch
word every day probably during the following
weeks.
The thing being decided, we ordered new
boat at once, and went into training, messing
together, and keeping up each others spirits
by stories of what we had heard of the Gaths'
achievements.
We received little encouragement how
ever, from the fact that we soon found our
selves pulling remarkably well together; but
the Gaths had been pulling remarkably well
together long enough to feel themselves en-
titled to challenge us as the champions.
"Boys, said fearing that if this state of
continued, our defeat would be our disgrace
also, 81 lately heard competent authority de-
clare that brute strength never yet won any
where. If that was all we had, we'd lose this
race anyway, the Gaths have SO much more
than their share Science science, gentlemen,
tells in the long-riln and where the lions skin
falls hort, we must exc it out with the fox's"
Shakespeare" said little Jersy
"Just leave this out to me" said land wen
see what can DC done
Accordingly / had outriggers attached to
the shell full four inches longer than any we
ever had before. Our oars We're the heaviest
made But had them plugged with handles
an extra length. ~
It wanted only week of the day, when a
dreadful whisper stole through the club that
Rogers was falling Off 1t was too true; he
had trained too fine, and-Job was joke to
him. The whole club turned out in force, and
there were a dozen men at one time in our
quar- tiers bring up reinforcements Of hot poul-
tees. 1t was OF no use, Rogers had to lie by,
and we had to do the best We could again
gnash our teeth, and take Devlin for what he
was worth in the place "Give it to him
gently said Harden or the first night; so we
pulled at a good and reasonable gait down to
the turning-point rested under the green
shadow of the great hills there that fell half
across the river and made it 50 transparent
that we seemed to be swinging in a bubble,
the face OF the river, far aud near, still as
crystal except where our Keel had r1ppled
through 1t, and we went back at a little livelier
rate, and Deylin was very well pleased with
himself The next dav we qulekened matters
cuheiu6TdblSs UHb on hilc tuIus d. VIC etSpPVu
in, I said, Now, Deviin, look TO yourself"
gave the stroke, and we shot away. Before
we reached the shadow OF the hill Devi.n was
swinging about his seat and rowing all at
loose ends.
Hold hard, old boy!" muttered Jersey be-
hind him. "I'm nearly blown myself, but III
never say di !" Devlin picked himself up for
the time, but moment or two after we turned
ne cried, or rather gasped, "Gcntlemen, u THIS
is the way yoa row, must get out OF this
boat. What's more, you don't need re.
Sick Of it?' said jersey, eneoursgIngly,
SO am r. Should liketo throw it up myself
Ease him off little, Geoffreys." said Har-
den; and we came In leisurely. But after one
or two DAYS further labor there was no com.
plant from Devlin. "rm going TO put il
through if ii breaks things said he; and he
rowed as the rest did--as If he had but one
heart ia four Lodies.
The day before the race the HathS arrived.
Of course we had to receive them, DO the hon
ors, and show them the town and the girls ana
the river. With them came their boat--a
swell thing. l can assure you. covered TO the
nose with linen, and in charge OF their Own
janitoT. As we hadn't any designs on their
boat, and although expecting them 10 win,
Gully meant to make them earn their henors, |
we didn't object TO their ianitor But #hen
we went mp to the b0ath0use ana saw nlm
sitting there the picture Of gentle pity and
eompsaeent contempt for al boalEnen ID eFea- /
ton but Gaths, we knew what good reason ae
had for his complacency in the proud posses |
sion Of bis grants, and felt Il signify e4aspef-