The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1881-04-21
NICHOLAS VOSS NO COWARD.


A group Of young men were standing
one morning last April on the banks OF
the river Aar, which flows by the quaint
old Swiss town of Berne. There was
Johann Leid, the bakers son, and Fritz
Bund, the wood carver, and half-a-dozen
others with their sisters and sweet
hearts.
Bund, as usual, was loud-mouthed and
yoluble. He talked with one eye on the
girls to see the effect.
"What do you soy to race, boys?
There is Johann Leid with his big mus
cles. I can outrun or throw you in five
minutes, Leid."
Leid nodded, threw off his coat, and
was beaten in both race and wrest,i. He
was big, sheepish- looking fellow, and
grew red with anger.
eff You want to look we'll in jean
nette's eyes," he muttered, cit is Nichol-
as Voss you should throw, not me. She
thinks more of his finger than Of your
whole braggart body"
Bund was enraged. Everybody saw
that plainly. He looked at Jeanette,
standing with the other girls. like q
modest little rose among Haunting
dahlias. Nicholas Voss was playing
with his dog on the other side OF the
field. He was quiet. undersized fell
low, the son Of the school master:
"Throw Voss! I could do it with one
hand. The fellow has no more strength
than girl, porting over his books. Al
put him to test that'll shame him.
him. Jeanette shall see the stuff the
baby is made of. Hey, Voss! he
shouted.
Nicholas came over smiling, but color
ing little as he passed the girls. He
was O difident, awkward lad, and felt his
arms and legs heavy and in the way,
whenever o woman looked at him.
"Come, girls" cried Bund.
The girls drew near, shy, but curious
"Here's q question of courage to be
settled. Leid wants me to try throw
with Voss; but it wouldn't be fair, for I
could fling him with one finger and blow
him over, for that matter"
Voss changed color. He played nor
vously with the dogs collar. He knew
that it was true that he could not COM
pete with Bund in trial OF strength
but it was hard to be told it-before lit
tie Jeanette, too.
"But there's something Voss can do as
we'll as l."
"What is it," said Nicholas. eagerly.
"You can swim. Come jump into the
river yonder with me, and see which Of
us can reach the other shore"
The girls looked at the river. 1t was
swollen with the spring floods, and
filed with great Jumps OF ice which
crunched and tore each other as they
went rushing by.
"Ah, that would be brave deed!
they said, looking admiringly at Bund.
Jeanette looked, and turned away with
shudder.
"Well done, Bundr' said the other
lads. ""There's no cowardice in Bund,
that's certain!"
Bund tore off his wooden jacket and
boots. Strengthening himself and clap.
ping his hands. He was not sorry that
the girls should see his broad chest and
embroidered braces.
"Come, little one, off with your coat
You're famous swimmer-and JEAN
nette is looking" under his breath, with
an angry fash in his eye.
Nicholas looked ut the lads waiting,
and at the excited, silly girls, and then
at the lev river. He did not trust him
self to look ut Jeanette. In summer he
had often swan the Aar at this very
point. But his lungs were weak, he
could not bear the slightest expousre,
to plunge into this food would be GER
tain illness, perhaps death. And for no
purpose but to crafty the pride OF va
porting idle fellow.
"Come. Gomez cried Bund. "Afraid,
eh?"
The lads and girls looked at Voss.
Even Jeannette's eyes were fixed curl
ously on him. 49,, .,
II am not going to swim" he said.
If he had bluffed it out in a strident,
iocular voice, he might have carried the
day. But he was painfully conscious
that they all thought him q coward. de
was a sensitive lad, and it cut him to the
quick.
"Afraid! afraidI' laughed Bund inso
lently. ''Well Voss, l wanted to do you
a good turn, and let the girls see that
YOU had the making of man in you.
But no NATTER" turning away contempt
uously. "A pity he could not wear
gowns and bonnet" he said to jean
nette, loud enough for Voss to hear.
voss turned away and went hastily
down the road. He was bitter and an
gry. and would not go home to his old
father in that mood. He went to the
bear pits. Now everybody knows that
bears are sort of sacred animal to the
Bernese; and Nicholas like his neighbors