Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-07-22
THE ACADEMY BOAT RACE.

the prettisst gowns In the village who sang
in the choir. who took two babies home and
kept them a month till then mother could
get well 81 fever; who made her father
Iood the pond the boys could have steady
skating and then gave half Of them skatss,
''rockersr at that; and who always came 10
the baseball matches with q dozen lemons
for the players.
No wonder the lads all adored Miss Belinda
Crockett Tom Tyrreil, aged IA, in frenzy
Of gratitude and affection, hac even made
up" . poem IN her honor, and bad presented
It 10 her on gilt edged paper;
Oh. lovely Miss Crockett
Your eye La is socket
L. bright a rocket
Just taking start
When sbyly you cock it,
All. mel what shock IL
Right through my vest POCKET
Sends into my bsartl
Perhaps it WAS because she was pleased by
this tribute, that one evening Ia March, Miss
Belinda took the youthful Thomas into her
confidence
DO you sver row, Tomi" asked she
Observe. Miss Crockett never called Tom
Tyrrell Tommy" as many thoughtless
persons did Sometimes she even addressed
hun rs "TyrrelI." upon which Tom seemed to
grow inch
because have plan, Tom, in which |
need your help. Would you please give me
your armi This hill is hard to climb. You
row, did you sayF
Yes painted Tom, quite breathless with
the honors thrust upon him. Yes, | do,
sometimes in my fathers punt"
DO you suppose there are enough acad-
envy boys to form three crews Of, say four
oars each, If my brother would train them
when he comes from Europe in Mayf'
Miss Belinda" gasred Tom, how good
you are Why. there are twenty who'd go
crazy at the thought, and there are one, two,
three boats, | know Of to hire Do you sup
pose your brother would coach usf
Miss Belinda nodded.
II think 81. Whats more, you shall have
q supper after the race. And there shall be
three prizes, too. Tom. 50 no one need feel he
has rowed for nothing You arrange mat
ters, will you, and make out list OF the
crewsr
Every boy in town knew of Miss Crockett's
offer the very next morning, and long before
noon three picked crews had been organ
ixed
Tom ryrrel was captain Of one. Solomon
Gibbs, the celebrated woodchuck trapper Of
the second, while the third was under the con
troll of Theodore Elder more commonly known
"rwig' Elder.
The river being at that time frozen. as well
as under several feet OF snow the crews,
boiling with enthusiasm, resorted to Mr..
Gibbs barn to exercise on several sets Of hori-
1ontal bars. Here they turned and twisted
daily, to raise their muscles. against the ad-
vent Of Mr.. H. Algernon Crockett.
There some doubt to whether SO au-
gust person H. Algernon, Esq, would
condesaend to train dozen country lads
But when Mr.. Crockett at last appeared all
fear vanished. He fairly took the crews by
storm.
To be sure his mustache, with its waxsd
ends, wonderful to behold, and a ring on
his little finger was vision beyond any that
Orantsoak had hitherto nagined 1t was
well known, moreover that Mr. H. Alsernon
had actually taken or his hat to Queen Vic
toria, that he had played billiards with full
blooied Italian count; that he had been
hand and glove with all the old masters"
whoever those WORTHLESS might bel, and that
be had even taken trip to Egypt to patron
ise the sphinx
But in spite OF all his superiority and
clothes. Mr. H. Algernon Crockett was q
cordial, good natured young man, with
great hearty voice, and laugh as conta-
gious the measles.
He fell in with his sisters plans, and I'M
dertook to coach" her boys with much good
will
Train them he did, and that with no sham.
He made them rum and he made them pull
He insisted on their eating meat, and he for
babe their even looking at pie dough
nut Indeed he turned one boy right out of
Twis Elders crew because he partook Of q
mince turnover. He would not allow Tom
ryrrell To row stroke" but put him in a.
mo. j." which would certainly have broken
Toms heart had not Mr. Crockett consulted"
him at such rate that Thomas actually be-
lievei he had proposed the change himself
Two OF Solomon Gibbs crew and one OF
Twig Elders gave out at the end of the week.
They declared they were not galley slaves
and would not be treated as such But there
were ten other boys ON tire to jump into their
PLACES, and when the sun rose on the day OF
the race be had the pleasure Of shining on
twelve spare, brown, tough little fellows
in Orantsoak as he could have found by hunt
ing from China to Peru.
They were to row a mile for the prizes, the
first OF winch was to bs.-here was richnaxi--
4 new cedar boat: the second some bats and
balls. the third, four blue caps and four bius
,hirts Tor rowing costumes
All the country folk, from near and from
far. had heard Of the race and were coming
10 sse It.
Philemon and Romeo Augustus Gibbs (Sol-
omons younger brothers. had scraped their
threats raw rehearsng . new fashioned
,heer. something between . sneeze and Q
howl, for the occasion
All the academy girls had decked them
eives with red. white or blue ribbons the
S,l.,r ing vxh li>h
favored
The race WAS to be the event Of the season.
So it was very provoking that that breeze
should choose this very day to churn the
water into froth
Mr. Fl. Algernon Crockett looked grave
NO race today" said he.
The rowers were in despair So 1t seemed.
WAS Mr. Crockett, senior, Mr.. Il Algernon
and Miss Belinda's father He was a hot
beaded old gentleman, and it be who
bad ordered the supper He declared the fes-
tivity could not and should not be put on
But, father. the waves viii certainly
swamp the boats, argued his son
Tut tutl NONSENSE cried Mr.. Crockett
III the boats do swamp, haven't those rascAb
pluck enough to swimi Do you think that ics
cream is going for nothingI Let the race
take place. say
"Hurrahi" shouted the boys
"Hurrah." shouted the bys;andesM
Mr.. H. Algernou again looked grave; but
ne might as well have tried to turn the plan
IS from their courses As to attempt to make
Mr. Crockett change his mind: 80 the boats
we're made ready
The boats were pulled into the middle Of
the stream. There was a breathlsss pause,
disturbed only by Romeo Augustus Gibbs,
who, oyerpowerei by his emotions. broke
into the new fashioned cheer and was prompt
iy choked by Philemon The oars were held
suspended Every ear was strained Tor the
ngnal
Are you readyi Cor
In Cash OF darted the boaas Twig e.
ieris crew began to pull wildly, but soon
came into order
TOMS boat tapped Solomons by xx inches
Twigs came half q length behind.
Staid old farmers hrukA int, n fY-ut and