Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-16

"Black Sue" sitting opposite him, plying
the others with measured stroke. The twi-
light had already enveloped the shore, from
which their boat had just put off, and the
strong lights from the peat fires shone out
on the water from the open doors OF the
huts strung out along the bank, showing
fantastically the figures of the women and
children standing outside them, watching
the departure of their husbands and fathers
for ''the pool
Pull! pull! Black Sue," said Jem, with
an oath. "Stop cranin' your long neck
ahind you, else you'll find one OF them
boats emptied of its load some OF these nne
nights"
He laughed at her hoarsely, and she
ierked her head around without daring to
look anywhere except into the bottom of
the boat. She tugged at her oars till they
were running along in smooth water.
"Durn YOU! stop that!' roared Jem.
Cant YOU leave well enough alone? Ii
you can't, I'll fix you so s you can.
He raised an oar out of the water.
Don't YOU do thatp' and Black Sue
ewes flashed, her face qulvered. Don't
YOU hit me before them" she said in a deep
pierced him with SO steady gaze that, for
getting himself for an instant he let his oar
drop back in the water, when she took her
ewes off of him, and began to row with re-
doubled vim.
Other boats put off into the water with
lunge that set the waves rocking under
their keels: oar after oar dipped into the
river with a thud; boat followed boat, TIL
the water swarmed with them and the shore
was emptied. The suns wasted rays
streaked the water with reu
and blue streaks, slantlng across
the boats and sinking into the
river bevond. All at once from the boats
arose the rough voices of the rowers In
monotonous chant that swelled and died on
tine flowing water as they got further from
shore.
father. saw him immersed in his own un-
gracious thoughts, with his eyes following
the ripple alongside their boat; she slowly
raised her ewes from his dark face, and
looked back over their track to the advanc-
ing boats Her glance went from one to
the other. In one of the hindmost were
seated three rowers, pulling briskly, one in
either end of the boat, while the third and
most conspicuous formed the central figure,
and his square shoulders rose half a foot
above those of the other two.
As he bent his supple body with the mo-
tion of his oars and straightened himself up
with a graceful movement at once easy and
secure, Black Sues eyes fastened themselves
upon this figure. A gay-colored scarf
foated out from MS neck above his thick
woolen blouse; an old raw seal cap sat on
his head; his hands that grasped the oars
with such a strong grip were large, but not
knotted and tough, like whip-cords, as were
those of his companions. His dark hair was
cropped, while theirs tangled about their
shoulders; his skin was tanned, but not
weather-beaten; there was liveliness and
Quick interest expressed in his countenance
that contrasted with the dull passiYenesS OF
theirs.
Nearer came the boats and nearer splashed
the oars, Black Sue looked at her father.
He was still in his sullen fit of musing.
She measured the lessening distance be-
tween them, but scarcely dared to speak to
him.
Father father. they're gainin' on us"
Jem started and looked hastily around
over his shoulder. 'Durn you'll why can't
YOU keep your black eyes open? Pick up
that oarp' He pointed to an oar in the
bottom of the boat Quick! or I'll break
it over your - head.
There was no need to tell her to hurry;
she strained every muscle in her body, while
he cursed and tugged at his own oars till
beads of sweat stood out on his forehead
Now the boats had come so close that Sue
and her father could hear the men laughing
and swearing jocosel ly at each other.
Faster, YOU devil! faster" cried Jem,
glaring at Black Sue in frenzy. "If they
beat rs to the pool''-his red eyes burned
their way into her small face, as he inclined
his lumpish body towards herin the rocking
boat-'there'll be other fish to haul out in
the morning besides cod.''
She made the boat lurch with her next
effort, and 1t shot several feet in advance,
the cords punched themselves together in
her flexible hands as if for added strength,
her neck stretched forward, her eyes dilated;
she sought the highest waves on which their
boat might ride; her oars struck the water
with sharp, swift strokes, faster than they
had ever done before.
"Ahl the pool, the pool, fatheri" shecried,
with bated breath; don't you see it yon-
der? see it; quick, get your net ready
quick. Quick! we're coming to it-we're
therel'
The deep water of the pool broke in
broad circles under their boat as it shot
over its confines. With one end of his large
net already clutched in his right hand, Jem
balanced himself on one knee in the bottom
Of the boat, and leaning over its side as far
as he could, dropped il upon the end of his
pike into the pool
"Aha!" laughed Jem, "ahar' as in a sort
of fierce exultation he raised both arms
above his head and faced the men, whose is
the luck now? whose is the luck now?"
They swore at him and told him to sit down,
''else he'd take dive for the devil himself
at the bottom" But he commanded Black
Sue to help him spread his net, land not
wait like an oyster to be cracked
Standing up, she caught hold of one end
of the strong net listed with stones. and
lifted it over the side of the boat into the
water. Pieces of light wood buoyed it mn
and kept it in vertical position. As she
helped him to stretch the great web-like
net, the moon came up and whitened the
ridge of the sandbar half round the rim of
the pool. Black Sue faced their boat about.
and they left the net to fill during the night, |
Wrapping his oilcloth coat about him. Jem
lay down in the boat, land left her to contend |
alone with the tide. Her black hair few
about in the night vino, first in front of her, |
then twirled out like string behind her: |
her tattered shawl, pinned loosely round her |
tnroat, udPPeu out IOLh ner breast, and |
served as a thin protection against the sbarp |
river wind; her slim arms and wrists got |
blue; she bit her lips to keep her teeth from |
chatterIng, and her eyes looked wistfully |
for the lights in the huts long before she
actually saw them.
The next morning Black Sue awoke with /
her fathers voice laundering in her ears
He stood over her pallet, poking his boot |
into her side: get up from there; it's time
we wuz of. Some rogue'u oust our haul
for us.
She was up and ready before he had done
speaking, for she had lain down to sleen