The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-10-18
THE HOTEL SKlFE.
4 Fearfully and Wonderfully Made Pie,
of Marine Architecture.

THE HOTEL SKlFF.
4 Fearfully and Wonderfully Made ffec(
of Marine Architecture.
A man with orange eyes thought he
would take a girl with whom he had
been playing tennis out for row. So
he engaged one of the public boats at
tached to the hotel. He had never
used one of these boats before. and did
not know that they weigh two hundred
pounds apiece. without including the
twelve pounds of paint put on every
season.
He was also in blissful ignorance OF
the fact that no two oars connected
with the est blishment came within
five pounds of each other in weight, or
that the average weight of each was
something like twenty pounds.
But when he got out little way, and
found the boat sailing about in circle.
he concluded that one oar was about
seven pounds heavier than the other,
and it would be necessary to row much
more gently on the heavy than on the
light one to attain any thing like a
straight course.
The boat, to be sure. was not equip
ped with rudder. and the girl would
lean over to allow her lily fingers to
trail in the water. and then the wind
would come up and cause the water
logged craft to head in different di-
rectiOn.
To secure straight course, it would
require mathematical calculation tina
no oarsman could work out in his head
for he would have to consider the dif-
ferent weights of the girl. boat and
ars, as we'll as the force of wind. re-
sistance of water etc.
The mans orange eyes grew larger
while the oar handles took the palms
and occasionally cracked his knuckles
like so many English walcnts.
1t ought 20 have been cOnsoling to
him to know that the girl in the stern
of the boat was enjoying the row, and
the beautiful surroundings.
"Oh, let's go over to that lovely
lSldnO, SQ0 SAID.
He did his best to appear delighted
with the idea. but his orange eyes be-
gan to dilate, and his heart felt as sore
us his oar-bruised knuckles. But he
started for the island, which seemed
three or four hundred feet distant
when, in reality. it was about two
miles. 1t was the apparent lack of
distance that lent enchantment to the
view. but the enchantment vanished
like his cuticle as he rowed on. By the
way he was turning about he would
have to row probably six miles before
reaching the island. 80 he headed the
boat for the mainland.
You are not pointing toward the
island at all, now," she said.
by rowing -toward the mainland"
he replied, 1--WE shall reach the island
sooner, because this boat is turning so
continually that we make the greatest
Roadway by going in the opposite di-
rection."
YES" she replied, ''but we are go
ing away from the island all the time
We shall be back on shore in ten min
utes if you keep on"
Excuse me-" he went on, ''but do
you notice my eyes growing larger?"
Yes"
THAT confirms me in the opinion
that have fit coming on, and must
get ashore as soon as possible"
So, after a violent effort, during
which the girl was frightened half to
death, he reached the shore. He had
no fit, but he had the satisfaction of
knowing that that girl would never ask
him to row her again, and that she
would tell the other girls. and he would
no more be victim of the hotel boat
the fat poodle of the lake in contradis-
tinction to the Cunarder which is the
greyhound of the sea.
cit is lucky l can make my orange
eyes bulge at will" he said after re-
lating the circumstance to a friend.
Lets see you make them bulge
now?" asked his friend.
So he bulged his orange eyes until
they looked like a couple of hard boiled
eggs, shelled and cut in half length
wise. Once Week.