Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-11-11
THE STROKE OAR.

ITHE STROKE OAR.
,,7,. Of al. this talk about 'profes-
/ r-sripg and going to college sim
nav foot ball. D." said the young
4. = fellow. settling himself in his
I'M. Pullman seat and looking curl
| =, tbe two young Yale fellows and
her Young fellow (all going home
| grewhere, for the Christmas hoIi-
| aru tell you a queer story. ! got
the fact is my brother was on the
,r crew at that time; and / was
rNw London with him the week
noes. and of course l was around
Ne crew good deal, and as boy
trsel up good many things that l
no, to have known. You mustn't
|rr.hiug about it. 1t would make
h even now, if the thing were
see that year our fellows were par
! bis anxious to win the boat race with
Yale had beat us three times run
/ and We thought it was about time
II little celebrating ourselves. We
good crew: and we had one especially
Il man, fellow named Jennings, who
u stroke. He was a tremendously
Etul oarsman; and if the other fellows
keep up the day of the race the
i be would set them, we were certain
b. Well, now, what do you think?
days before the race that fellow, big
I,rOng as he was, keeled over in the
Just as they were coming in from
bee one morning, and was taken up to
hers in dead faint.
hey got doctor there as soon as pos
and the doctor looked at him and
d to him and felt of him and listened
n awhile, and then he looked up and
nth it: He'll be all right, presently,
: as getting about is concerned. But
ore rowing for him. The man has a
understandable. Put him in a
again and you kill him.
GU Ought to have heard the crew cap
goan at that. You'd have thought
D heart trouble.
Then we might as we'll give up the
said ne. He was worth any three of
st Of us; and we haven't a man to
bis place.
be doctor had nothing to say to this,
,retty quick got up to 60. Chiswick
raptainl followed him to the door.
Doctor, take that back said he, al
crying. Let him pull in the race
~
be doctor shook his head. HE mustn't
He must notp said he. He'll come
"a dead man if he does.'
We'll, doctor, you won't say anything
this, please. For certain reasons
ather it wouldn't get OUT
.s'tainiy not said the doctor, and
away
ben Chiswick, with face as long as
blade and without a word to any
save TO call to Bancroft to come with
went out the door and down to the
and of for pull in the pair oar.
DO now comes the queer thing that
the first part of it.
lswlck and Bancroft pulled up
u good bit and then resting on
oars had drifted in close ashore,
a.. at once looking up right there on
'.S POINT, within twenty feet of
/ 'aey saw an apparition. There was
ms the stroke, ruddy and fresh as
!. sanding there and looking at them.
ne'lo, Jen,' Chiswick addressed him,
''eu enough, but no believer in
: How in the name of the seven
es md you get yourself well again
'oWn here so quicks You must have
'pavate locomotive
Luz answered Jennings. I-a-fancy
must be some mistake
~ then, as they touched the bank,
y" from his clothes and his voice
Y or two other bits of things that it
q. Jennings at all; it was a stranger.
1t was Just as much q wonder to them
" 'ne way the man looked like Jen-
lie was put up exactly like him,
'ue e powerful frame, the same long
alu arms, the same big chest and
.4els' and when it came to his head
Az, ave OF course it was there that the
iOance chiefly was, and it was sim
H'eious. The eyes, nose, mouth, the
nair, even the bit of side whisker
.S1actly alike in the two men. Either
! nave set for the others picture.
&c! saw that it wasn't Jennings, how
, puu apologized for speaking to him.
'u s made talk, and led to discus
" boating matters, in which the
81 showed such considerable interest
. aro"'.Ieoge that Chiswick presently
: uollon into his head-whether it was
ZION ZION entire, l don't know, but il
, -I oeglnning Of the notion. He asked
n, ,J' ~. u ned mind stepping ashore q
! citing him take the stranger of
P''F oar for five minutes spin, tc
p'"croit of course agreed, and the
KIT H., 4ulJe as readily, took his place.
-, ,s" 'cA had the bow oar, and the
H. therefore was in front of him.
s9I notion, somehow, from YOU
ha, w. your talk that you've been in q
sa. .''s' said Chiswick. Would you
for ing me the best stroke you know
yo r., " nait mile or so down streams'
5ns. ~ al, was the strangers cheerful
bod, ana at once forward went hi:
,ar anu down into the water wen
'ueH he did set the captain {