The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-08-23
THAT'S the thing" observed the stout

That's the thing" observed the stout
young man.
81 reckon you're right" said another
of the party. Then another agreed,
until finally the captain was satisfied
| that his most prominent passengers
| favored test of speed
"All right said he; ''we'll find out
who's got the best bottom on this part
| of the river, and it won't take us long
either!'
Capt. Bristcw went below. His pas
sengcrs gathered at the rail and
watched the Aull as she steamed evenly
| and rapidly ahead. The cook-house Of
the speedy boat, well astern, was now
opposite the Johnstone's jaclz-staf, and
each second put the prows Of the yes
sells further apart. 1t was good piece
of river in which the boats were run.
ming. The bends were few and not Sc
in the channel. The Aulrs passengers
crowded to the hurricane deck and
stood far astern, shouting taunts at the
sleepy-loolsirg tombstone.
That was the state of affairs Then
the Johnstone's pilot pressed his foot
on the whistle valve. 4 great, white
cloud of steam enreloped the top of the
pilot house and then shril whistle
sounded, the FIRST of chime. The
others broke il with it ten seconds
later, until all of the bunch of whistles
on the Johnstopc's pilot house were
shouting musical defiance to the Aull.
Music, indeed, came from the Threats
OF those steamboat whistles Whether
from near or far, the whistles chime
always seemed to tell of calm, clear
evenings, mocnlit waters, soft music,
the singing of plantation melody and
the whisper of love.
With the Johnstone's whistle there
came a stronger throb of the boats
heavy engines. With each vibration
the hearts of passengers and crew beat
faster. There was hurrying Of feet
"a silence of voice. The race was on.
Throughout the afternoon both boats
fairly few along. 1t was plain to be
seen that the Aull was working all of
the steam that her boilers could raise.
She had "a bone in her teeth" SO sharp
ly did her nose cut the water. A great
line of yellow foam stretched away
from either side of her prov. The
tombstone was cutting the water al
most as fiercely, but her hull was
shaped differently from that of her
rival and for that reason her effective
work was not SO apparent. The Aull
maintained the slight lead that she had
gained at the outset, but Capt. Bristow
did not appear alarmed over it. He
coolly ordered his men about and had
the fuel sorted SO as to have the best
material ready for an emergency.
Through the narrow chute by Catfish
island, around Bonhommie, by Cottle-
vile without stopping, and through
Wards hollow the boats raced, some
times being forced almost to the graz
ing point by the narrowness Of the
channel.
Twilight found but little change in
the relative positions of the boats. If
gained few feet.
The river was badly divided below
Augusta and as measure Of safety the
engineers lessened the speed of their
boats until the dangerous point was
passed. When it was deemed advis-
able to again push forward, the night
was we'll on. The moon was full, Civ
ing the pilots splendid opportunity
for good work. Its yellow radiance
made river of gold of the turbid tor
rent. No one slept until midnight,
when few of the passengers slipped
off to take nap.
On the Aull there was among the
lady passengers Miss Letitia Bernard,
a handsome young woman from st.
Louis. She announced that she would
remain awake until the Aull won the
race or had hopelessly lost. Half