The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-12-30

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There was considerable betting going
on. ard there was the same exctssas
unce~tsuty about the start The ssin
wszae Down and a hank OF apf1cot-co4-
cred clouds sElea low over the crest OF
Mount baker in the East. The pier
1askened and the path OF gold faded.
bat spsashes OF scarlet stil fingered
on the blue water. a chill, sweet wind
started Up suddenly. and sozsae OK the
girls brorxe curts got loose about her
white feznpfes. Diiser put her wrap
around her carefully, and she smiled
up at him dclIciussiy. Then she cried
out: .oh, they're gettin' into The boat.
They're goin' TO start. Oh. I'm 50
gIsdr' and she struck her hands to-
gcther giee<nsly. like = child.
The long. narrow. richly painted and
earsen canoe slid down gracefully into
the water. Eleven tall, supple Alaskan
Indians, bare 10 the waist. leaped light
Is to their places. They sat erect. close
to the sides Of the boat. holding their
short paddles perpendicu.ariy At q
signal the paddles shot straight down
into the water. and. with a swift. mag
nificent straining and swelling os mus
cies IN the powerful bronze arms and
bodies, were pushed backward and
withdrawn in lightning strokes. The
canoe flashed under the viaduct and ep-
peared on the other side, and a great
shout Deiched from thousands OF
threats. From camping places farther
UP the shore the other boats dareed out
into the water and headed Tor the VIA
duct
''Oh. good. good" cried Lavinia In a
very ecstacy OF excitement. They're
goin' to start right under as. We're
just IN the placer
Twenty dollars on the Nooksaeksm
yelled a blear-eyed man in carriage.
Twenty, Twenty ag'inst ten On the
Nooksacksr'
The band burst into .Hail Columbias -
with beautiful .rrelevancy- The crowd
came surgiag back from the pier. Diiler
was excited. too. His face was flushed
and he was breathing heavily. who'll
you bet oar" he asked, laughing. and
thinking, even at that moment. how
ravishingiy lovely she was with that
blowing about her face and throat.
'-Oh. the Alaskasv' cried the girl.
striking little blows of inlpatience ON
the railing with her soft fists. They're
so tall an fine lookin', They're so
strong an grand. Look at their mus
cles-just like ropes! Oh, I'll bet on
the Alaskas. love tall men,
''Do you? said Diller. I'm TALL
They looked into each others eyes
again and laughed. Then voice spoke
over their SHOULDERS kind, patient
voice. ION. Laviny. 1t said; I wouldn't
bet If was YOU"
Layinia gave a little scream. Both
turned instantly. The young man who
had been watching them stood close to
them. He wore working ciothes-a
flannel shirt and cheap. faded trousers
and coat. He had a good, strong, hon
est face, and there was a tenderness In
the look he bent on the girl that struck
Diller as being almost pathetic.
The glow in Lavinia's face turned to
the scarlet of the sunset.
Oh" she said. embarrassedly; that
you. Bart? didn't know you was
back
II just got back" he replied. briefly.
sl got To go back again In the mornin'.
was Just on my way up to your house.
I guess I'll go On. I'm tired. an I've
seen lots o. c'noe races" He looked at
her wistfuily.
well" she said. after moments
hesitation. You go on up, then. Nav
an paws at home, an I'll come S soon
IS the race IS over
..Ail right" ne said. with a little drop
in his voice. and walked away.
"Oh. dearr' cried Ltvinia, we're
missin' the start, amt we?"
The canoes were lying side by side,
waiting for the signal. Every Indian
was bent forwara. holding his paddle
suspended above the water I'm both
hands. There was what might be
termed q rigid snppleness In the atti-
tade. The dark outlines OF the paddles
showed clearly in the water. which had
turned yellow as brass. Suddenly the
band ceased playing and the signal
rang across the sunset. Thiriy-three
Paddles shot into the wafer, working
with the swift regularity OF pistcn-rods
in powerful engines. The crsywds
cheered and yelled. The canoes did not
flash or glide now. but literally plowed
ard plunged through the water. which
boiled and saethed behind thern in
white. dubbed foam that at times hid
the bronze figures from sight complete
~. There was no shouting now, but
tense. GREATNESS excitement. People
chung. motionless, in dangerous places,
and stared with straiBing eyes. under
bent hrnxs, after che leaping canoes.
The betting had been high. The fierce.
rlly tamic strokes Of the paddles made
a noise that was like the rapid pumping
OF a great ram. To Diller, who stood.
pale, with compressed lirxs, &c sounded
like the frantic heartbeat Of n nation
I'm passionate riot. Mingled with ii was
a noise that, once heard. cannot he for
gofteil--a weird. cultural chanting on
one tc1e. and yet seemed 10 hold a
windy. musical noe: a sound regular
and Rhythmic as the PADDLE strokes.
that came frcm deep in the breasts OF
the rlgidly swaying Indians and found
utterance through locked teeth.
4 mile out a railroad crossed tie tide
lands. and this was the turning point
The Nooksacks made Il first, closely
followed by the Alaskans. and Their
amid Wild cheering, the three canoes
headed for the yiaduct. Faster and
faster worked those powerful arms: tire
Paddles whizzed more fiercely through
the air; she water spurted III white
sheets behind: the canoes bounded
length on length. out of the water. and
louder and faster the cultural chars
beat time. The Aiaskan$s and tNn
Nooksaeks were coming in together,
excitement WIS terrific. Nearer and
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