The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-10-16
A STRANGE YACHT.

walking down Canal street on his way to
his place Of business he was accosted by a
well appearing stranger, who spoke to him
as follows:
Mr. kETsF5aa, I understand that your
club is to have n regatta on the eth Of the
month. My name is Barnard-Oscar Bar
nard-of New York, and am anxious to
enter my yacht-er-Alpha.
MAY I ask, Mr.. Barnard, if you are
member of any of the New York yacht
clubs?" queried Mr.. Anvergne.
mo, regret to say that am not, - an.
swered Barnard, but presume that it !.
not essential
NO. it is not essential, - replied the sec.
rotary, but it makes it necessary to hava
your yacht inspected by our club measurcr.
This, of course, is merely formality, and
If you will advise me at your convenience
some time before the regatta will brina
him on board the Alpha
Inspection" queried Barnard in 3
nervous tone. 'What do you mean?''
Merely formality, my dear sir, re-
piled Anvergne 1.-THE idea is to officially
check the correctness of your vessels regis.
ter in regard TO her beam, load water line
and length over all. -
On the appointed day the inspection was
duly made, and everything being found in
accordance with the yachts official register
Barnard's entry fer the coming regatta
was duly accepted by Mr.. Anvergne.
As the eventful day drew near consider
able interest was shown in the perform
ance of Alpha. Although her hull and
sail area presented no special novelty, her
speed was truly exceptional. Even in a
comparatively light breeze she almost
seemed to run away from the other boats
in her company, and although spreading
less canvas in stiff wind than any of her
rivals she easily passed them all.
And so it was almost a foregone conclu-
sion that she would be victorious in the
race, and the sole speculation was as to
the lead she would have in the finish
Judge, them of the surprise of all when
she Jagged behind during the first half OF
the race and seemed the slowest boat OF
the feet. No Inishap was noted on board
her sails were tight as drumheads, her
spars intact, and neither the captain at
the wheel nor the crew clustered along the
weather rail gave any indication of any
thing being the matter. When the leading
yacht turned the stakeboat, the Alpha
was fully half mile astern, but by this
time the breeze seemed to have completely
died away. The sails of the Alpha hung
limp, and the main boom swung lazily to
and fro, but in little while, although no
perceptihle breeze could be noticed, she
listed a little 20 leeward and began to pillow
the glasslike surface of the water. AS sha
neared the scattered yachts her speed per-
ceptibly slackened, but she kept along to
the end of the course and was officially de-
clared the winner.
The commodore of the New Orleans
Yacht club, while presenting the cup to
Mr.. Barnard, could not refrain from re-
marking upon the peculiar nature of the
phenomenon they had witnessed that aft
ernoon-a sailing yacht making good head
way without any noticeable wind. Bur
Barnard, although appearing somewhat
discomposed, accepted the cup with few
short, hesitating words of thanks and the
Alpha and her skipper sailed away from
New Orleans that night.
The regatta OF the Philadelphia Yacht
club was held in Chesapeake bay on June
25, 1898. Among the contestants in the
40 rater class was the black sloop yacht
Ladybird, with the name of John 3. TrOw-
bridge of New York, unattached, appear
ing on her register as sole owner. AL
though she was unable to stand club
topsail in the prevailing breeze, she made
tremendous speed and won the race by
minutes and sc seconds and above all time
allowance.
Among the piles of letters that were
laid upon the desk Of the secretary of the
New York Yacht club some few days be
fore the date set for the annual regatta
was a soilcd, crumpied envelope addressed
in an extremely iIliterate style. 1t read as
follows:
DERE SEKRETERY-You kepe yur 1 peeled fur
the bote with the kopr canun that gong to bette
evry bote in yur races SAINT tell the euler
shell be O rigid the same fur he j. l1uter than
old nick And changes her 2wl tie time She
wur a wife Slope at NUorleens kold the alpha
and black sloope at filidelfy kold 1adyburd and
she is on dok stript now and what shell be the
da Of the race no nows but mister smith
& 1 am soor on him as he has gon s. bounced
Yors to command
Os,EnsT SEEMAN.
The anonymous communication of a
disgruntled sailor would have usually been
promptly thrown in the waste basket and
! no further notice taken of it, but the coup
ling of the name with the mysterious
! Alpha and with the widely reported Lady
/ bird resulted in concerted action on the
part of the, officers of the club
Just as the yachts were coming down to
( the starting line az little launch darted
/ hither and thither among them and finally
ranged alongside of the white schooner
! called Waveyvorn that was said to he the
/ property of a wealthy westerner by the
/ name of Burrows. A little wiry man
| climbed on board from the launch, and
/ glancing carelcssly at the little copper sig
nal gun thus accosted the owner:
Mr. Burrows, 1 am PinkertOn detect
i've and am required by the regatta COM
mittee to search your yacht for possible
propelling apparatus If you are not will
ing to have me make the survey, you are
forbidden to compete in these races, and
photograph of your boat. which 1 have
just taken, viii he sent to all other clubs
for their guidance"
Mr.. Burrows, alias Trowbridge, alias
Oscar Barnard, etc, absolutely declined
to permit the search, and the detective. re-
turning to his launch, the Waveworn
turned about and retreated from the scene.
Very often on q perfectly calm day
yacht is sighted upon some part Of the At
lantic coast making good headway with
out sign of power. Sometimes she il
white, sometimes black. Now Z sloop, or
again a schooner. A workman who hid IN
yard where she was once repaired report
ed a small hole at bow and stern, and 1t Is
surmised that she is propelled on the same