Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1895-08-10
a COLLEGE BOAT RACE.


HhG WtftninB trtW iihu one wan ONb
with II Broken Oar.
Fifty feet below the long sholls
tho referees launch lay, and cling
ing to the rail as he leaned over tho
sharp cutWuter tho referee himself
was giving orders in quick, exact
tones.
At last he had finished, and tho Is
mon in the shells who had boon
straining their ears to catch every
word Strengthened themselves in
their seats and norvously gripped
their oars afresh. Then, with tho
blood tingling curiously in their fin
ger ends, they loaned their heads for
ward trille, and with eyes straight
astcrn awaited the word.
"Ready!' and 1G oars flashed back
the sunlight as they moved and dip
ped into the water again, their hold.
ers posing themselves, ready for tho
stroke. The launches had darted
aside, the steamers were i'll position,
and from tho bows of the two shells
up stream thero stretched u clear
space of water, which was lost only
where the river bent toward tho
west. Suddenly there rang out loud
and clear, "Go!"
Like flash 16 pairs of shoulders
squared Ii seats shot back, and tho
water surgcd astern from the driven
blades. a second later, and the river
boiled under the wheels and propel-
lcrs Of tho steam craft, and a mighty
shout went up, punctuated by a doz-
en- shrill blasts from the pipes of tho
steamers.
AS they rounded slight bend II
little farther on Brooks gave anoth-
er searching glance to his crow. Not
Il face there but was set and rcsolv-
ed; not one that looked dispirited,
though every man was pulling
strongly, and the pcrspiration
streamed from faces and shoulders
Pleased with what he saw, he whis-
pcrcd again to the stroke, and at the
Same instant heard the indistinct
sound of II similar warning in the
other boat.
Again came the STEADY, there!"
followed smartly by Wright's yell.
Then there was II quick pull, anoth-
OF, third, and ON the third an ON
nous crack II crunching sound, and
the shell Jared sharply. Wright had
shot back helpless in his seat, the
handle of his oar claspcd in his
hands, whilo tho blade driftcd to the
stern broken off at the rowloCk. For
the moment tho confusion among
tho crew was complete. Brooks
shouted directions, but the disorgan-
iZation was sufficient to mako the
shell lose Roadway and sheer off to-
ward the starboard side. The other
boat was fully half length ahead
almost Immediately, but it looked
like collision, the two shells were
so close to each other,
Then, just as tho stroke oar III tho
other boat came opposite to tho bow
of their boat, there came to each
crew an order.
Let her go-all together, there"
sang out the coXswain OF their rival,
and his boat shot forward under tho
increased stroke. But to Brooks ears
q moro grateful sound was the deep
toned voice Of the No. Z man in his
own crew: :" Steady, there! Now, pick
her up-all togerhern' snd then his
sharp" Observation-Disclosures
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
And as if by magic order sprang
from disorder, and at each count
there was strong, united pull, and
Brooks felt the boat lift and shoot
as INC SCN tl IllCll tillCN llltll wight
Oh the oars.
Now they had entered upon the
last 100 yards of the race, and the
stroke had been raised to 40 to tho
minute, and the coXswain of the
other boat was nearly ona level with
Brooks. Wright's face was Nreathcd
with smiles. Fifty yards, and they
were even; %, and Brooks saw the
swirl from the stroke oar of their
rivals opposite to him, and he knew
his own boat was ahead a few last
strokes, and they had passed the
buoy at the finish, Il ID with IL shout
of Way enough" Brooks threw out
his hand to Wright.
But the latter had turned in his
seat and had grasped the hand of
tho No. man in his own and was
gripping it hard.
You We won the race for us, " he
was saying. And Fales could only
return the handshake and look hap
py.-Francis Churchill Williams in
st. Nicholas.