Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1895-01-17
ROSE WON THE HOME.
THE STORY OF A RACE FOR AN
ISLAND IN THE MISSISSIPPI.
A GIRL AGAINST TWO MEN, AND SHE
WON BY HER SKILL, TACT
AND COURAGE.

of Is, there was very little that could be
termed alluring prospects visible in the
future She was the eldest of a family of
four. Her mother was rapidly growing
old, and it seemed that nothing but an I'M
expected inheritance could save the girl
! from a severe contest with poverty. Her
father at that time was not In evidence
/ and has not been since.
! The question Of bread and butter was
an all absorbing one to her and she sat on
the porch of the houseboat throughout
many of the long days, thinking Of the
serious question at an age when most
young girls think OF lovers. The Missis
sippi river steamboats, passed along the
river in front OF the house, but she paid
no attention to the efforts Of the gallant
pursers and occasionally captain who at
tempted to get up IL distant and therefore
wholly unsatisfactory Irritation with every
pretty face seen on the banks Of the river.
Her monotonous life had reached It's
most prosaic era, when one day her accus-
toned reverie WIS interrupted by stran-
ger He was an uncouth looking fellow,
but the girl at that time had not learned
to Judge persons by the clothes they wore
I
ton. Had she replied with some angry
answer she would in all probability have
still been wondering where the bread and
butter was to come from and would not
be the owner of 100 acres of island land
which Is now quite valuable.
The stranger told her that he had been
living on q sardhar which is now known
as Mosenthein' = island The restless cur
rent of the Mississippi, ever changcahle,
had made the island much larger than 1t
WAS orr ginally. and it is now covered with
n deposit of alluvial soil which produces
the best corn and vegetables of any farm
near st Louis He had homesteaded the
island, but for reasons which he did not
name was compelled to leave.
He advised her to get to the island as
quickly rs possible and take possession OF
ii until her mother could homestead it.
Even while he was speaking two men had
showed skiff into the water and were
heading up the stream. The stranger,
however, OWNED their intention, and,
with an apology that he had not told her
before, it was too late, was about to leave,
when she asked him why it was too late.
Them fcllers is goin up thar now.
They have been watchn the place for IA
long time. = he rrplicd
Rose however. did not believe it WAS
too late for She ran to the boathousc and
showed her ljght racing shell into the wa
ter She was barchcadcd, and there was
n null of six miles against IA powerful cur
rcut before her but it was not the first
ti,a. She had tjttcd herself against OARS
men. and She was Scrcncly confident that
she would pass them before they reached
their destination, if they were really set
tive ont for the island
Raised on Tie river the surface of the
stream WAS an open book to her She
knr,v the obstructive force of every eddy
and the dangerous qualities of every whirl
noo1
The wind was blowing from the north,
ond the. waters. irritatcd by the strong
breeze. formed a choppy sea that was dan
rcrous to even an expert in the light rae
inp she'll Notwithstanding this, she head
ed her shell across the river, taking care
to keen its bow pointed north by east, In
order that thu. current should not carry
her down The two men were already
some distance llp the river, but they kept
close to tn. west bank. BY the time the
GIRL had crossed the river they were al
most a mile in the lead but she was in
the hack water and with remarkable pres
ence of mind had taken care not to =
ha,lst her strength in the beginning of the
rorc
When near the shore, she turned the
shell ND the river. and it skinned across
the surface of the water like a bird flying
inst above the waves.
The two men, who had seen the former
possessor of the land talking to her, knew
thar she was irving to beat them to the
island. They strained every nerve and
their boat made remarkable progress