The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1899-03-11
How Nan Raced
BY Frona NJ. Brooks


A FINER day than the first of Feb
n ruary could not have been wished
for the races which were to give the
championship in ice-boating either to
Lake Minnetonka or to Lake Pepin.
One race had already taken place, two
weeks before, and been won by Min
netonka's superb yacht, the Elk. A
protracted january thaw had post
poned the final struggle, but now,
after three days of swapping cold. Lake
Mnnetonka presented noble sheet of
smooth. solid, glittering ice. More
over, the mercury had kindly risen to
the comfortable point Of Is degrees,
and fine breeze lent itself to the oc-
casion. -,
Lake Pepin had sent its two best ice
yachts - the solidly-built Cyclone,
larger than amy boat Lake Minnetonka
could boast, and which had been known
to reach speed of 80 miles an hour;
and the Phoebe, a beautiful little craft,
made as light as possible, with slen-
der mast, silk sails and q cockpit of
interviewer cords.
Lake Minnetonka, on the other hand,
had entered nine ice-boats for the
race, boats of every size and appear
ance, from the What-Not-a rough,
homemade affair entered by three
newsboys-to the Elk, which had won
on the former trial. Most of the boats
we're Of medium size. Perhaps the
best of these was the Nancy, Christ
mas present to George Tassett from his
4 s,,s y
on the Hudson.
George had promptly named it the
Nancy in honor of his only sister Anne,
bright girl of II, whose cheerfulness.
pluck and sympathy made her his
dearest companion at all times.
In the previous race the Nancy and
all the smaller boats had come in far
behind, because heavy wind had been
greatly TO the advantage Of the Elk
and the Cyclone: To-day George, count
ing on the lighter breeze, was in high
fnish-he could hardly expect Il win.
The course was twice around five
mile triangle. Each turning point was
marked by fir tree easily visible
against the white background of ice,
while the goal was distinguished by
flag fastened to post.
At the first gun all the II yachts,
which had been fitting about, swung
into position, affording particularly
beautiful sight when drawn up side
by side. They were rivals in every
sense, for one of the charms Of an ice
boat race is that every boat starts at
the same moment, there is no time al
lowance. and the yacht which leads
at the finish is the actual winner.
Five minutes passed, a. time of quiv-
ering expectation for Nan, before every
boat was in place. Each skipper was
then. standing alert, with hand on
stern, ready, with one or two helpers,
to push his craft off and jump aboard
himself at the next gun. Bang it went,
and oil started forward like flock Of
great white-winged birds.
Have we a chance?" Nan asked her
brother. although she knew the Nancy
almost as well as he, and could have
given n sound opinion as to the proba-
BILE outcome.
Barely" said George; "but the wind
is still falling and there's no telling
yet"
The difference in boats soon began
to tell. The splendid Elk drew ahead
while the silken-sailed Phoebe flew
close beside the leader. Third, came
the Cyclone, too heavy for the breeze.
so that George speedily put the Nancy
into third place. The first time round
the course these three-the Elk, the
Phoebe and the Nancy-held the same
relative positions. but on the second
round, as the boats reached the fir
tree which marked the first turn in the
course, the Phoebe got the best of It,
and drew ahead. On the beat to the
second fir tree she gained decidedly.
Then down they pushed toward the
goal. the Elk gradually gaining till al
most jib and jib with the leader. but the
Phoebe whirled around the flagstaff
first.
The Nancy was not a very close third,
and George looked as much disappoint-
cd as Nan felt. But she looked bril-
liantly pleased. with rosy checks, gilt
tering eyes. and little frost powder
from an i,nrestraiued froado,,, .>f ,,.:a..