The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1899-09-15

nome his buckets Of color and mn
prhshes. He painted the body of the
BOAT white. The wooden shields that
hung alongside the sides as the vikings
nau hung theirs were blue, as was the
PROV ana the rudder post. He had to
pe content without the gliding. He
looked at in an ecstacy of admiration.
lie touched 1t tenderly and sat for hour
gazing at the graceful curve Of the
Keel and the bold upward sweep Of the
PROV. 10 his simple mind 1t seemed
the most beautiful thing he had ever
Seen--and he had made il. He lonred
Tor the day when the ice would break
mp and he could launch his boat.
When the bay was vet filled with
floating cakes of ice he slid it down
the runway that sloped from his shop
INTO tne water, then he tied it to the
per while he set the square squat sail
that he had sewed laboriousIy in the
evenings He loosened the ropes. the
SAL tapped, then filled, the sharp bow
cut the water like knife and the boat
new away from shore. He guided with
the fudder placed at at one side the
stern and made a long tack toward the
village pier, for he wished to beat out
into the main water Of Green Bay. His
heart exulted. He felt as If he had
created some beautiful living thing
and he had vague magnificent dreams
OF the fair as he glided along-no need
of rowers straining at the oars when
his sail carried so gaily. He avoided
the Ice cakes and went on past the vii
lage, flying before the wind like a
witchboat.
He shifted the sail and beat toward
the passage between the cliff and the
island Suddenly the wind changed
and the boat refused to obey the awiI-
ward side rudder and drove straight
toward the rocks under the cliff. The
old man tried to lower his sail, but it
pulled away from him and fluttered
and snapped in the wind. The boat
went on toward the rocks which
showed in rough points above the sur
face. The keel grated and the boat
listed far on its side.
Peter fell into the water out IL was
not more than thigh deap and he wad.
ed To the beach. Then he looked back
and his heart grew like lead-~his beau.
tiful boat was being ground to bits by
the sharp-toothed rocks. The mast
on the water; the gay wooden shields
were loosened and hoated on the
waves. He shook his fist and cursed
in wild oathS the rocks that were heat
ing apart the work Of his hands. Or"o
he waded out and snatched one of the
shields and held it to his breast: then
he sat down in despair aid watched
the breaking up of his woDdar boat
Now and then the waves fiji ne bit of
wreckage at his feet, but when he put
out his hands it fioated from his reach
He sat there until II was dusk. forget
full Of his wet clothes and all save his
loss. Finally he arose and walked
along the cliffs base until he came to
a path which led to the top. He went
up slowly, and when he reached the
top paused. His farm was to the left
but he turned into the deep woods,
where the pale birches shone family
In the dusk
Searchers found him the next even
ing in the deep woods, wandering with
stumbling and feeble steps. He had
not eaten or slept and was lSlely to
drop from fatigue. He went with
them willingly enough. and when they
lODh hin uolHe poIe Ille IepIodCllcS anu
complaints of his wife without reply.
When he spoke 1t was sensibly and
without any of the violence of the de-
mented, but when his beloved boat
was torn to pieces on the rocks the
light of reason had been forever ex-
tinguished In his mind
He spent his long days in his shop
building boats that have always some
fatal defect that renders them unsea-
worthy, for the defective brain makes
boats that are like unto himself. But
the old man tolls on, dreaming of the
day when he shall finish another Won
der boat and sail away to the White
City, for he has never learned that the
Worlds Fair is dream come true and
vanished.