The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1899-10-13
The Yacht Race.

BY daylight on the morning of August
every boy in the town of Oldport knew
that the wind was blowing west, and
that there was every prospect Of Il
bright. clear day: and every boy afore.
said was consequently filled with JOY, for
it was the day appointed for the great
yacht race.
They had been disappointed so many
pointed day, once the commodore of the
feet had such severe cold that his
mother would not let him go out. and
been suddenly called out Of town-but
now everyone was at home and we'll, and
everything was ready, SO when the day
promised to be all that could be desired,
of course all were very glad.
The race was to be at 2:3O o'clock.
from off the end of Miller's Landing,
but long before then the wharf and shore
were lined with spectators.
Only sixteen boys were members of the
Oldport Junior Yacht club, but every
boy i'll town. and a great many grown
up boys, were there to look on.
1t was a grand place for a race. At
high tide the water covered a broad area
Of hard, level ground, and for quite IL
distance out was very shallow. so that
some of the boys could wade in and form
line outside the race course, to guard
against the danger of any boat being car
ried down the river and out to sea.
There were boats of every description,
from little sprits:,il dories to the large.
imposing cat-rigged and sloop-riSged
for each one of the sixteen members of
the 0. J. \. c. owned quite fleet; and
there were races between all classes, but
the interest of all centered in the last
race which was to be run, and for which
only two boats were entered.
These were just about Of a size and
were both fine craft. One was owned by
Ned Miller, whose father had taken him
to the city one day and bought him the
| handsomest and biggest schooner-rig Sed
yacht to be found there; and the other
one was owned by Tommy Brown. good
natured Tommy, who would never in the
world have had money enough to buy
such beautiful boat; but Tommy was
| one or these cheerful, happy boys, always
| ready with pleasant word or smile for
all. and always willing to run crrands or
help when he could, and old Capt Jones
appreciated all these good qualities, and
he had been a boy himself once, and re-
membered what boys liked.
SO once when his rheumatic foot con-
fined him to the house for several days,
he spent some of his leisure hours in
whiting and planning and saving and
| mailing, and the result was n model boat
in every particular, which he presented
to the astonished Tommy. who was al
most overcome with joy and gratitude
er of such a beautiful boat.
Iommy's mother made the sails and
the flag and the pennant, and when the
Trixy, as Tommy called her, was all
rugged, wasn't she a beauty? But how
would she sail? That was the question
from on all. Would she beat the city boat?
The trial trip had shown both boats to
be good. stiff, stanch sea craft, but this
was to De their first trial together. Every
one IN town knew of the two rival boats,
and M, all were greatly Interested
Inc TWO boats were launched into the
water amidst intense excitement, which
was increased by a miscellaneous urchin-
D., T.. C.-who suddenly sent a large rock
Splasnlng down into the water, which
threatened for moment to swamp the
entire fleet; but soon, the water Quieting
down, and the spectators as well. Jack
Norton fired his toy cannon as a signal
70 start. while the lookers-on watched in
breathless suspense.
.Ned's boat, the Water Nymph, started
jam on the wind, and sailed away in
great style, with the TriXy close Sec
ond. The Water-Nymph was ahead a
little Mt first, but the Trixy soon came
up even with her, and then both boats
kept along just about the same: some
times, one would range ahead little
but the other would come up again with
her.
Suddenly. however, as they We're near
ing the stake-boat-or Stake-boy | should
have said, as little Louis Gray was sta
toned at the turning point--the Trixy
gained a little: a gain scarcely perccpti-
BILE at first, but gradually growing more
sand more. till she forged n half-a boats
length ahead, and the Water-Nymph did
not gain up with her
Farther and farther ahead went the
'rrixy; tho spectators checred and APP
tplauded; the boys danced up and down
in widest JOY. She has reached the
stake! She has rounded it-alas! alas!
the stake-boy, Louis, in his excitement.
was waving his cap In the air and shout
ing at the. top Of his voice, instead OF