The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1900-01-19


finest regatta that they had had for
years was rapidly drawing nigh.
Everybody knew that the attendance
would be exceptional owing to an I'M
usually valuable prize list and the
country crowd that would be attracted
for the menagerie and circus adver-
tised to arrive in Salsey upon the
same date. 1t would be intolerable il
the man, Davis, were allowed to tri-
cycle here, there, and everywhere
over the river, as he affirmed that he
Intended to do There would be an
ccident. There must be an accident
idr. Foster should really move in the
natter.
IAN very fine! But how! What
can do?" the president grumbled.
The man does not care a tinker's
curse for you, or me- or anybody
People, being irresponsible, were
not satisfied. The president, being
president, ought to move somehow in
the matter. At length Edward Foster
determined to send an official letter
to the delinquent. An answer came
back by return of post.
Mr.. Davis was of the opinion that
people were envious of his novelty,
and that they exaggerated. If Mr..
Foster was not aware of the fact. as
his letter would seem to imply, and
would refer to the Regatta Subscrip-
ton List, he would fi,.d that Mr.. Davis
was a subscriber, and so had a moral
right to be present at the regatta.
The president of the Salsey Rowing
Club brooded over this reply for two
days. Then he went to Bonsors and
called one of the watermen aside.
Bill. he said, 81 am hiring the Jane
for regatta day. shall want you just
before the Salsey's Schools race
comes off to row Miss Foster in her
away from this part of the river
down to the first lock-"
The Schools race is, for local
reasons, always the great event of
a Salsey Regatta 1t attracts the atten-
ton of the crowd more than any other
detail of the programme. At the eX-
citing moment when the course op-
pOsite to BOnsor's was about to be
cleared for the great race the presi-
dent intended to foul Mr. Dayis's tri-
cycle with a dinghy, so skillfully that
the cockney would be covered with
public obloquy as 9 careless, reckless
fool who has at last received what he
deserved-a weltmerited upset and
ducking.
A gray stone bridge, WITH several
arches. crosses the river a hundred
yards below Bonscrs boatyard. The
stream widens beyond the bridge, run
Mig by q fine promenade upon the left
TO a terminal lock. Halfway between
the bridge and the latter another side
mic DIV 20,
lower river It was toward this side
lock that Bill, according to his orders,
began to row Miss Foster upon the
day of the regatta, just before the
course was cleared for the Salsey
Schools race. The river was crowd
ed with pleasure boats. Their pro-
gress was slow as Edward Foster
watched them from the midst of a
gayly-dressed crowd at Bonsors. At
length they disappeared out of sight
under an arch of the bridge and, Ed
ward Foster Immediately stepped into
a dinghy that was being held ready
for him at the wharf by waterman.
Shall shove yer off, sir?" the man
asked.
The brass band Of circus and me-
nagerie was playing noisily and in
field behind Bonsor's yard. what?
No, not yet. Hold on a Bit" the pres
ident replied.
A minute passed. Suddenly, Mr..
Davis's motor-tricvcle rolled forth
from an arch of the distant bridge,
trumpeting discordant staccato warn
ings to the crowd of boats and began
to dodge its way IN and out of them
toward Bonsor's. "All right Shove
QUIT" said the president, sharply,
catching sight of 1t.
The waterman obeyed, pressing
hard upon the outrigger, and after
ward hand over hand along the length
of a scull The light craft yielded
steadily outward till there was water
enough for the president to take
a stroke. A glance over his shoulder
told him that the tricycle. was ad-
vancing rapidly. lie must be quick.
He began to head the boat hastily
round into position that would en-
able him, after taking few strokes.
to deliver slanting blow into the
wheel of the tricycle. as it passed.
Presently another glance behind told
him that the revoiut on was satisfac-
torily completed. A weak man would
now have dashed forward. But the
presidents nerves were of steel! He
saw that he must wait five seconds
or more for the advance of a heavy
family boat The blow, delivered
from behind this, would make the trl-
cyclist appear more plausibly in the.
wrong. One. two. three seconds lad
passed. The president leaned Tor
ward His blaegeyos gIeamed----
But the stroke was never ,,talea
mat would have launched him at the
tfieyclist The 'preslaent'spurpose was
suddenly distracted by an outburst o.
terrific believing. Il seemed to be
approaching the river by the lane
leading to- sBronsor's growing louder
and 1ouder There was scarcely time
to speculate what it might be when
the gayly-dressed crowd in Bonsor's
scattered in all directions like a flock
of scattered hens.
With a powerful action of the
wrists, the president reversed the
blades of his SOULS to back water so
that he could come into view of the
yard gaze Suddenly he looked past
the angle OF tarred plank shed. A
half Of the nimsv gate of the yard was
open; and. believing, laundering,
trampling toward it, he saw the dark
brown body Of an enormous animal
shaped like a rhiaoceros. Quick as
lightning, thought OF the mendgerie
made the president glance up at the
white canvas. SHOWING over Bapsnr's
roofs. Immediately afterward the
carcass entered the narrow aperture
before it. There was splintering
crash. The gate buckled up like
matehwood. And upsetting the table
of ticket collector, dispensing the
bowls of cnins in q blinking shower.