Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1901-02-21


endurance. The "old man" in the
launch behind was shouting encourage
mcnt to the freshmen, for their burst
Of speed surprised and delighted him.
go 1t. freshmen he called.
And ''go it" they did. His words put
them OH their mettle and again the
boat quivercd as eight broad backs
heaved simultaneously. Inch by inch
and stroke by stroke they crept ahead.
Again Bruce glanced at the other
crews and saw the varsity stroke la
boring desperately to make up what
had been lost, and farther back he saw
the sophomore crew now permanently
shook him: then his eyes went back to
that bright patch Of water, and his oar
blade bit more fiercely as it struck the
surface of the lake. The little cock
! swain was fairly beside himself. He
shouted aloud in his'joy.
ITS half over, boys" he cried as
they flashed by the old windmill on the
shore. Just keep 1t up. and we've got
'em dead. e-stroke-stroke"
Yes. but could they keep 1t up? AL.
ready Bruces wrists were beginning to
grow numb, and his legs shook on the
slow recover.
And still a mile to go!
His heart thumped and pounded, and
the hot breath came gasping through
his open lips. He could hear No. I
groan at every stroke, but there was
no thought of quitting. Death rather
than that
But will we never reach the half
mile?" he wondered.
Even as the thought entered his head
the cockswain called:
"Only half mile more, and we're a
length ahead"
Oh. luckless boat! Scarcely had the
words left his lips when No. caught a
crab. The starboard side Of the shell
sank almost to the waters edge as the
unfortunate oarsman tried to drag his
blade out by main force. At once the
speed was checked, and the other boats
drew up rapidly. But Bruce kept his
head and never let the stroke vary a
too. remained cool. His calm voice in
this moment of CONSERVATION reas-
sured the rowers. who quickly re-
sponded to his monotonous "StrOke-
stroke-stroke" as Bruce's blade caught
the water. In moment all were row.
ing again as evenly as before the acct
dent. but the varsity was almost
abreast of them. The danger of defeat
after victory had seemed so sure made
the freshmen almost mad. They tug
ged at the sweeps as If they would
break them in twain. Men animated
by such a spirit could not be beaten,
and soon they were forging to the
front again. AS they entered on the
last quarter mile they were more than
half length to the good and still gain
ing slowly. But the strain was begin
ming to tell. Bruce's arms were numb
| to the elbows. his breath came in quick
pants and haze seemed to have set
| tied over him which dulled the pain in
| his aching muscles, but made his work
| only mechanical Forward and back
ward, forward and backward. his body
sWayed. while the shrill voice of the
| cOckswain sounded faint and far away.
IF could only stop for an instant"
he thought; "only a stroke" And then
he fell to thinking of what he would
| give If he could rest for one stroke
| So, yes, $40, even a week from his sum-
mer vacation, and he dreamed of how
| he would lie on the cool grass under
| the trees during that vacation, too
blissfully lazy to move-and all the
while his weary body swayed back
ward and forward, backward and for
ward, without ceasing. He was arous-
ed by that strident voice, now grown
strangely hoarse. How he hated it! Ii
was shouting:
"Only hundred yards more, fellows!
| Now give her ten-one, two, three
And as the tired crew responded to
the appeal their light boat again leaped
| forward. When the ten was over. there
was open water between them and the
varsity, while the sophomores had
dropped four lengths behind. Still that
little torment in the stern was not sat,
isfied.
'l'm going to count till we cross the
line" he announced, and then began
those terrible numbers once more:
zone, two, three, four But with
1893" he stopped and then called:
"Let her run"
Thank God, it was over! Eight pairs
of weary hands dropped the oars at
which they had been Juggling over
those two long miles, and eight weary
| bodies slouched down into their seats,
| too tired to sit erect.
Bruce leaned over the gunwale and
plunged h,s arms into the cold, GEAR
water Perfectly content was he as,
filled with the Joy of triumph. he gazed
over the fast darkenng bosom of the
lake and up the hill to where, here and
there, a light already twinkled on the
campus. And as he gazed softly,
sweetly, from the tower the chimes
pealed forth The Evening Song
New York Sun.