The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1901-01-24
THE FIRST VICTORY

be.atiial NAY sitefuoon they Tel, ~ithif
themselves that their time bad come 81
I..t. The warmth Of the sell'ns spn ss u
.losly approached the hllliops ~hieh
su.rd C.yuss on the sect, the deep blot
a the lake ssd the breath o. spries In the
,ol, .oaihsrn bretEt seomed oil to ioreiell
sont sood iorinns, Then. 700. - Toe
cress rosed np The lake the nrsi year
usu bad pulled together beautifully ihsii
lo,rs hsd s,roek the water 10 perfect unl
son, with neyer brssk from oos %
stroke. II wss coming. spd they knes H.
for tbey bad struck their stride. IS lht
runnets cay.
A bias, from the whistle OF the eoseh Z
lhuueh drew their attention TO the varsity
.nd ihs sophomore crews which bad pro
oseded q mile farther up the lake. From
this point ibs iso senior eress we're to
race for three miles. picking up the heel
men Of the mile mark, As the freshmen
watched them the di,tant shells lBrned
slowly aud took their positions. A mo
ment they 10y molionless: then. rs ls' oil
white steam shot OPP from the lsuneb, ~
broad oar blades flashed 10 the SUP, snd
the race was on
|. looked to the eager freshmen IS II
the sophomore crew bad leAped to the
front With the hrst stroke, the beaver
varsity being spsble to catch the water as
had their nimble rivals, and ss the two
shells came racing over the CLASSY surface
OF the lake it was evident that the secopd
year men we're increasing their sdssntsge.
Look ut EN- esinl Look st EN- ssinl
cried Cfo~ell up 10 bow sest Croseli al
ways became excited whenever he watch
ed others racing, but as soon ss be got IN
a race imselt be was the stesdlest man 10
the boat.
Thst's oil right, said Bruce, the sturdy
stroke, the sophs may jump them st the
start bat you wait until that varsi ges
| down to work
Aud almost before be had uttered them
his words were.proved lrne, for the class
crew eessed to gain 90 their seniors. For
time the two shells pulled at almost
eausl speed, the white launch speeding
along close behind the second, the coach
no 10 the bow directing the oarsmen
through his great slu minium meesphone.
Though the freshmen could rot hesr him
they knew that he was upbraiding the var
sity Tor allowing class crew to get ahead
OF them. And soon his reprosches bad
their effsct, for the sophomores we're seen
to be slowly losing their lead as the cider
men began to put their hearts into the
work. Slowly but surely the second crew
crswled upuntil the length and bali OF
open water thst had separated 1t from Its
fleeing rival Was reduced to less than o
foot, aud then the ooach's voice came ring
ine over the water:
Get ready there. ireshnenl
The little cockswsin ceased crsning bis
neck over his shoulder and, grasping the
rudder lines firmly. shouted:
Ready sl-!-ll
In response the eight sunbrowned boys
before him settls1 themselves into their
seats and, leaning far forward, dipped
their oar blades into the water.
Eyes 10 the boat. cautioned the cock
swain, and they waited while their oppon
ents came fJiug toward them. They
heard the painting Of the lsunch's engine
and then the sound OF the rushing shells
clesving the still water and the "schuh"
Of the oars 10 the rowlocks as l6 psirs OF
arms sho. ont on the recover. Then the
"pld mans" voice again;
Are you ready. freshmen Then gol
Aud with one giant besve they were oil.
Bruce kept bis eye steadily fixed on the
port sunwsle as it slipped past, still swirl
ing and dimplius from the blows OF the
stout blades behind bin. Quickly. end
vet With the utmos, care be pulled stroke
after stroke, q sharpe c.tch and power
ful besye, then out shot bis hands. snd
bis shoulders followed Oh The recover. but
as tisssa, nested the end of the slide be
slowed IT down that there might be DO
checking OF the b at. And the seven men
behind bim we're doing likewise. for once
a. be caught the water be felt the frsil
shell rise beneath him and quiver like liv
iuQ thing, A thrill OF exultstion passed
through every man 10 the crew. They
knew then that the victory was theirs.
For the Hrst time they had ielt the shell
live, end that spelled victory
And row the little cockswsin ionnd bis
voice.
STEADY, boy, slesd,l he cried, Keep
your eyes on the stroke catch -cstch-
c,tcsi
Then, with q note o! triumph 10 bis
voice, be shouted:
We're gaining, boys; we're gsinios'
Keep her up.
By this time Braces breath was coming
fast, and the great drops OF swest poured
of his face. For an instspt be vebtured
10 elsuce away from bis pitch OF water,
aud 90, Of the corter oi bis eye be saw
the other boats nov racing along 90 even
terms snd not half length shesd. DE
wss recalled by the voice Of the cocks
swain;
I'm going TO give yon ten. fellows, and
when | get through you've act TO be even
With tbem. Rssdy nos -one. tao. three
good work, boys fonr. i've we're ssin
ing cir, sevsn-So 2, don't clip yoaf
.,rots-eist,. uiSe, teri Ws're up 10
thsu,l Nov ten morel ose, two, three
Bat The other eress we're pulling Their
h,rdes,. sufSbstseeu strokes Brace could