The Saint Paul globe., 1902-09-02
The &)rong Jide.


Jan Vragnizan stood among the net
racks of Kinneyss cannery and watch
ed his boat puller in the boat below.
To his eyes, the young man was more
than ordinarily deft and neat-handed.
To be sure, he never had had one who
was not quite UP to the standard; for
he. an Vragnizan. was noted on the
Columbia for his success in fishing
and had always had his pick Of men.
In a dull way she somewhat resented
this effective activity ON the part Of
Dravhan, and he raised his eyes to
view the sky. The Washington hills
were STEPPED in low-lying cloud, and
the gray reflection in the water was
ruff1ed by gusty sounth wind. His
glance ran down past Desdemona
Sands and Scarborough Head to the
bar. which, under the fitful afternoon
sun, cleaned into momentary visibil-
ity and then disappeared as though it
had fallen back over the edge Of the
world.
"a bad night, Dravhan," he rumbled,
hoarsely.
The boat puller Strengthened himself
up and glanced seaward. cay, sir;
| wind" he responded, slowly.
His captain strode heavily forward
to the edge of the wooden platform.
His great leathern boot tops waggled
| about his massive thighs, and across
his bulging middle the narrow belt
| sank as he breathed deeply. "EImore's
| boats are out" he said. Get started"
| Again the boat puller looked up and
| there was a frown on his face. "How
long do we stay out2" he inquired,
| shortly
Morning tide" was the gruff an
| swer.
| Dravhan seemed to figure, for his
lips moved and he crossed the fingers
of his right hand successfully with
his left forefnger. Tomorrow noon?"
he finally asked.
| Vragniza1's face clouded. when
| ever I d--n please" he answered
CURLY. Then he descended with de-
liberate steps the swaying ladder, and
dropped upon the tarpaulin that COW
cred the neatly slowed net. Without
further words Dravhan unfastened the
| painter, stepped the mast and rugged
the sail. With a powerful sweep Of an
oar the boats head was turned out
toward the channel, and the sail ex-
panded in the wind.
Leave the spirit out" said the cap
tain, and Dravhan sat quietly down
on the weather 6hwart. AS they swept
on into the channel the jolting river
waves caught at them, and now and
again spray Of Icy water dashed
across the boat. On they ran athwart
the wide Columbia till the sands were
behind and the deep middle channel
was reached. Here the sail was taken
in; the mast wabbled as the surge
caught boat w 803 full in the swelling
side. Jan Vragnizan threw off the
tarpaulin, and began that wearisome
kback- breaking toll Of throwing out the
net the while Dravhan pulled slowly
| away, and the corks bobbed into a
wavy, lengthening line on the troubled
face of the river.
When all was out, and S03 rode at
the end of the seemingly interminable
net, the two men slowed the mast and
oars. Then they fell upon their coarse
| supper, gazing, between huge mouth
| fuls, at the fercy setting sun. The
| chill wind Of evening freshened, and
| as. night fell over them there famed
| out, as stars into the sky, the f1aring
coffee lights of thousand boats rid
| ing to a thousand nets.
After the meal they lit their pipes
and sat brooding, wordless, beaten by
the shrewd wind, showered upon by
the endless fux of waves, stirred