The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1902-01-31
HE SAID "G'WAN!"

~-~>~~
Se0E leaned upon the rail of the
JF1I boat as she swung away from
~ her pier and headed clumsily
for the distant, hazy shores Of Staten
Island. His bare feet gripped the low
er rail, his backing box was swung
across his shoulder. The box was
studded with brass nails in rude pat
tern, for according to his lights its
owucr had an artistic eye. 1t had been
a busy day for him, and he jingled his
profits with one hand and reflected
upon the extravaganza Of allowing
himself to spend 20 cents in sail
down the harbor and back With the
tine superiority OF mOneyed man,
too. he surveyed his fellow craftsmen
who piled their brushes on the boat.
For once he was above them, passen-
ger Of equal rights with the trim col
lrge man, smoking a cigarette few
feet away, and he was conscious Of
regret that he had not worn his shoes,
SO that he might have had them black
ed and tasted the delights Of paying
for service instead OF being paid. Be-
yond present enjoyment lurked the in
evitable return to Hester street, and
the beating that would follow his con-
fesslon. For he had dim recollections
If honesty, and would acknowledge his
stolen holiday and receive full value
for the squandered 20 cents from the
ow-lrowed, sullen father who presided
over his destinies with stick. Retri-
hutton hung red-handed above him, but
he rcsolutely put away the thought of
It. Nor the time being there were the
breeze and the blue water and the
sound Of music from passing excur-
drew IN the salty air, and sent it forth
again in the form Of a popular melody,
>hrllly whistled. The college man
1urned to his companion and laughing
ly indicated the boy. "Profuse strains
of unprecedented art" he said.
THIS was beyond the boy, but he de-
trcted a slur. He regarded the critics
rrs"ntfully, bordering which of his
>tnt'k Of expletives would best meet the
emergency. Finally he compromised
on "Ah, g'wan," and turned his eyes
nn>c more to the llarbor's shifting pan
Drama,
Then for the first time he saw the
girl. She was bending over the rail Of
the upper deck, and-could it be-yes,
she. was watching him and listening to
his whistling; a wonderful vision OF
blue eyes and long golden curls and
pink and white muslin. The boy shift
ed his position uneasily, and once more
wished he had worn his shoes. But
never for moment did he check his
music. He changed the tune, to "Only
One Girl" and employed in it's execu-
ton all the runs and trills of which
he was master, directing covert
chances upwards to see if she was still
listening.
Being out of breath for the moment.
he paused at the end of an extraordi-
nary trill, and CALCULATED: "Crackey,
she's fairy" quite audibly. This
seemed to amuse the college man. He
fairy?' with a suave civility.
oh, g'wan," said the boy. The in
corruption disconnected him, and he
stepped back from the rail. "Oh, g'wan
and lemme lone, will yer:" he reiter-
ated.
And then, all in a moment, there was
a flash of pink and a splash, the tramp
OF hurrying feet on the upper deck,
and woman's cry: ''Marion!
"Joye!' said the college man. "some
ones overheard" and he stripped Off
his coat. But the boy was quicker.
= His box raped smartly on the deck.
and he was over the rail and svept
from view in the backward swirl of the
water
"love!' said the college man again,
the bootDlack's overheard, too!'
Coming to the surface with a gasp.
the boy thought of the words of his
friend. the attendant at the public
baths: Keep your chin up and your
mouth shut. and breathe Deep" Before
him. 20 yards away, was a terror
stricken face framed in hair, pitifully
wet. It sank again as soon as he
forced his way towards it, and through
the singing in his ears the voice of
his friend rang again:
''Drowndin' folks come up three
times"
That was two" thought the bow.
"Qh, Gawd"'
And this was prayer, though he
knew it not. A moment later and his
hand grasped her arm. He swung him.
self upon his back, holding her hard
against his breast.