Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-10-23
DAILY SHORT STORY
Girls Courage.
IOriginal.1

IL,
"Music of the waves, roti 1 heard
that when I'd rather have heard a
steam whistle screech in my ear"
How was that?"
"I admit there was a girl in it.
Speaking of girls, do you know they
never have the sense to be frightened
at the proper time. At least, that was
the way with the girl in this case. You
know I've always been stuck on ocean
canoeing. This year / took my canoe
to ", on the coast of Maine. It's risky.
| tell you. l knew it and took all the
care I could. l never went out except
in the best of weather and always took
n compass and n barometer. ! reached
Y. in July and padded outside every
day that was fine and the sea was not
too rough, so that by the last days of
August i had my hand well in. l would
feel my way, SO to speak. watching the
sky and the water, with an occasional
look at my instruments. The people
all thought was foolhardy, but what's
the fun without a spice of danger?
Zone afternoon when the sea was
especially smooth and the sky serene
padded farther than usual. There's
n singular feeling in being far from
land in a canoe, heaved up and down
as the waves roll under you, nothing
but sky above you and water all
around. There's such n ghostly loneli-
ness about it, such helplessness. All
fellow can do is to deXterously avoid
the force of the waves with his paddle,
as man might keep patting n tigers
eyes with n stick so rs to prevent its
devouring him. Kneeling in the canoe,
l was always on n level with the water,
at one time poised on n crest, at anoth-
er far down in the trough. It's SIN
gular sensation, different from any 9TH
er have ever experienced.
suddenly glancing at my barometer.
saw it was sinking. l swept the hor-
lion with my eye and landward saw
black cloud rising. In an instant 1 got
one leg straight forward and made for
shore with all my strength.
Il was still mile away from the
harbor's mouth when 1 saw ahead of
me the flashes of a double bladed pad
die. Then l remembered that lot OF
college girls had come to y. the day
before who had been canoeing in the
interior, and my blood ran cold as it
occurred to me that some one of them
had been crazy enough to come out on
to the ocean. l have plenty of muscle
and was putting in my best work. so
that l gained on the canoe ahead and
soon saw a girl in a Tam O'Shanter
and blue sweater kneeling and pad
ding for the shore.
"AII of a sudden there came a white
space under the rising cloud, and the
whole heaven seemed to shoot toward
the zenith. There was terrific puff
of wind. and for thirty seconds l had
all l could do to keep my boat afloat.
Then came a lull, and looked for the
canoe ahead, expecting to see it bottom
up. To my surprise and relief, there
was the girl battling with the water.
She was pretty close to me. for she had
been blown outward, while / had part
ly held my own. l hailed her, direct
ing her to slow up and l would run
alongside. When 1 did so. 1 found
her as cool as n cucumber. Whether
she realized that she and l both were
almost certain to be blown out to sea
/ did not know. At any rate, l ad-
mired her pluck.
"'You must get into my canoe l
said.
"'And leave mine? No. thank you
"'Then 1 can't help you
"'Who asked for help? she said.
81 then pulled up in front of her, and
rs my quarter grazed her bow l grab
bed both rails with my hands and rolled
over into her canoe.
Perhaps at this point you're look
ing for some fine talk. Well, here it is:
Lit down in the bottom l said Lie
down YOURSELF 1t was a case of life
or death. Lie down or I'll brain you
with this oar She saw that the time
had come to quit fooling and lay down.
I padded away against the wind. MAX
ing little Roadway, expecting every
wave as ii came on to twist the canoe
around and roll us over. Thanks to
long practice, I evaded them, but 1t
was discouraging. after safely riCiEg
Dne. to see n bigger one right upon me.
rhe fool girl kept poking up her head,
md every time rode wave she'd ex-
lain Bravo, Isn't it finer as though
were performing in Il circus.
"Well, we got into the harbor at last.
ran the canoe ashore. and we both
stepped on dry land.
what did you mean by going out |
here?' 1 asked, n sudden anger coming
,ver me after the terrible ordeal. as |
hough she was to blame for the whole |
Iffair.
"I'm sorry I forgot to ask your per.
MISSION she snapped.
Don't you know that we have es-
aped drowning as by miracles?
"She cast glance out over the angry
waters.
!, p" 1T does look pretty rough out there.
Iuch obliged to you. Goodby. 1 go
Jack to college tomorrow. We're al
owed TO receive Friday evenings. Sor-