Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1902-02-07
HE SAID "G'WAN!"

n0E leaned upon the rail of the
IHi boat as she swung away from
oS her pier and headed clumsily
for the distant. hazy shores of Staten
Island. His bare feet gripped the low
er rail, his blacking box was swung
across his shoulder. The box was
studded with brass nails In a rude pat
tern, for according to his lights its
owuer 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
fine superiority of a 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
lege man. smoking a cigarette a few
feet away, and he was conscious of
regret that he had not worn his shoes.
80 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-
fessiOn. For he had dim recollections
of honesty, and would acknowledge his
stolen holiday and receive full value
for the squandered 20 cents from the
low-browed. sullen father who presided
over his destinies with stick. Retri-
button hung red handed above him, but
he resolutely put away the thought of
1t. For the time being there were the
breeze and the blue water and the
sound Of music from a passing eXcur-
sion steamer. He threw back his head,
drew In the salty air. and sent it forth
again in the form Of a popular melody,
shrilly whistled. The college man
turned to his companion and laughing
ly indicated the boy. 'Profuse strains
of unprecedented art" he said.
This was beyond the boy. but he de-
tected slur. He regarded the critics
resentfully. pondering which of his
stock Of expletives would best meet the
emergency. Finally he compromised
on "Ah, g'wan." and turned his eyes
once more to the harbor'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; wonderful vision Of
blue eyes and long golden curls and
pink and white muslin. The boy shift
ed his position uneasily, and once more
h.
never for a 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
glances 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 ejaculated: "Crackey,
she's a fairy" quite audibly. This
seemed to amuse the college man. He
drew near and inquired, Who's a
fairy?" with suave civility
"Oh. g'wan," said the boy. The in
terruption 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 splash, the tramp
of hurrying feet on the upper deck,
and a woman's cry: "Marion!"
"Jover 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 swept
from view in the backward swirl of the
water
"Jove! said the college man again,
1.-The bootblack's overheard, tool"
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. 1t 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 boy.
"Oh, Gawd!
And this was prayer, though he
knew 1t not A moment later and his
hand grasped her arm. He swung him.
self upon his back. holding her hard
against his breast.
I'm drowning" cried the child.
"We1l both be killedr'
Even in the face of this very posi-
BILE result the boy felt embarrassed at
speaking to lady, albeit SO small and
helpless a one.
"Oh. g'wan." he answered. Just lie
easy. I'll save yer"
Then his eye fell upon the ferryboat.
She was coming back! Rows of eager
faces lined her rails. aud he heard a
cheer and wondered vaguely what they
were "hollering" about. The little girl
was terribly heavy, and the weight of
his clothes was dragging him down
Once or twice the water washed over
his face and he reused himself tn fresh