The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-08-23

sprung up and in plain sight of the ex-
cursion boat.
"Was-was the girl alone?" asked
the little launch shyly. trying to shrink
back out of sight of the excursion
boat.
1--WE carry all sorts of people," said
the latter gruff1y, "but I'd have you re-
member, ma'am, that ladies unaccom-
panied do not go out on our excursions.
Besides, this girl wasn't that sort. She
was with youth whom / disliked from
the start, which we made right here.
The barge was along as usual-it's
laid up for repairs today" and the big
boat chuekled as if in remembrance
of a good joke, ''but those two did
not dance. They sat on my deck and
talked in low tones. The young wom-
an was appreciative of the scenery and
1 could see that this appreciation in
creased as carried the crowd further
UP the river. She spoke intelligently
of the effect Of the moonlight and the
twinkling electric lights, but the young
cub with her never looked at any Of
the sights. He was holding in his hand
the ends of a ribbon sash she wore
about her waist but he hardly said a
word, just listened to her talking"
(Which was proper enough. to my
mind" said the little launch with sud-
den courage.
The big boat snorted and rocked to
one side as though seized with a de-
sire to crush his neighb1r for her au-
dacity. Much you know he began
gruff1y, and then his tone changed sud-
denly. That's a mighty smart bit of
ribbon you have hanging over your bow
there" he said with awkward gallant
ry land it's vastly becoming to you,
ma'am."
The small boat quivered with pleas
ure. 81 am glad you like it, she said
softly. But didn't that young man
ever become appreciative Of the seem
cry you were showing him?"
"Appreciative nothing" grunted the
big boat He just sat there twirling
that ribbon like an idiot. Finally the
young woman sighed softely and said,
%, Charles, did you ever see anything
quite so beautiful as this?' And he
looked straight into her eyes and said.
No, darling, 1 honestly never did, And
well, you know what nonsense al
ways follows such a remark as that?'
yes" answered the launch, but her
voice expressed regret. Did the barge
meet with an accident last night? 2"
she asked. realizing, apparently. that
there was nothing more to be heard
about the lovers.
The big boat keeled little until
there was a soft gurgle all about him,
and the little boat rocked on the waves
splashed up.
How would you like 1t, ma'anl, if
you were forced to have thing like
that tagging you about every placer
he asked in injured tones, his laughter
ceasing I'm new to this business.
but ever since I've started to take silly
excursionists up the river I've had it
in for that barge. What's it good for,
anyway, except to furnish space
enough for a lot of foolish people to
dance in?k 1 wouldn't mind if it didn't
put on such airs. But, mind you, it
thinks itself the whole cheese, if you'll
pardon the slang, ma'am."
TT must be very trying" murmured
the little launch sympathetically. I'm
consciously, the big boat hoated closer
to it's neighbor.
eTrying isn't the word for it,
ma am" he said in more confidential
tones. There would be some excuse
for it if it lightened my load, but it
doesn't the least bit. Only instead Of
carrying the people I have to drag
last night" and again the big boat
chuckled
"What did you do?" asked the little
launch coaxingly.
"I'll tell you, my dear, for you don't
seem at all like the rest OF your kind.
and think you can appreciate joke"
The big boats voice became still more
confidential and he made an effort,
which was unavailing. however, to
move still closer to the launch. "You
know" he said. that that barge ia an
awful coward and desperately afraid
of the river. She's always complaining
that there are too many dancing on
her and that she's sure to go down or
be cast adrift, But I've never paid any
attention to anything she has said.