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

1t was, perhaps, 5 o'clock in the
morning. Certainly not any later. The
river where it swept by at the foot
of jackson and Sibley streets looked
almost as limpid as a mountain brook
in fresh, clean dawn. A big excur-
sion boat, as dissipated in appear
ance as a man who has been detained
at the club until late hour the night
before, creaked with pleasure as the
water broke against his bow and laved
his white sides.
Its the hour I like best of ALL
murmured a languid, affected voice,
coming, seemingly, from a little dis
lance. "Our surroundings are so much
more aesthetic now than they will be
later in the day, don't you think?"
The big excursion boat groaned,
A little below him foated a frivolous
looking little launch, her nose pointed
up the river. When she found that
she had attracted the excursion boats
attention. she broddled and then bob
bed coquettishly up and down.
20, it's you, is it," grunted the big
boat with most ungallant gruffness.
81 don't know what you mean by
aesthetic I have a splitting head
ache"
another big crowd last night?''
thetically.
Il heard the captain say there were
four hundred and forty-eight, ma'am,
but I should say myself that there
were a thousand, and I'd swear that
half of them were half grown boys
and girls and the other half were en-
gagged couples" The big excursion
boat strained at the chain which fas-
tened him as If he had mad desire
to break away and float down the
river.
II hate small boys, myself" said the
little launch automatically.
.Well, let me tell you. ma'am. that
prefer them to silly lovers said the
excursion boat shortly.
There must have been hidden sting
in what he said for the little launch
shivered and was quiet for two min
utes. During the silence. the big boat
dozed 1t was aroused by the launch's
pleading voice.
please?' the voice said coaxingly. Il
love to hear you describe things, you
make them so real"
''Well, there isn't much to tell about
them,'' answered the big boat in a
Modified tone. They always do and
say the same silly things. You know,
though, LIN by no means reconciled to
this sort of life. I do get some sort of
pleasure out of a trip by moonlight up
the river. And even when the moon
isn't shining, the lights that twinkle
along the shore and the lights from
the public baths always make me think
that all the stars have toppled down
and that a path straight through them
has been cleared for me-" The big
boat paused for breath and the little
launch quivered ecstatically.
''You talk just like a poet I carried
up the river one evening" she said.
"At least think he must have been
a poet, for he talked just like that to a
pretty. girl all dressed in white
That's where you have the advan-
tage of me-" said the big boat, with
a heavy sigh. You occasionally hear
improving conversation. While II
You were speaking about the river
scenery" suggested the little launch
tactfully.
II was speaking about these silly
lovers" retorted the excursion boat
testify do you think they ever no.
tice the moon and the lights, or are
impressed by the grave silence that
behind? Not bit of it. There was a
girl on board last night that I spotted
the minute she stepped on my deck
from the gang plank. She was a SEN
sible looking young woman, all in blue,
which is my fayorite color"
The excursion boat, which seemed to
be short-windei, paused again, and
during the pause queer little incident
occurred. The launch was flying a
bright blue pennant, but it was hidden
from the big boat by line of tiny
flags. The launch moved suddenly and
the string holding the flags broke. In
an instant the blue pennant was f1ut-
tering In the light breeze that had