The Alaska prospector., 1903-04-16
THEY WERE ANNOYED

It was quite evident that the couple hAd moro than an ordinary regard each for the other. They showed it from the mo ment they walked across the gangplank and made their way to the upper deck of the excursion steamer and drew two chairs away from the cluster and eat down in chem, beaming.
 They were both youthful. He was Aorid and rather stout for young man and be was dressed in his Sunday best. with . gorgeous cravat to give the finishing touch to it and silk handkerchief tucked into hie neck to keep his collar from wilting. She was slight and rataer pale. Her hands were red and roughened with work, but she wore a dress that was fine enough for . ballroom and had . train to 1t and elbow sleeves. and her jewelry was imposing, to say the least. And her hat!
 It looked promising. for as fine as the day was there were very few people on board as yet. The young man drew his chair to hers SO close that they touched, and. leaning his arm on the hack of 1t, whispered in her ear. The girl laughed and then they looked unutterable things into each others eyes.
 Soon the steamer sidled away from the dock and moved slowly and majestically down the river. The young man made two or three attempts to possess himself of the young woman's lace-mittened hand. These she repelled at first. At last she coyly sur. rendered her hand to his clasp, and for a few minutes they were silently, serenely happy. Then a musical feminine voice closs behind them said: Heres a splendid place. Emma. Bring the chair here"
 The owner of the voice was shirt waisted girl with black eyes. She addressed an- other shirt-waisted girl with gray eyes and the two almost immediately seated them selves close to the no longer happy couple and began to talk in a lively fashion of the long-shore scenery and things in general. The young man no longer held the hand of the beloved object. He withdrew it al most immediately after receiving a demure sidelong glance from the shirt-waist.d girl with the black eyes. blusing at the came time and looking excessively sheepish. The object locked equally uncomfortable. They is;t ed silently ard despairingly to the gay chatter of tae girls.
 Lets take a walk round; what d you esy!' the young man asked The young woman asSentet, and they descended to the lower deck. They made the circuit of the boat two or three times and at last found quiet nook aft There were not many hooks and they appreciated it. Tie young man gallantly spread his pocket handker- chief on a coil of rope so that the young woman could sit down without soiling her dress and took his place at her feet. She bent toward him.
 "You don't like me-"
 "You don't like me-"
 "l do, too"
 'So do 1"
 "How much do you think you like me?-
 "More'n you like me-"
 You don't, either"
 T-"
 "Ju.t look over the eide, here, Emmie," eaid tht black.eyed girl. Do you see the wake! How isr it stretches baek-jrfst as Tar as you can tee. wonder why they call 1t wake? It looks beautiful against tLe green, anyway. I could stand here and watch it forever"
 The young man frowned and groped in his waistcoat pocket for a match. The young woman hummed tune and played with his pocket-handkerchief. The two girls in the