The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-09-04
mood Of the elements ss friend and guest,


And the New York girl knew, with clad.
ness that made her want to throw out her
arms and shout, that for the first time in
was one with her. The spring Of the water
was in her blood, the thrill OF the wind was
beating In her heart, the spray was kissing
her eyes and lips, and the canoe was throb,
bling exultingly from bow to stern, sending
The water dashed merriiy over the gun.
wale-why not, as they were all friends?-
and the yellow curls were baptized into
oomradeship with it. The man in the stern
accepted this friendship Of nature with rare
dairy line to meet rebuff. Re Padded Idle po with
swift, easy sureness, playing the game Of
discreet encounter as deftly as in draw
ing room.
And he watched the girl through the spray
knew her for one Of athe clan" that fea aed
no true and beautiful thing; she belonged
to the sunshine with her red and brown
skin, to the waves with her dewy eyes
and to the wind with her strong, slender
body, vibrant and full Of grace.
The crew and the passenger did not sneak
but listened intently not to lose word Of
the wonderful language that was being
spoken all about them And the girl re-.
membered the opening lines of a poem by
q Canadian:
ROCKS, ! am ono with you
Sea, am yours
S9 Your ras ssrs %sy 'e ensu saa 60
II she, as a stranger, felt suoh ooseness,
such companionship, In a weeks association
with water and fir trees and granite, what
indeed must be the love Of the land and the
necessity of a returning to 1t Of the native,
one Of the .Clan'i
A, gentle day. that was the memory Of
midsummer, followed the storm. And the
NAy N<xrlr nxtr 3d.
uous experiences Of stormy delight, de-
sired to take her first lesson in polling.
The polling was to be up narrow thorough
fare between two small islands, swift
shallow raceway Of clear gray-green water
which fairly shot through the strait. To
the New York girl the narrow strip Of water
cleaned by like an arrow, 30 undertaking
was its fight from end to end of the channel
She padded up to the very mouth OF the
raceway. Then as she felt the pressure
Of water and the call Of the canoe For help,
the canoe with few strokes Of the paddle
as she deity got on her feet.
She faced halfway to the right one foot
in line with the canoe and the other straight
across, with her right leg braoed against
ing: Her feet were clad in Melioete moo.
casins to enable her to get q firm hold and
her slender body swayed without losing
balance to every long lunge Of the canoe.
She grasped the wood pole, clean
shaven and white, the right hand at the
far ahead as she could reach with easy bal
ance. then pressing heavily on 1t, she would
catch the fine uplift and lunge ahead and,
swinging the pole. was ready for fresh
advance.
Here was conflict indeed II the storm
had welcomed her, the raoeway did not.
or perhaps would fain carry her back with
1t. 1t was battle for every inoh, II the bow
swung but foot the oanoe met the old,
old call Of the waters and forgot the girl
as we'll as ground to Dover, and ths fnstihot
of the pretty bark to hirt with her dearest
lover to be checked.
And there was the terrible temptation
marvellous beauty Of 1t all. 70 listen to the
confusion Of many waters, to watch tho
terrified haste over the bed Of jewel oolors,
Of gray quartz and rcd jasper and chaloe-
dony In translucent waves Of green and
cream ivory. But there was never second
for pictures. neither on the banks with tho
tangle Of willows and grape vine, nor on
the water, nor into the jewel case under
the water.
It was all shove, evenly, steadily, watch-
purpose Of better work and to mako sure
that the water was being conquered and
the canoe forced into renewed allegiance.
The girl couldn't win unless her brain was
swifter than the current.
And the captain ordered softly, watched
tenderly, helped not at all II the girl
could win, It would be alone, and II she
failed the Canadian closed his eyes with
the agony Of thinking that he might ever
be compelled to regard the slender swaying
figure with look Of permanent oondem-
nation.
She was strong enough to win, II was
Just a matter OF pluck, and he knew he
wouldn't pretend excuses II she failed
But 1t would change tho color Of the sky
above and Of the stones beneath the gray
green flood, and
In the midst Of this melancholy revens
he heard a hooking laugh, tinged with Joy
and triumph. the straining Of the canoe
ceased, and the raoeway was passed
With great self-restIaint the great happy
chap did not lift the canoe with the girl in
1t upon his shoulder, and trudge back to
civilization proudly proclaiming her
prowess. That's only the way he felt.
What he said was: Good work. and
then looked shyly about tho landscape