The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-11-07
THE EVENING STOR r
Canoeists.
(By Donald Allen,

age a canoe 1t was SAID OK MIN Inat
/ he had such a taking way that in seven
4 minutes by the clock he could make an
/ old maid vince with palpitation, and
4 that ne could manage canoe better
4 than any Indian ever born. There
might have been other things in his
1 life to brag of, but they were kept in
! the BACKGROUND. He was a man of
/ about 80, well to do, and matrimoney
was not in his line.
There were three or four reasons why
PiIlsbury Smith appeared at Gosport
| one day in August and informed the
landlord Of the village inn that he
might stay the month out. One was
| canoeing. He was an authority on
| hooks and lines and bait and fish. At
! GoSport, a bay swept in almost to the
steps of the hotel, and one part of 1t IN
! escaping to the lake again fell over a
/ Qam and furnished water power to
! sawnill Tt was an ideal place for ca
noeing, and the fishing was always
good.
On the first morning after his arrival
/ Mr. Smith arose at the early hour OF
| seven, but early as it was, a fine view
rewarded him as he stepped out on the
Veranda. A girl about 18 years old was
/ padding about the bay in a canoe. She
/ was bareheaded and attIred in such
manner that he easily reasoned it out
/ that she was camping with a party on
one of the islands in the bay
It was altogether improbable that she
/ had heard of his arrival in the village
4 but she manoeuvered Up and down in
front of the hotel in a way that gave
him the impression that she was show
ing off for his benefit. This naturally
/ Hattered him, and when he saw that
according to his standard, she didn't
know the first thing about managing
canoe, the way to make her acquatn-
lance seemed clear to him. Before he
/ could launch his canoe she had disap-
peared, but his disappointment was not
I to last long.
At 9 O'Clock he took his station at the
head Of the mill race to fish. Within
half an hour the girl Joined him. That
is, she appeared on the other side of
the race, climbed up on an old water
| wheel and threw in her line without
seeming to be aware of the existence of
! Smith.
In the first place, the girl was not
fishing with the proper hooks or bait
In the text, her position was danger
Gus. At any moment she might slip
and be carried over the dam, Thirdly,
Pillsbury Smith had given her every
chance to recognize his presence, and
she had failed to do so.
Excuse me, please" he said finally,
"but you can hardly expect to catch
4 any fish with such hooks and bait, If
I NAV be so bold as
In reply she hooked a three-pounder
and hauled it out.
by Jove!" exclaimed Mr.. Smith.
The girls second fish was much larg-
er and as she was playing it Mr..
Smiths excitement got the better of
"Give him line-moFe linei You are
sure to lose him if you dont!"
The girl did not turn her head, but
landed that fish and two more before
he had had a bite. Then she got into
her canoe and padded off towards one
OF the islands.
That afternoon Mr.. Smith learned
that the girl belonged to a party of
! campers. on the island opposite, and
I that she seemed to be one who had her
own way about things. Most OF her
time was spent on the bay. padding,
fishing and shooting at mudhens with
a shotgun, and she had been seen pad
ding as if she contemplated a trip over
its brink.
by love. but viii take her under
| my wing, as it We're" said the club
man to himself. and that night he left
orders to be called at O'Clock next
morning.
He launched his bark just as the girl
came sweeping up but though he plan
ned to pass within six feet of her she
stared straight ahead and did not ac
/ knowledge his existence by so much as
| the flicker of an eyelash. She showed
Inc disposition to leave the waters be-
cause he was there, but padded about
for nearly an hour to get an appetite
for breakfast. The first time Mr.. Smith
! addressed her he said:
| your pardon, I am sure, but you sit
too far forward in your canoe. The
! bow of the craft should rest on the
surface, instead of pushing the water
4 in front of it
There was no response except that
/ perhaps she moved an inch or two
further forward, and ten minutes later
he tried again.
IF I may make SO bold I would say
that you grip your paddle altogether
too high
! She let her hands slide up to grip it
higher and turned the bow of the canoe
/ toward camp. Mr.. Smith hoped the
girl would return to the race that aft
I ernoon to fish, and he was not dis
lappOinted. She appeared at half-past
/ two clock and went right to business.
He gave her a friendly nod as she ap
| peared, but her eyes were on her fish
| line.
The clubman saw that he had flint
| hearted girl to deal with, and he did
not know how to act with her. The
! best he could hope for was that she
might fall into the race from her in
secure position and it was this hope
that had caused him to tie his canoe
at a convenient spot. If he could have
! the luck to save her life she must usa-
| bend.
The thing that Mr.. Smith wanted to
happen did happen. The girl was play
| ing a big fish when she suddenly lost
| her balance and went into the water
| with a great splash. While Mr.. Smith
was hoping for and half expecting it,
he wasn't prepared for the event He
| had to secure his f1shpole and then un-
| tie his canoe. 1t was all of a minute
and a half before he was afioat. Then
| the girl was out of sight He drove the
| canoe down the race but Fate was
against him. It struck snag and
turned over and he had a hard swim
to reach the bank. When he had
shaken the water from his clothes and
looked around, the first thing he saw
was the girl. She was fishing in her
pa Jove, but thought you
drowned" called Mr.. Smith when he
had walked up the stream to his old
The girl lifted her hook and renewed
the bait, but that was all. Mr.. Smith and
/ his canoe withdrew for the rest of the
! afternoon, but that night he took a terri
] g. rL.I1at e-lrl should racnelIza