Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1905-08-09
a CHA ICE OF
2LRTIE Rs


| ghcny river above the city OF Puts
burg. They were two pairs n lovers.
John Baron and Lille Beck. Bartle
| lrarr and Margaret Ferris. II any one
wogld have told them thar within q
very short TINE there would be trans
position az ong them al fiances they
would not have believed il. Neverthe.
less such change came to pass.
John Baron was one OF those pl1ieg
matte. taelturn. undemonstrative fei-
lows who usually choose their oppo-
sites. and in Lille Beck he found cx-
actly the girl to attract him. Bartle
Farr was gay. devil may care young
man. who found In Margaret Ferris
those steady qualities that Enan ri
bis character seemed to need. Every
body said that both couples would
make an admirable match.
IL was in the days when uitrogiyc-
erin was supplied from above Pitts
burg on the Allegheny 10 the oil fields
in Pennsylvania, fioateJ down In sti-
! letto-like boats some thirty feet long
by four feet wide. Each boat carried
enough nitrogiyceriD TO blow anything
IL struck TO the clouds. IL was run by
two men, who had strict orders IL lie
Gp at nightfall IN daytime they could
be seen far enough ahead 10 enable
such craft as they came across 10 get
ont Ct the way. and. since they did not
ruu at night. there was no necessity
for accident.
The party In the skiT had pulled far
up the river during the afternoon. In
tending to drift down Ieisurely with the
current In the twilight Bart.e Farr,
who never took thought for the future.
insisted on rowing up much farther
than was intended Margaret Ferris
had endeavored TO check his enthusi-
asm, but on this occasion WAS unequal
TO the task, or, rather. she permitted
him 10 have his way. only warning
him that In case they We're caught out
on the river In the dark and anything
happened she would hold him response
bic.
Twilight was fading into night and
they were still several miles above the
city drifting down with the current.
Margaret proposed that the men
should take to the oars and was see
onled By Baron. Waereupon Farr de-
clSred thai they were having the best
part Of their excursion and as for him
self he proposed to enjoy II. Baron
took a pair of oars and began TO row.
Al this Farr made curt remark about
his tIplidity at being out aft dark
without a protector. Baron made no
reply. but kept on pulling
When the night settled down upon
them Farr and Miss Ferris were In the
bow, Farr with his back between the
two gunwales, Miss Ferris sitting on
the foremost seat, facing him. Miss
Beck was AT the tiller. Baron on the
'stroke" seat rowing. Suddenly some
thing black on the river appeared
within a few yards OF them, and a
voice shouted. Get out OF the way for
your livesg' and two splashes followed
as OF persons jumping into the water.
In another moment John Baron rec
ognized the dim outline Of nitroglyc-
erin boat coming straight for the
skiff. AT the same moment Farr, who
had risen TO see what was coming. rec
ognized the danger. He plunged into
the water and Owed TO avert the com
Ing explosion. Baron, putting all his
strength into one supreme effort, gave
two strokes with the port oar. and be-
fore he could give third the nose of
the nitrogiycerin boat rubbed the stern
of the skiff. For few seconds the
side Of the explosive craft slid along
the stern OF the skiff. then the danger
had passed. %
Baron took In the situation at once,
The men on the boat had been running
her too late into the night, and on com
ing upon the skiff. after shouting a
warning, had jumped overheard. The
situation after the danger had passed
was this: Farr was swimming for the
skiff. Miss Beck was lying in faint In
the stern. Baron was resting on his
oars, while Miss Ferris was sitting
quietly on the forward seat. Her
cheeks famed at the cowardice of her
lover. who had left her TO die while he
saved himself
Baron knew that the nitroglycerin
boat being without guidance would go
on down the river, liable AT any mo
ment TO cause great loss Of life and
property. He was a good swimmer
and resolved TO catch it. Piunging into
the water, he swan Justify. gaining on
IL all the while till at last he caught 1t.
Pulling himself upon'the deck, he seized
rope fixed to the bow, tied the line
around his body, and. plunging again
into the water, swan for the shore.
In this he ran fearful risk. A rock
or root o. tree IL struck would blow
up the boat and him with ii. Landing
on point, he allowed the boat to swing
downstream with the current. then fas-
tened his rope to stump.
The next morning John Baron's feat
was known in PIttsburg and Allegheny.
and he became hero. As for the two
men who deserted the boat neither ever
showed his face In that region again
The day after the party reached home