The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1905-08-01
a CHANGE OF
PARTNERS
IOriginaI.J

tanning two young men and two young
women was drifting idly on the Allie
gheny river above the city Of Pitts
burg. They were two pairs Of lovers,
John Baron and Lille Beck, Bartle
FAIR and Margaret Ferris. II any one
would have told them that within q
very short time there would be trans
position among them as f1ances they
would not have believed 1t. Severthe.
less such change came to pass
John Baron was one of those phlegr
matte, taciturn, undemonstrative fell
lows who usually choose their oppo-
sites, and in Lille Beck he found ex-,
actly the girl to attract him. Bartle'
Farr was a gay. devil may care young
man, who found in Margaret Ferris
those steady qualities that a man Of
his character seemed to need. Every
body said that both couples would
make an admirable match
1t was In the days when nitrog1yc-
erin was supplied from above Pitts
burg On the Allegheny to the oil fields
In Pennsylvania, fioated. down In sti-
letto-like boats some thirty feet long
by four feet wide. Each boat carried
enough nitroglycerin to blow anything
1t struck to the clouds. 1t was run by
two men, who had strict orders to lie
up at nightfall. In daytime they could
be seen far enough ahead to enable
such craft as they came across to- get
out Of the way, and, since they did not
run at night, there was no necessity
for accident.
The party in the skiff had pulled far
up the river during the afternoon, in
tending to drift down leisurely with the
current in the twilight. Bartle 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 to have his way. only warning
him that in case they were caught out
on the river in the dark and anything
happened she would hold him RESPONSE
BILE.
Twilight was fading into night, and
they were still several miles ctove the
city drifting down with the current.
Margaret proposed that the men
should take to the oars and was Sec
onded by Baron. Whereuncn Farr de-
clared that they were having the best
part of their excursion and as for him
self be proposed to enjoy it. Baron
took a pair OF oars and began to row.
At this Farr made n curt remark about
his tiInidity at being out after dark
without a protector. Baron made no
reply, but kept ON pulling.
When the night settled down upon
them FAIR and Miss Ferris were in the
bow, FAIR 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 hvesr' 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 dived 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 Il the, the nose Of
the nitroglycerin boat rubbed the stern
of the skiff For a 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 good swimmer
and resolved to catch 1t. Plunging into
the water, he swan Justify, gaining on
it 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 OF tree if struck would blow
up the boat and him with it. 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 PittSburC and Allegheny