The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-06-21
TIE EVENING STORY
A Change of Partners.

women was drifting idly on the Ale !
gheny river about the citv Of PITTS /
burg. They we're two pairs Of lovers |
John Baron and Lille Beck, Bartle |
FAR and Margaret Ferris. If any one |
would have told them that within a /
very short time there would be a trans |
position among them as fiances they
would not have believed it. Neverthe- !
less such a change came to pass.
John Baron was one of those phleg- !
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
FAIR was 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.
It was in the days when nitroglycerin
was supplied from above Pittsburg on
the Allegheny to the oil fields in Penn
sylvania, fioated down in stiletto-like
boats some 90 feet long by four feet
wide. Each boat carried enough nitro
glycerin to blow anything it struck to
the clouds. It was run by two men,
who had strict orders to lie upat night
fall. 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 Ieisurely 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 endeayored to check his
enthusiasm, 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 responsible.
Twilight was fading into night, and
they were still several miles above the
Margaret proposed that the men
should take to the oars and was Sec
onded by Baron. Whereupon Farr de-
clared that they were having the best
part of their excursion and as for him
self he proposed to enjoy it. Baron
took a pair of oars and began to row.
At this Farr made a curt remark about
his timidty at being out after dark
without q 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 something black
on the river appeared within few
yards of them, and q voice shouted:
Get out of the way for your lives!
and two splashes followed as Of persons
jumping into the water.
In another moment John Baron rec
ognized the dim outline of a nitroglyc-
erin boat coming straight for the sliff.
At the same moment FAIR, who had
risen to see what was coming, recognlz-
ed the danger. He plunged into the
water and dived to avert the coming
explosion. Baron, putting all his
strength into one supreme effort, gave
two strokes with the port oar, and be-
fore he could give a. third the nose Oh
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
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
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 MS
oars. while Miss Ferris was sitting quiz
city on the forward seat. Her cneeks
famed at the cowardice of her lover,
who had left her to die while he saved
himself.
boat being without guidance, would go
on down the river, liable at any mo-
ment to cause great loss OF Ire ana
property. He was good swimmer ana
l.. Z /
water, he swan Justify, gaining on 1t
all the while till at last he caught 1t.
Pulling himself upon the deck, he seized
a 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 a fearful risk A rock
or a root of a tree if struck would blow
up the boat and him with it. Landing
on a point, he allowed the boat to
swing down stream with the current, |
then fastened his rope to a stump.
The next morning John Baron's feat
was known in Pittsburg and Allegheny |
and he became a 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, Miss Ferris wrote FAIR note /
breaking their engagement. Baron had /
noticed his finances collapse and that
Miss Ferris retained her equanimity. /
From that moment he showed the lat
ter q preference, which resulted IN the
breaking of his engagement and he at
terward became engaged to Miss Ferris.
Bartle Farr, when he found that he
had lost Miss Ferris, either to show
that he was not inconsolable or from
sheer desperation, took up with the neg
lected Miss Beck. She was not
strong character. Farr made love des-
perately and won her He derived
some satisfaction in making the other
two believe that he was just as well
satisfied as IL the exchange had not
occurred. WINIFRED ROBERTS.