The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1906-1907, 1906-08-21
An Intelligent BOatman


wicker chair, the bOatman went Tor
ward, took the helm and started the
motor. Miss Ives sat with her book IN
her lap looking at the scenery. Pres
entity she remembered that she had her
tonic In her pocket. Raising the bottle,
che read the printing ON the label. II
seemed to puzzle her. Presently she
said TO the boatman:
"Did you ever so to schoolf
''oh, yes"
Study LatinT
"some."
"I'm puzzled at the meaning Of q
word. Perhaps you can help me. Not
that II needs much knowledge, only
what schoolbOy should know"
Whats the wordT'
"Ferrated."
"It means ironed."
"Ironed7 Like clothes from the
washr'
mo. Iron In II"
"Oh! Now understand. Thanks"
Miss Ives relapsed into silence. Pres
emily she asked:
did you study any Greek at your
schoolr'
"some OF US did"
III you could go on in its study 90 as
to read the Greek poets you would ind
them very rich, 80 I'm told"
II don't need to read them In the
original, since our modern poets have
been drawing on them for centuries"
Miss Ives was astonished. What did
this common fellow know about po-
etry2 Yet Burns was a plowman, and
he wrote beautiful poetry. Perhaps
this man was one of that kind.
DO you write poetry?" she asked.
"oh, dear. mol That's not in my line.
But l read It."
what do you mean by your llneI
What Is your liner
Running this launch just now"
"Do you always run ltf'
mot In winter. I'd have to turn It
into an Ice boat II did"
There was more silence, during
which the boatman curved his craft
around the end OF the lake and start
ed back. Miss Ives had grown a tribe
afraid of him. She couldn't make him
out.
II suppose" she asked haltingly-"I
suppose you have a favorite poet,
haven't your"
"No; l don't know that have"
/ "Longfellow Ia mine"
"He had a way of taking other peo-
pies productions and Infusing into
them a certain sweetness that was all
/ his own"
/ Miss Ives was as much startled as II
an owl had given a criticism on the
book OF Job. For the rest Of the trip
she ahut herself up like a steel trap.
When she reached the landing the
boatman stepped on to the boards and
held the launch's nose while Miss Ives
also made her exit. She went up to
him and handed him half a dollar,
feeling very much az II she were Of
Sering a tip to = gentleman. He took
H. put Il In his pocket and tiSd his
boat. while nho walled demuFSly %
her hotel
Miss Ives The nsxt morning was sud
denly called back homo and ala not
1sgot out Of the city agaln during the
summer. Her curiosity had been OK.
cited and she resolved TO 10 agaln
the next season to the lake In order b
solve the Riddle OF the boatman. Whon
July came she did 30 and the morning
after her arrival went town to tho
landing to hire the launch. Ths launch
was there. but in the hands OF another
man.
What has become Of the man who
ran this launch last yearT' she asked.
4 bought the boat OF him; hope I'll
do a. well as he did. He paid for il In
July and made $500 In August"
why doesn't he run II this Year,
"oh, he's q grad"
"a what3"
"The corporation b TO send him
abroad to study to be prof Of the TO
mances."
"'Prof' Of the romancesi What dc
you mean by thatY'
Professor OF the romance Ian,
guages."
Miss Ives caught her breath.
HAS he gone ystT'
"No; he doesn't SO tlll fall. He'll b.
here presently to give me little coach
$50 - N1AN AAVNNAs AANAN az ~ HVMs
A respectable looking young man Ia
a blue serge suit came sauntering down
to the dock. Miss Ives envied a froe
she saw plunge into the lake and dis
appear. The boatman OF last year rec
OgnlEed her. There was an amused
expression on his face. Miss Ives wa,
badly ratified
I've been thinking OF you ever since
last summer" she said. then paused
and blushed Il mean that I've beer
wondering how a boatman could crlti
else great poets"
He can't; he only thinks he can
Nobody can do that Large masses o.
readers are the only critics"
why didn't you tell meT'
"what-that was what the country
men ahnnf hare call tnna ~ fhoua aAta