Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1906-12-27

many men took too many drinks.
Mas qule youlez-vous? Was it not
The Fourth of July with boat race
on the bay? The regatta was to be
run in three classes. Schooners,
sloops and cat-boats. Some there
were in that sweltering crowd who
followed the flight of the schooners,
but upon wharf and beach and bank
every 'Cajan's eye was upon the cat
boat race, and every sou of 'Cajan's
money was upon one of the two
racers. The 'turpentine mans"
cat, the Kitten, that flew the blue
pennant, and Pierre's Lis DIES Faux,
that flew the pink. They were
well matched boats, and beauties.
cleaning white with their broad
belts of brilliant blue or pink; each
with big new sail, each with
lovely girl in the bows flying the
colors she favored. Each with
sinewy young fellow at the tiller de-
termined to win. Bow and bow
the two boats forged ahead, leaving
all other racers in their rear, and
bow and bow they crossed the line
at the judges stand. Hearty cheer
ing started them on their second
course, and after the cheer one sim
gle voice like a dropping shot:
Watch out, watch out he don't get
your wind"
For whom was that warning
meant? What was it worth? Per-
haps one of the young sailors knew.
Tense, with ever an eye to the girl in
his bows, the ''turpentine man"
gave his boat every advantage his
skill could compass; tense, with
every eye to the windward, Pierre
went on an erratic tack, caught the
! Kittens wind and crossed the line
a second ahead. Then the shout
ing of the 'Cajans drowned all other
shouting, then Nine. PsuPs baby
caught the sunstroke that came near
ending its little life, then old man
Zeno fell over into the water, then
old man Pierre sat down on the
sand with bottle, feeling life too
good to stay sober. Many a NUT
tered French oath, many broken
English execration, and above their
united growls a running chuckle of
hoarse laughter. 1t was the old man
| who had shouted the warning, and
as he laughed he shook a crooked
old finger at smear on the far
away skyline.
"Das too far off," objected a
mate.
"You watch out" was the only
reply. And watch out they did. AL
ready the Lily under her reef
was footing it after the the Kitten,
and already, but too late, the "tur-
pentine man" had seen the white
puff now beginning to turn black.
1t was too late to shorten sail now
if he meant to leave himself chance
to win. And win he must, for win
ming meant Amanda if he could
reach the strand before the squat
reached him. He resolved to gam
BILE it-as an American willard
gave his boat all the sail she want
ed.
On they came, the Kitten and
the Lily, and the squall, half mile,
quarter, eight; while the sky dark
ened and the waters shiVered and
the very babies fell silent, the other
racers fled to harbor or reefed close.
"He make it," said man, in a
hoarse whisper.
"You watch out" returned the
prophet, unmoved. As he spoke,
the Lilly, like one struck by q
strong hand, lay over. But there
was sure grip upon her tiller and
no futters of hope or fear shook the
hand that held the halyards. She
righted CALAMITY under her reef.
and with the foam curling along her
rail, fled away before the rising
wind. And then the watchers had
eyes for the Kitten, and as they
turned their eyes upon her the
squat struck her. They saw her
leap at the blow, saw her shake of
her masters grip as wet dog shakes
off water, saw the big sail go up
against the mast with a blow that
: woke the echo, saw her for a second
| ! H.. l1,,o