The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1908-03-04
A SATISFA CTORY
YACHT RACE


f0rlginal.I
Royal Leighton had been hanging
about Blanche Asehe for long while.
Miss Asche gave him little encourage
ment; indeed. she seemed to be at times
bored BY bis presistency She was full
Of mischief and occasionally would
give him bit Of hope Just to see how
crestfallen he would be when she gave
him the cold shoulder. Both were
rich Lcighton's taste was for horses;
Miss Asche's for boats. One day when
Leighton had proposed for the tenth
time the lady said to him:
'I'll tell you what Ill do. III match
my yacht Ariadne against your Oneida.
II your boat beats mine III marry you.
If mine beats yours be II understood
that you're not 10 bother me with
yorr propositions ever after"
''But my Oneida is tub said
Leighton. II know nothing about
yachts You know a LOT about them,
and your Ariadna Is the fastest boat
Of her class afoat In American
waters
tits that or nothing" Blanche re-
Piled III You accept, III send my
sailing master to yon TO arrange the
details; If not, | shall consider any
future attentions from you as the
world would consider an insult from
one who has refused to fight"
There was nothing for leighton but
to seize upon this one chance lie
agreed TO the terms, the best two in
three races, sailed under the standard
yachting rules. Both yachts were In
spected and measured. but this was a
mere form, for neither was to give the
other any time.
On the day Of the FIRST race few knew
anything about 1t, and those who did
failed to see much pleasure In prospect
for rnce between the feet Ariadne
and the commonplace Oneida.
There was a fine breeze to the stake
boat. and the Ariadne sailed away
from the Oneida, turning the stake
half q mile in the lead, Tut coming
back there was much surprise on the
part OF the spectators to see that the
Oneida under a slackening wind gain
ed on her rival, but she did not make
up more than half her loss. and the
first race was won by Miss Asche.
At the second-a triangular race
there was scarcely any wind at all.
The spectators speculated as 10 how
the Oneida could get over the water.
while the Ariadne was almost be-
put it was generally supposed
that the snilor OF the former took adj
vantage Of tide current. The Oneida
drew away from her rival on the
second leg Of the triangle and kept
nsost OF what she had gained on the
third leg. coming In a full minute
ahead.
Miss Asche's heart stood still
Before the third race was sailed the I
captain OF the Ariadne asked perInis-
sion to make d personal inspection OF
the Oneida. II was granted, but Ii the
Inspector was looking for some pro-
pelling machinery he found none In
Iced there was no need Of such an in
speetion, for a representative of each
owner sailed on the opposing yacht
The captain went away apparently sat
SIZED. but puzzled
There were few persons on the
lock early in the day before the third
,ace who saw members OF the Onelda's
rev 80 aboard and noticed thar when
hey walked ii was with a stir gait,
while one Of them had stomach on
him dlsproportionate to his limbs. But I
.hese witnesses had nothing to do with I
he yachts or the races.
The third race was to and from q
take boat with the wind On the quar-
er The winning of the second race
" the Oneida had excited an interest
n the last trial, and the course was
severed By yachts and pleasure boats.
u course no one knew OF the stake N
here would have been no room on the
water for the contestants. If the sec
md race was a surprise, She third was
marvel. The Oneida. without carry
ng either the sail or having the excel.
ant lines Of her rival, had no sooner
'ot away under an eight knot breeze
han she began to draw ahead. turn
as the stake a quarter OF mile in adj
'ance On the way back the breeze
uiled. and with the lulI the relative
peed OF the Oneida increased. She
rossed the lire three-eighths Of milo
head OF the Ariadne amid s..outs Of
he spectators and barking Of yacbts'
annon.
There was suspicion that, after all,
here had been fraud perpetrated in the
ace, but Miss Asche's representative
aid that he had been on deck every
minute Of every race and could have
elected it II practiced. Mr.. Leighton
ined with the loser on the evening OF
be last race and after dinner they re-
red TO the library, where be claimed
Is reward. Miss Asehe confessed with
err head on his bosom that she had