The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-08-16

But It was not -o
because Of what NJ
the old man said: 1t was because he
saw Amanda walking to church with
the "turpentine man" and could not
make Amanda see him that made
Pierre take a bottle Of whisky down
into the bend Of the bayou and
get drunk. Yes, and stay drunk.
sleeping most Of the time till tho
bottle was empty.
It was the suck Of the oars in their
locks that woke him. Then voices
came. and he listened:
"Dey say Pierre amt going win
race this year"
"Pourquoi?"
"Dey say 'turpentine man going
run his fast boat; dey say Amanda
going sail wit him."
"Ha!"
The suck of the oars died away.
Pierre plunged into the bayou and
swan until sober. "Pardieu, dere's
more dan one girl in de world"
Alors quot? As soon as he was
sober he went down to the store
and bought two yards Of very mar.
row, very pink ribbon, and he must
have wanted 1t for fishing line, be.
cause as he strobe away from the
store he was saying under his breath:
I'll y les autres poissons dams 10
mer, toujers. All, ou. toujours."
And so thinking of the other fishes
always in the sea. Pierre made his
way through the woods to old man
Aloysius' front gate. He surprised &c.
celia on the front steps, Pierre sat
down beside her. And presently
Pierre's thoughts came to the front
with:
II been t'ink, me das maybe you'll
sail In Lis des Faux wit me on
Fourth of July. Das make me proud.
yes"
Cecilia was swept into silence by
the rushing sweetness Of this sur.
prise. There was only the trembling
strong fingers pressing tiny packet
into her hand, only the pleading Of
that personal---very. pleasant voice:
"Das my color, pink. You going
wear IT."
eyes," she murmured, II wear It."
It was a hot day. that Fourth Of
July, with a boat race on the bay.
The regatta was to be run in three
classes. Schooners, sloops and cat
boats. Some there were In that swell.
tering crowd who followed the flight
Of the schooners. but upon wharf and
beach and bank every Cajans 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 des
Faux, that few the pink. They were
well matched boats, and beauties,
cleaning white with their broad belts
Of brilliant blue or pink; each with q
big new sail, each with lovely girl
in the bows flying the colors she fa'
vored They crossed the line at the
Judges stand. Hearty cheering
started them on their second course.
and after the cheer one single voice
like q dropping shot: watch out
he don't get your wind"
For whom was that warning meant?
What was it worth? Perhaps 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 COM
pass.
Already the Lily under her reef was
footing 1t after the Kitten. and al.
ready. but too late, the "turpentine
man" had seen the white puff now be.
ginning to turn black. 1t was too late
to shorten san now II he meant to
leave himself chance to win.
On they came, the Kitten and the
Lily. and the squall. half a mile. quaf.
ter. eight; while the sky darkened and
the LILY. like one struck by q strong
hand. lay over. But there was q sure
grip upon her tiller and nc fiutters Of
hope or fear shook the hand that held
he halyards. She righted calamity
under her reef. and with the foam |
curling along her rail. few away b. |
fore the rising wind. And then the
watchers had eyes for the Kitten, and
AZ they turned their eyes upon her |
the squall struck her. They saw her
30 over in the shivering water. Boats
shot out. children lifted up their
voices and wept.
Cecilia, looking back at the res. |
cuers and their rescued. watched mes.
rily.
"Dey most made some more fish,
she laughed, and Pierre laughed alao
with tenderness.
"You bring me good ruck." he said.
calamity. He had fairly forgotten
that Cecilia was herself "the other
fish,
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