The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1913-09-04

rough on Pierre. @
and refused. -
But it was not -2
because of what uAf
the old man said; it was because he
saw Amanda walking to church with
the "turpentine man" and could not
make Amanda see him that made
! Pierre take bottle of whisky down
into the bend of the bayou and
get drunk. Yes and stay drunk,
sleeping most of the time till the
bottle was empty.
1t was the suck of the oars in their
locks that woke him. Then voices
i 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."
Hal"
| 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
I have wanted it for fishing line, be-
cause as he strobe away from the
store he was saying under his breath:
I'll y a les autres poissons dams la
mer, toujers All, oui! toujours."
! And so thinking of the other fishes
always In the sea, Pierre made his
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 pleasant-very pleasant voice:
! "Das my color, pink. You going
wear it?"
| YES" she murmured, II wear it.
1t was 2 hot day, that 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 swell
tering 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 des
Faux, that flew the pink. They were
we'll 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 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 a 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 it after the Kitten, and al.
ready, but too late, the "turpentine
man" had seen the white pun now be-
ginning to turn black. 1t was too late
to shorten sail now If he meant to
leave himself chance to win.
On they came, the Kitten and the
Lily, and the squall. half a mile, quar-
ter, eight; while the sky darkened and
the Lily, like one struck by strong
hand, lay over. But there was a 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, flew away be-
fore the rising wind. And then the
watchers had eyes for the Kitten, and
as they turned their eyes upon her
the squall struck her. They saw her
go 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 mer-
rily.
"Dey most made some more fish"
she laughed, and Pierre laughed also
with tenderness.
You bring me good luck" he said,
CALAMITY. He had fairly forgotten
that Cecilia va herself the other
flah. Z
tcopyr.sht ~ Daiiy story Pun ce,