Year: 1874

their eyes farly gllsen, IoI tnere we're nine 0tho1
boats Ike theirs, only lighter each having. ike
theirs. six men, and each man with, perhaps,
clothing enough. but certainly none too much.
They move smartly about for little while and now
gradually form In line ana all point down the
lake. Behind them tiny steam launch has
been drawn up opposite the middle boat gun
on neghboring hill, fired little before. had
called them into line, and now ther WatcnerS
over In the reeds have also crept further out an0
their boat at last shows boldly on the broad
waters OF the lake. They lie quiet and keen eyes
are all busy with the distant craft. Their faces as
any time would arrest attention, but now their
thin lips and very boldly chiselled faces are
study indeed. Every one Of these men has
national reputation, and that reputation gained
its brightest lustre on this very Saratoga water;
for five OF them are brothers, sons OF ono
man; they have lett at home four more and hva
sisters. One OF Them he at the stroke oar, has
little granddaughter OF three four summerss
but gray as he is becoming, he is almost as play
ful as she is The sixth Is hardly less renowned,
for with two oars, and IN boat by himself, prob
ably the man does not live IN this whole land who
can outrow him. let the distance be what you will.
When the first gun fred the old stroke shot out
his to grip the water II ne were in the race.
"Dtd you see me turning that oar ?" he said. II
turned 1t as quickly as cat would spring, catching
mouse" " made You think OF some retired war =
horse still snf1ng the battle.


THE SIGNAL GUN.
Now little curl OF smoke among the distanr
boats and in a second the crack OF pistol IL
heard but no pistol could make that SMOKE ana
hardly had the report died away when the boom
of heavy cannon came rumbling oil around. The
headed their craft down the lake and COM
menced padding The water has fallen until tt0
surface is hardly ripped. and the bright glare OF
| the sun shining down upon it makes
| it difficult to distinguish objects distant a.
were the nine racing boats, mile


away; but in a moment you get them clearly, and


strange thrill OF excitement comes tinglfng


through one as they draw nearer Far over on


the east Shore near Colnmbia's b0athouse, goes


little Trinity, and next her the orange OF Prince


ton, next the white and carnelan Of ithaca. and
next, by their side. moves the best known color OF
the Jour- the deep, dark blue OF Yale. In the
! middle, as II the post Of honor, and nanked
the one side by these four, shines
the famous Magenta, the battle nag OF
| Harvard. Next to her moves Wesleyan,
her men done up to the head in dainty lavender.
The white and blue beside her marks the metro
poiitan Columbians and 100 feet from them como
the green-turbaned hardy Hampshire men from
Dartmouth There is one more color-the royal
purple Of Williams. Every man in each OF all these
boats had looked forward to this moment for
almost whole year. Had he rowed often before
1t matters not; all the pent-up energy he had
was now at fever heat while waiting Tor this last
gun.


THE START.


Long ere its smoke rolled away they came
dashing down the lake almost exactly abreast.
NOW the nrst winds gone, and force and train
ing begin to tell, for already from the ranks has
shot out the blue and white of Columbia. Yes but
She cannot hold 1t; she is too young and too light.
We shall see!


hn uarr or5 Wan f3o nat.
ural enough, ana she viii soon teach Columbia her
manners. And who follows HarvardS The boat
whose six men sitting up straight and high
swing to and fro with more precision than any
others on this water These men are blue capped
and here, at their elbow, setting a startling
stroke, is Eustis, with his new team from
Wesleyan So they passed on over their first half
mile, but Columbia by this time must have spent
her strength and fallen back where she belongs,


for last year she only sixth. Not yet for here


she is, ploughing along gaily. more ahead than
| ever, more than two whole lengths in front


OF even the foremost rival. Can she ever


live up to this much longer We will wait,


for now come the trying moments The


next boat behind her Is beginning to creep up,


slowly steadily. but very surely. She did not


squirt on the start, but Tor that matter neither


did Columbia, yet somehow she is getting nearer


in spite Of all Columbia can do. Her name


is tower OF strength, and has on it's
escutcheon more victories enrolled than any
other banner OF all these here to-day can


have In years. No wonder that the Colum.
bian stroke keeps his eye often this
threatening antagonist. Close behind the latter,


barely half length scuds the swift boat of Yale,
foe ever dangerous, and over on her side,
! not far away, rows Wesleyan, whO somehow,
! always will give good account OF herself. And
now they have gone mile, and surely you can
| forecast the order at the finish.


COLUMBIA, HOT AND sTEAMING.


must have spent herself and fallen back. Yes a:


last she had-but only httle-lor her tireless
friends of the magenta were getting annoyingly
close, and the gap OF clear water between them
had now nearly faded out Of sight. And now a
splendid race was going on well, after all the
fretttng. delay and disappointment OF the week.
| The order had not changed, but the four leading
boats were getting well together and had quite
adrift from the remaining five. Early in the race
Princeton had by well directed effort, succeeded
in getting the last place, and she seemed deter.
mined not to let Trinity take It away from her.
! Williams, you will remember, was predicted to be
at the head OF the rear three. Well, she was


caring me out admirably, and the two behind her
likewise. But now came the fatal mile that was
! to dim the story to-day. The four in the front
| rank had opened fine gap behind them.
AN IMPORTED TRICK.


| Columbia for the lack Of something else to do
had got in front OF Wesleyan, and was washing
her fearfuly. Turn which way she might, every.
| where was this terrible wash. 1t is trick i'm.
ported from England, perhaps by Columbia's
British coach aud 1t is too bad 1t was
not left at home, for in race between
gentlemen it never ought to be seen. Throwing
over thirty bucketfuls Of water or your oars
each minute and right under the bow Of your ad.
versaries' crank and narrow craft gives the latter
very rough water and puts her at a disadvantage