The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1870-12-23
@isttIIany.
"L JOHN PARSONS.

I y "
up my mind to something. And wha
/ I've come to is this: for a merry, easy
careless life, try ferry. In fine wea
ther, sir, it's uneXceptiOnaIly jolly
when it's wet, With,a a thick coat and &
little tobacco, so long the damp dOesn'l
make for your joints, you can easily
keep up your spirits. AS for seeing the
world comfortably from where yoU
stand, why, sir, there's nothing like it
take them over slowly and not toe
many at one time, so that l can put
my finger on each one when 1 see them
again, and know i" that's YOU" It's
astonishing the number Of faces PYe
seen between the two banks Of the riy-
er. When 1 think of it I shut my eyes
and say to myself, 4" Multiply it by ten
by a hundred, by thousands, by mil
lions, and there you've the size Of the
world IS neatly set before you as posi-
ble, John PaTsons.n tell you sir,
when the thought comes across me af-
ter market day, it's almost too much
for my mind. ts goo ....
OF an evening I generally have the
river to myself We keep as stiIl as
possible, partly because I get drowsy,
and partly because i don't like to re-
mind the creatures unpleasantly that
Pm the only man there. The birds Of
ten hop down on the seat beside me,
but never move or make a remark /;
and pve no doubt they take it kindly
on their part, poor things. On moon
light nights the river, with its white
Water-liilies, is a perfect show. Imake
bold to say there isn't a sight to equal
ii in all England, nor on any of the con-
tinents-nO, nor at the Exhibition.
even forget my pipe, and find myself
upright in the boat at dawn. If you
doubt my word, sir, come to Little
Barton, Yorkshire, ask for John Par
sons, and you shall have the ferry for
one night, along with the profits, and
try for yourself.
That chimney you sec through the
trees belongs to Mrs. BeresfOrd's room
at the Hall. 1t hasn't smoked since
she died. Mrs. Beresford forbade it.
/ don't see much OF the hall, except
when it goes once fortnight to market
at Barton Common, three-qUartcrS Of
a mile straight through the wood, and
then turn to your left. The rectory
crosses much Oftener. Stand just where
you are, and put your head to one side,
and you'll observe q Ted-tiled house
that's it. $3.50 -.-... l........ ..
Little Miss Eleanor used TO run down
from the hall with her dolls, and beg
me to lift her into the boat and tell her
a story. I had only two stories / could
tell one was tom, the TaVcrn-keep-
er, and his Daughter Jane,,' and the
other, " Margary, the Tramp She
liked the first best, and whenever 1
came to |SO little Jane straightway
put the shilling in her pocket and ran
away home, ~ she clapped her hands,
and begged to hearit over again. But
one day, just as l was going to begin,
GE TnlNFN porSOnC - oofH che TIr.o !, ~
herself up, nurse says you're avulgar
man and tell vulgar stories, and that
Pm not to listen to them again. They
aren't fit for little lady like me-
On Sundays Miss Eleanor came dOwn
without her dolls. [ used to tuck her
white frock round her that she might
not dirty it, and give her my coat to sit
upon. She was always full of news
what sash she wore at church, andhOW
Master Hugh made faces at her. Then
she would grow suddenly seriOus.-
"Shau tell you about the book have
been reading, John Parsons % she said,
"iNs q Sunday book"
And she bent forward with her chin
on her hand, and looked gravely at me.
[ remember what she said, word for
word ..-.- ...-..f ..
"There's river, John Parsons" she
began, "'like this river, only it's call ed
the River of Death. And there on that
bank-she pointed to it with her little
hand" there's a valley so dark that
its called the Valley Of the Shadow Of
Death. But" she added solemnly,
shaking her head, 4" there's no ferry to
take you across no ferryman like
John Parsons to row you over to the
other side"
By degrees Miss Eleanor came less
frequently. missed her dreadfully,
and looked out for her dress through
the trees.
"Mrs. Parker" said 1, one day, to
the lRdy's maid-she was hard woman
to speak to" is your young lady ill,
that she never comes down to the fer
ry?n rs..r .-- ta-=-
"JOhn Parsons p answered she sharp
ly, "yOu're a fool. DO you think ii
likely that Miss Eleanor Will be allow
ed to talk to the 7ferryman? What
manners and education would she gain
by it, do you surpOsc?, You forget the
difference Of station.u E
$50, ma'am," said /, q mustn't hope
to see Miss Eleanor again ?'
"Why,n answered she, 81 don't say
she won't run down on a holiday to
shake hands with you. But it was on
ly-yesterday her papa punished her fol
crying about it, and was very angry
with me for allowing her to come SO of
temp Zee
John Parsons,n said 1 to myself, as
soon as Mrs. Parker's long skirt had
disappeared, "yOu arc fool, and there
is no doubt of it. It wasn't your place
to love little Miss Eleanor. You CJid
forget the difference of station"
-. tried my best not TO watch for her
but for all that I felt had lost her and
it was a great loss to me. Every now
and then I heard of her through the
servants. She had a new governess
and was looking rather pale; Master
Hugh from the RectOry rode with her
she was going to school. The next
news was, she is gone. The difference o.
station was hard thing to bear, for she
never came down to bid me gOod-by
Three months after I was smoking
my pipe with Jim Siaughters, when
heard her merry laugh, and there she
stood on the bank. She had grown {
| little, and her frOck was longer; but
| her blue eyes were just the same, anC
| her voice as sweet. On = 70 ..s-rF5r
! " couldn't help running to see you
! John Parsons, !" she said; "but 1 musn'
stay. Hadn't we pleasant days to
gether2 Little Jane will always come
/ into my head when Pun doing my
sums. I've forgotten the bit after q
pint of beer for dad, please Some day
/ 1'lI beg papa to let me come down anC
hear It. Good-by, dear John Par
sOns.p &c q
t'GoOd-by, Miss Eleanor" said I
and she was gone. Presently her fact
peeped out from among the bushes
/ bWhen, Pm grown u" !" she said, rails
ing her voice, "and may do Just as
please, nobody shall prevent me from
coming to the ferry"
4 Her words made me happy for days
! and weeks, and months. / went owe
them and over them. After that shi
| and Mr.. Beresford left for foreign parts
and the Hall was shut up. Itwas year
before they returned. l was told
would not recognize Miss EleaDOrS sh
had grown into such beautiful yount