The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1873-09-25

IN his pocket. Becky Newton had an insu-
perable objection 70 an empty wallet The
daughter Of wealthy Louisiaua planter,
reared in luxury, and the recipient Of a
weekly allowance Of pin money sufficient to
pay Fred's whole bills FOR q whole month,
she had no immediate idea Of changing her
situation Tor one or less comfort and indie
pcndcnce. Besides It had been intimated
- her that q neighbOring plnnfer OF unusu-
ally aristocfatic lineage had looked upon
4 Der with covetous eyes. To be sure, he
was old and ugly. bur he was rich, and In
her present mercenaTy state of mind, Miss
Becky Newton did not desire 10 ALLOW such
q chance Of becoming wealthy widow slip
by uninproyed.
But alas for human naturei II Becky
was really so indifferent 10 Fred Eckerson.
why did she run up stairs after that 1Rter-
view, and take the starch all out OF hernice
clean piiiow-shams BY crying herself into
/ Mysteries On tie bedl il was not ali
wrath, not all vexation. not an pione
There was somewhere deep down in Becky
Newton's heart. a feeling very much akin
70 reinQrse. She was not sure that she
would not one day be sorry for what she
had done. She bad no doubt she could be
very happy as Fred EeScrson's wife, after
" But then, she cried, growing bot with
the recollection. he was 50 rude aud so in
sultingi I could never live with such
man-never.n
When Fred Eckerson had walked of
some Of his feelings on the piazza, he con-
cluded TO take look at the river. The
Mississippi which flowed within five hun
dred yards Of the house, was at that time
nearly rat the height OF its regular "spring
rise" It's turbid waters, rushing swiftly
toward the sea. had nearly filed the banks,
and IL many places bad broken through the
Ieyees and flooded the lowlands for many
miles. 4 creyasse Of this description had
been made in the farther bank, nearly oppo-
site the house, and the windows of the
Newton mansion commanded view of a
vast and giittering inland sea, not laid down
! on the map. The main current of the
stream bore upon lis coffee colored bosom
an enormous mass of floating timber, which
WAS dashed along in the boiling food, rend
ering navigation wholly impossible The
waters were still rising and the frequent
crashes far and near told of the undermin-
4 ing power of the current, US sections of the
sandy banks succumbed and disappeared,
carrying with them the trees which over
hung the stream.
Now it happened that by curious coin
cidence, Miss Newton also resolved to look
at the river. She dried her tears, and put
ting on her hat, slipped out by the back
door TO avoid Fred, and soon found herself
at the foot of a hinge cottonwood tree on
the bank below the house. Thr0wing her
self upon the grass. and lulled by the rapid
/ flood beneath. she soon fell asleep. Had
she possessed any power Of foreseeing the
4 future, it would have been the last thing
\ she would have done, for although it was
very pleasant dropping asleep there IN the
shade, with the soft sunlight fittering
through the isaves overhead, the awakening
was not ut an 90 her mind. y terrible
crash made chaos Of her dreams; the tall
cottonwood TOPPED and fell; and Miss
J Becky Newton found herself immersed in
the cold flood, with her mouth full of
I muddy water. In a moment more, some
\ body's arm was around her, and she felt
I herself lifted up and placed in the sunshine,
though precisely where, she was as vet too
bewildered 10 know. Getting her eyes open
at lat, she found Fred Eckerson's whiskers
neasy brushing her face.
" WellIp !
''WeH!n
Where M, Il" asked Becky, sllivering
and looking around her.
''You are in the middle OF the Nississip-
! pi, replied Fred, ''and You are in the fork
/ of cottonwood tree, and you are voyaging
toward the Gulf Of Mexico just as fast as
this freshet can carry you"
How came you herel"
I'm tho same conveyance with Yourself,
Miss Becky. In fact, you and I and the
tree all came together, TO say nothing of
portion Of your fathers plantation, which
fear is lost to him forever
Becky was silent She was thinking, not
OF the accident or their perilous position,
but of her experimentation she was lying
asleep on the grass.
''lIow long were you there before this
( happened!' she asked.
''As long as you were. was up in the
tree when YOU eame!n
You had no right to be up there, " she
said, coloring, ''aspy upon my movements y
''Nonsensen lac replied. You intruded
on my privacy and while you slept | watched
over you like the sweet little cherub that
sits up aloft."
Thank you for the service, I'm sure,
she said, bridling.
You snored awfuly"
''Alr. Eckerson, remove your arm from
my waist"
Then pus your arms around my neck -
Indeed I shall do no such thing
You will fall into the river If you do
not
Becky was silent for a few moments
while the unwieldy raft whirled along in
the current, rolling from side to side, and
threatening every instant to turn completely
over and tip them off At last she said:
''What are we to do?''
. think now that | am started, | shall
go on to New Orleans, he replied.
ITO New Orleans!n exclaimed Becky
ct is a hundred milesl'
= Yes, and the chance of a free ride for
such distance is not 20 be neglected You
can 70 ashore if you prefer
She burst into tears.
You are cruel, she said, to treat me
So"
Cruel exclaimed Fred, drawing her
closer to him, quickly cruel 20 your
There was no help for it. and she again
reiapsed inlo. silence, quite content, appar-
emily, 20 remain in Fred's arms, and evinc-
ing now no disposition to rebel. For once
in her life she was dependent on a man.
:. / want 10 SO to New Orleans, contin-
Ued Fred. after pause, "because there is
Young lady OF my acquaintance residing
there whom have an intention OF inviting
into this nei.hbOrhood. +"
"0hiH
II we don't 30 10 New Orleaus, aud if
we get safe ont OF this scmpe, shall write
for her - colne anyway
AIN
~ shall obtain hoard Tor her in ST. James,
sw hich VIII be- consonient Tor me rs long rs
I remain your fathers guest I can ride
over after hrcakiasi every morning you see.
She IS an iu,insa,e friend. then. said
Becky.
II expect 20 marry her before long lie
replied.
Marry her, Why you-you proposed
70 me this morning
''les. bur YOU refused me- Z told YOU
then yoO would never have another chance.
Becky WAS silent aglin. Il is 3 matter OF
some doubt whether, bail Fred At that mo-
meRt, sitting as.ride that cottonwood log,
with his feet In The water an4 his arm