New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-01-23

won you get it fer me-
I'll get you that AID twenty others. II
you'll listen to Me first. Do yol care for
me- Prudence vii. you marry me!"
Pruderces face vas turned away and
her head bent lower. crimson husa stole
over her ea.s. neck AT cain.
Prudence"
No answer. Her companion leaned over
her and took her hand again venturousiy.
Prudence, will YOU wear the ring. De
| questioned. so.tiy.
But ,ne hand was hastily dawn away;
| pair Of saury b!Ac1 eyes dasaed into MS
| own. and PSudsnoes merry laughter raa
| over the water.
| I'D rather have gralhma'+. please. !
| ought to 90 home, Mr. Wentworth, tor I
| know its almost tea tine,
Mr.. Wentworth pur bis r.ns il his
pocket and took up the oars again eaer-
| geticaIy, without word. lie was tresn
| from college, and he,i the stroke oar 10
| many race, but he ceve- ,nade better time
| than he maGa that afternoon il rowing UP
| the river The l.ghc boat sho. along WITH
| the rowe,'s brow knitted and lis tea Il. set.
| Not once did he LOOK a. Prudence, who set
| III haitpuzzed, ha.s-alacmed silence. now
| and then stealing s:;.ewise Chances at tne
offended yoang Hercules from under her
| kat. Mr. Went worth drew breath o. re-
lief when the boat a. lac. grated OF the
1 =
| and curly offered to carry der lilies. he
| shouldered the ca.s aLI marched s,:nl!T
| toward home oy her side. prEtc-cs, some
| what bew :ldareI ana mere an-r7 made no
! effort 10 break the silence. All s.udious.7
enGeayo.ei 10 Keep from crg.n,. When
| he at last lett her at tee doe, !8itn A eco.
Thank ven, Miss Prudence. anu departed
| to carry the oars 10 tie earn, l. was wei! lie
| did not look back, fog N:s- Prudence tossed
| the lilies aside WIKI pe.u..a. gesture anf
| had a lit ot crying VITA be- mead Gu t!e
| kitchen table.
| When Mr. Wentworth returned from tba
| barn half an hour later he did see picture
! tina. comtorted him little through the hop
| wreatheG pantry window. Il was Prudence,
| with her sleeves p!nEed up. inot1iDg
| biscuits in desperate haste. wnlie the t-aIs
| fell! th;c,!y on the high ca.:1o apron. Tt-s
| picture SO amazed Mr.. Wentworth that lie
| retrsstei hastily b-h;a,. a Lac bush 20 Oh
! serve it, and fingered SC loag that hs was
| late a. tea. Tn.s was a model eupper.
| There was TIA great dish Of berries. WIZ,
! snow cream beside, Il .-EeG hy Cheese and
| raspberry Jam. Thar were two MOTH
famous plates Of scott h.sc"it. contrast
| iu- with Tia sponge cak. and the richer
! yo;i O, the butter NJ Wentworth, W 10
| hsd supposed he shog.t reve- have an ap-
| petite again, felt quite revived OF the sight
| Of this table and taa memory OF the picture.
| Tho rest OF the buarie.s seemed 10 share
| the sensation. for the group of muslin was
! very hilarious, and the eatablss d;sap.
peared rapidly. Prudence, presiding he.
tween the pets, seemed rather Out o.
spirits but Farmer Holmes a.oled for her
silence bv unusual ,nl.lt-.
When the biscuits passed a 5aoo.d time
TO Nr. Wentworth he saw thai oliy one vas
left ard would haze decorous!v refused,
hut the hospl-abl ta-n,a- pressed It upon
him Don't be afraid OF it. There's pien-v
more II the kitchen; ala there. Prudence
Thus pressed, sIr Weurw1coh accepted the
biscuit. and Prudence disappeared TO re-
tho Biscuit, then dropped II suddenly, with
ar exclamation thai bcoug 1T every eye
UPON him There. Ill 5eiied n the light
white bread, lay Pr;iderce'5 ruby RIG.
Such shout OF laughter arose thai
brought Prudence back from the kitchen IL
ha,to, just IL time 70 SCI. NJ. NeatSor.l
2lo,Iv remove the rim, FROM The biscui-,
amidst the merry chorus, and drop il lato
his waistcoat pocket, TO ''oe kept till called
for" he said. with a -yc! dcant glance a.
her scarlet face Poo Prudence There
was % peace Tor her alter ttaI. An army
of ioaas uuite overvhei med her prote,ta-
tons aud disc.aimIngs, -ui she was THANK
tul TO beat hasty retreat ID the kitchen
when the meal was over. Bus even there
ladies'. harrassed with questions, aud wOc-
ierment and mar.iment Uoti- tbs last disl
was set away, and che had seized her har,
With the excuse that she must go 20 the
village for letters, Instead Of going TO "a:
village, however, she stole a.ong The LeGse,
CHM bed Tie wal. 2nt ran ID The turtlest
end OF the orchard. where she dung herself
on tne ground and cr.7l as If her hear
would break. Sic had, perhaps. cried hat
:, II I'D al
~ her side, reused her, and the very y0.ca
she most dreaded 70 aear sa:.!:
I've come to return Yolr rlug Miss Prl-
de1ce.'
Poo. little Prudence ga. Up hastily. aud
took the unfortunate rlny with = taiter.ug
Thank you" then immediately hid her
face again.
You needn't thank ne, should have
brought it before, bur couldn't find Eon.
hope you're not troubled about THOSE rid.
culo;is Jokes he added dignifedly.
No responded Prudence, mis- erab!v,
between her sobs: IL thought you'd
think did it OF purpose
How could have thought So It was
mere accident. M getting that particular
biscuit, I'm very sorry you've been ST. at
noyed IN this way IM gong away to-.uo--
roF, Miss Prudence"
The sobs partially ceased, and Miss pc.-
dence said, surprisingly, Are VOC"
Wont ycu bid NE good b5''
Prudence said Yes. uns -e2liiy, but d.i
not -aise he- head.
You will shake hands, ve1t you, Ms
Prudence
No answer.
II caut go away wLiis yoJ. are Offended
with me. Won't you - least tel NE way
you ara cryirgr
Bee ause II Icst MY craninlo.har's
ring so5bed Prudel - making q great
t tort Tor composGre.
Mr. Wentworth laughed ia SPITE OF HIN
self. "Why, lis sat5 en Yoir iinoe-, and
not whit the worse tcr It's ba king Is
taera really no ot1ec rca SOM
'E-no'
"But there is shall never have another
happy moment i. I've offended you" said
Mr.. Wont worth. tragioaily. Il Was brute
to treat you as | did this afternoon; but IE
going away, ami | shan'5 annoy you again.
Wor'5 you forgive re now and shake
nan is!'
Another long silence. Mr.. Wentworth
turned away il despair, but was detained
by a falteriDg voice, "I-Ili forgive you
Il"
Well was tie breathless interpos-
ton
'You-won't -go-away
The more OUsaryant boarders noticed at
breakfast the next morning that Mr.. Abbott
Wentworth wore the ring that he had
found in the biscuit on the little finger of
the lett hand, and that Prudence wore
heavily chased gold circle in the place of
her lost ornament. To use the words Of one
OF the befOre-naned boarders, ':hat tells
the whole story ."-R,tral Ne,r Yorker
senator ConkIinR in the Field.