Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1878-10-17
WINSTON, n. c., THURSDAY, OCTOBER II, 1875

the gulls as they wheeled and how
cred and swept by me, SO closely
sometimes that l could almost have
touched them with my hand.
Oar barge was we'll known ali
about the mouth of the river, and
far mp beyond the bridge; and
somehow, ] don't know how it was,
the men on the different boats we
passed had always kind hail, or a
wave of the hand for ua, as we gil
ded by, if we were too far off for
the friendly shout to reach lis.
Sometimes I'd run the barge
pretty close to the great ships and
steamers, inward or outward bound,
SO as to look at the ladies [ saw on
board /; not that l cared to do SO
very often, becahse it seetied to
make me sad, for the faces | looked
on seemed 10 be so different to mine
shat / telt as if | was another kind
of being, and it used to set me
wandering aud make me think at
suuli times Pve leaned against the
.iller. and dreamed and dreamed III
waking fashion Of how | would
like to read and write ard work,
and as I had seen ladies sitting and
reading and working, on the decks
of the big ships. under the awning !;
and then | had to set my dreams
aside and have pull at the sheet,
or take d reef in the sail, because
the wind frcshercd, and my dreams
passed away.
don't think poor father meant
it unkindly, but he seemed to grow
more and more broken and helpless
every day and this frightened me,
and made me work to keep the
barge clean and ship-shape, lest the
owners should come on board and
see things slovenly, and find fault
with father and dismiss hlm, and
that / knew wo6ld break his heart.
So l worked on, and in dull, heavy
way, father used to thank ME and
the time glideG on, TIL one day, as
we were living off Southend, with
the sea CLASSY and not wind enough
to fill the sails, felt My cheek begin
TO burn as | leaned back against
the tiller, and would not turn my
head, because ] could hear a boat
being scullcd along toward us, and
knew it was coming from the
great lee-board barge lying astern.
Hes coming to see father ]
said TO myself at last, in choking
voice, and as hail came | was
obliged to turn, and there stood up,
in the little boat he was sculling
with All oar over the stern, John
Grove, In his dark trowsers. blue
Jersey and scarlet cap and as |
saw his sunbu:nt face and brown
arms and hands, | felt my heart
beating fast, and knew he WAS not
coming to see father. but to see the.
We had hardly ever spoken, but
| had known John Grove for years
now, and we had nodded and waved
hands to one another often and Of
ten as we had passed up and down
the river.
'Heate tis d rope, my LASS he
said, as he came close in and | did
it dreamily, and as soon as | had
done SO [ began to pull it back, bu,
it was toe late be had hitched il
round the thwart of his boat, ant
was up and over the side before
could stir and then he stood look.
ing do&n upon ihe, while l tcl
sometimes hot and sometimes cold
and as il | could hot speak:
$40 you want to see father 4
said at last,
No, my lass he said quietly
i want to see you.'
| Me 7 | faiteftu, with my fac
! burning.
sYes, you; my lass he SAID an
his handsome brown face lit up, an
!, he looked so manly as he laid hi
q hand on my afri1.
p prudence, my gall he sale
i we're both young yet, for I'm ne
4 six and twenty, but | thought it W:
. time to spoke to you
Spoke to me 7 ! said; with n
face burning still.
= Yes, my lass; spoke to yoti, f,
! we've been cohrting now a matte
> of fIonr Years
> 20, John = 1 tried; btirstihg O
= laughing, and feeling more at II
,e case, why; we've never hard
70 spoked to one another
/. That's hiSe,' he said; drawing
a long breath tOver again.
~ Over again ? What?' I said.
'Gail me John,' he replied
to Well, then John,' c,ied has
=, ly.
- That's right. Prudence but,
~ l was going tn say, not spoken
ne one ano,he:i We'll, how could v
=, ilsays taking .orr turns at the til
70 as we were !? But all the same I
II lass I've been always eourtihg