San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1878-05-11
"That's nice," he said, drawing a

long Dreatn. "OVer aSau.
"Over againP WhatP" said.
"Call me JOHN he replied.
"Well then, john" l cried hastily.
"That's right, Prudence; but, as l
was going to say, not spoken to one an
other! Well, how could We, always
taking our turns at the tiller as we
werep But all the same, my lass, I've
been always counting of you, night and
day, these four years, and looking out
and longing for the time when the Pru-
dence would come in sight and could
give you hail and get wave of the
hand back"
could feel the color coming into my
cheeks again as l heard him speak, and
knew how anxiously l had looked out
for his barge coming up or down the
river; and then began wondering what
it all meant, and soon knew.
"Prudence, my lass" he said, "I've
saved up elO, all my own, and our own
er has just given me the. command OF a
new barge, with as pretty a cabin in as
you'd wish to see; and so, my lass, l
thought I'd ask you if so be as now
we've been counting four years, you
wouldn't come to me and be my wifeP"
"No," I said, "no," and shook my
head. az belong to father, and / could
never leave him-never." .... ,..,,. ..t
"But you'll have to some day, Pru-
dence," he said, looking dreadfully
down-hearted and miserable.
"No," 1 said, ar shall never leave
him; he wants me more and more every
day, and 1 must stay"
Prudence" he said sharply, "you
amt playing with me, are you?"
"Playing with you?"
"Yes; L mean YOU amt going to take
up with any one else, and go aboard any
other barge-no, no." he cried, 81
won't be 80 mean as to ask you that.
But, Prudence, dear, some day you may
have to leave him, and when you do,
will you please recollect as JohE Grove
loves you better than aught else in the
wide world, and is waiting for you to
Gomez" .......... .......-.... ....
" Yes, john" l said simply.
"You mean it, Prudence?" he cried
in delight, as he caught my hand
" Yes, John; don't know any body
else, and there's no one else as cares for
me-"
Hundreds on the river" he said,
sharply. f"t .. .... ..,.
"Then I don't care for them, john"
1 said simply; "and if you like me, and
ever do-do-leave-ob, dear! what
am saying?"
sat down on a fender and covered
my face with my coarse, red hands, and
began to cry; but he took my hands
down, and looked long and lovingly in
my face, with his great, honest, brown
eyes; and then he couldn't speak, but
seemed to choke. At last he gasped
out:
"Thanky, Prudence, thanky. I'm
going away now to wait, for you'll come
to me some day, l know" !
| didn't answer him.
"For the time may come, my lass,
when you'll be all alone in the world;
and when it does come, there's the cab
in of the Betsy Ann, clean painted up,
and waiting for you, just as her masters
awaiting too"
He went quietly over the side and cast
off the rope, and was gone before l
knew it; and sat there in the calm af-
ternoon and evening, sometimes crying,
feeling hopeful, and with a
sense of joy at my heart such as 1 never
had felt before.
And so that evening deepened into
night, with the barge quarter of a
mile astern of us, and no wind coming, |
only the tide to help US on our way.
1t must have been about ten O'Clock
at night, when was forward seeing to
the light hoisted up to keep any thing
from running into us, when l heard IA
Their come stumbling up from the cab
in, and make as if to come forward to .
me.
"Prue." he cried, "Prue!"
"Yes, father, coming" l said; and .
then l uttered wild shrek, and rushed .
towards where the boat hung astern by
her painter, hauled her up and climbed
in; for no sooner had l answered than
l heard cry and a heavy splash, and
knew father had gone overheard.
u-ns intn Tho hnnt in q mnnpmnt and