The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1878-05-16


spoke 10 YOU
Spoke TO me ?" l said, with my face
burning still
Yes, my lass, spoke to You. for we've
been courtng now a matter OF four
years"
"Oh, John" l criei, bursting out
laughing and feeling more at my ease,
why, we've never hardly spoken to
one another.
THAT'S NICE" he said. drawing a
long breath. "Oyer again"
lover again What ?" said
Call me John. " he replied.
"Well. then, John, l cried hastily.
'sThat's right, Prudence; but, rs |
Was going 10 say, not spoken 10 one
another /! Well, how could We, always
taking our turns at the tiller as We
were? But all the same, my lass, I've
been always courting Of You, night and
day, these four years, and looking out
+ and longing for the time when the Prn-
denee would come in sight and | could
give You hail and get wave OF the
hand back.
l could feel the color coming back
into my cheeks again as | heard him
speak, and knew how anxiously had
looked ous for his barge coming up or
down the river; and then l began won
dering what it all meant, and soon knew.
Prudence, my lass" he said. " I've
saved up fl0, all my own, and our owner
has Just given me the command of new
barge, with as pretty cabin as you'd
wish 10 see; and SO, my lass, | though,
I'd ask You If SO be as now we've been
courring four years, you wouldn't come
to me and be my wife. y
mo" l said, "no, and shook my
head. Il belong to father, and | could
never leave him never.
But you'n have TO some day, Prui-
ence," be said, looking dreadfully down
hearted and miserable
"No," said, u shall never leave
him; he wants me more and more every
day, and l must stay.
Prudence" he said sharply, ''you
amt playing with me, are You 2?
Playing with your
eyes; l mean you amt going to take
up with any one else, and 60 aboard any
other barge-no, no, he cried, Il won I
be so 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 John Grove loves you
better than aught else in the wide world,
and is waiting for you 10 come &"
Yes, John. said simply.
"You mean il. Prudence ?" he cried
in delight, as he caught my hand.
"Yes, John; don't know anybody
else, and there's no enc as cares for
me-"
Hundreds on the river" he said
sharply.
"T6en don't care for them, John,,
said simply; "aud if you like me, and
| ever do-do-leave-oh, dear what
am / saying ?"
sat down on a fender and covered
my face with my coarse, red hands, and
began to cry; but be 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 ne gasped
out;
Thanky, Prudence, thanky. I'm
going away now to wait, for you'll come
10 me some day, 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 cabin
OF the Betsy Ann, clean painted up, and
waiting for you, just as her masters
awaiting too"
He went quietly over the sideand cast
A. 4 l,a Il
it; and l sat there in the calm afternoon
and evening, sometimes crying, some
times feeling hopeful, and wi tn a sense
Of Joy at my heart such as l never had
felt before.
And so that evening deepened into
night, with the barge a quarter OF mile
astern OF us, and no wind coming, only
the tide 10 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 anything from
running into US, when ] heard father
come stumbling up from the cabin, and
make as if to come forward 10 me.
"Prue, he cried, "Prue -
Yes. father, coming, said /; and
then ] uttered wild shrek, and rushed
towards where the boat hung astern by
her painter, hauled her up and climbed
in; for no sooner had answered than /
heard cry and aeavy splash, and !
knew father had gone overheard.
was into the boat in moment, and
had the scull over the stern, padding
away in the direction that the cry had
come from; but, though | fancied in
those horrible minutes that saw a hand
stretched out Of the water, asking as it
were for help, padded and sculled
about till / was far from our barge, and
then sank down worn ont 10 utter moan
of horror, and sob, "Oh, father father
what shall / do"
"Is that you. Prudence?" said a
voice.
Eyes, John, yes" I cried, looking
out through the darkness, out Of which
a boat seemed to steal till it was along
side, when John stretched out his hand
and took mine.
"Quick r. 1 gasped, "save him. John
-father-gone overheard -
"When you shrieked out, Prue p
eyes, yes" walled; "oh, save himl
save him I"
"My poor lass" he said, "that's a
good quarter of an hour ago, and the
tides running strong. I've been pad
ding about ever since, trying TO find
you, for 1 went up to the barge and you
were gone"
"But father, walled, father-save
him
"My poor little lass, he said, tender
ly, "Id jump into the water now if you
bid me; but what can I do, you know,
Prudence, what can I do ?"
l did not answer, for / did know that
he must have been swept far away before
then; and was beginning to feel that l
was alone-quite alone in the world.
1t was quite six months after that
dreadful night that one evening John
came ashore from his barge to the cot
tage, where was staying with his
mother, and bad been ever since he had
brought me there, without seeing him