Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-04-07

asDo you want to see father2" l SAID.
at last. !,
"No. nv lass" he said, quietly, Il
want to see you
"Me," faltered, with my face burn
ing.
Eyes, you, my lass" he said; and his
handsome brown face lit up, and he
looked so msnly as he laid his hand on
my g,n arm; a.,n he aa;a we're
both young yet, for I'm not elx-ana-
twenty, but I thought it was time spoke
to YOU"
s:spoke to me?" said, with my face
burning still.
Eyes, my lass, spoke to you, for we've
been counting now matter OF four years. !"
20, John!' cried. bursting out laugh
ing, and feeling more at my ease, "why,
we've never hardly spoken to one an
other''
Chats NICE" he said, drawing long
breath. 'Over again"
cover again2 What2' said.
"Call me john" he replied.
ssWell, then, John," I cried, hastily.
''That's right, Prudence; but, as l was
going to say, not spoken to one another!
Well, how could we, always taking our
turns at the tiller as we were2 But all
the same, my lass, I've been always court
ing of you, night and day, these four
years, and looking out and longing for the
time when the Prudence would come in
sight, and Tcould give you hail and get
a wave Of the hand back"
could feel the color coming into my
cheeks again as I heard him speak, and
knew how anxiously l had looked out for
his barge coming up OF down the river;
and then 1 began wondering what it all
meant, and soon knew.
Prudence. my lass" he said, I've
saved up ten pounds, al my own; and
our owner has just given me the COM
mand of new barge, with as pretty a
cabin as you'd wish to see; and so, my
lass, I 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 wife,"
NO. I said, "no," and shook my
head. II belong to father, and I could
never leave him-never."
But you'll have to some day, Pru-
dence," he said, looking dreadfully down.
hearted and miserable.
"No,' said, II shall never leave him; ;
he wants me more and more every day,
and I must stay"
Prudence" he said, sharply, "you
amt playing with me, are you?"
"PIaying with you?"
eyes; mean you amt going to take
up with any one else, and go aboard any
other barge no, no." he cried I won't be
so mean as to ask you that. But, Pru-
dence, dear, some day yoH may have
to leave him, and when you do, will you
please recollect as John Grove loves you
better than aught else in the wide world,
and is waiting for you to Gomez
eyes, John,' said simply.
''You mean it, Prudence?" he cried, in
delight, as he caught my hand.
eyes, John: I don't know any body else
and there's no one as cares for me-
"Hundreds on the river" he said,
sharply.
"Then I don't care for them, John,' 1
said, SIMPLY; "and if you like me, and I
ever do--do-leave-O, dear! what am I
saying?"
sat down on fender and covered my
face with my coarse red hands, and began
to cry: but he took nv 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 be gasped out:
''Thanky, Prudence, thanky. I am 60
ing away now to wait, for you'll come
soon to me know"
didn't answer him.
"For the time may come, my
lass, when you'll be all alone in the world F;
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 oyer the side and cast
off the rope, and was gone before knew
it; and sat there in the CAIN afternoon
and evening, sometimes crying, some
times feeling hopeful, and with a sense
of Joy at my heart such as I 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 hep us on our way.
It 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 I heard father
come stumbling up from the cabin, and
make as if to come forward to me.
"Prue," he cried, g Prue!'
eyes, father, coming" I 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 I answered than l
heard cry, and heavy splash, and I
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, l padded and sculled
about till was far from our barge, and
then sank down worn out to utter moan
Of horror, and sob, 60, father! father!
what shall dos"
els that YOU, Prudence2" said a voice.
eyes, John, YES" cried, looking out
through the darkness, out of which boat
seemed to steal till it was alongside. when
John stretched out his hand and took
mine.