The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1878-06-14

ng.
"Yes, you, my lass" he said; and his
handsome brown face lit up, and he looked
Up so manly as he laid his hand on my
lrm.
Prudence, my gal," he said, "we're both
Young yet, for I'm not six-sud twenty, but
thought it was time spoke to you"
"Spoke to me?" said with my face burn.
ing still,
"Yes, my lass spoke to you, for we've
been courting now q matter of four years"
"Ob, John," l cried, 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 "Over again"
"Over again? What Y' I said.
''Call me john" he replied.
"Well then, john" I cried hastily.
'"That's right, Prudence but as l was 60
ing 20 say, not spoken to one another! Well,
how could we, always taking our turns at
the tiler as we we're? But all the same my
lass, I've been always courting of you; night
and day, thes, four years, and looking out
and. longing for the time when the Prudence
would come in sight and could give you
hail and get wave of the hand back"
l could feel the color coming into my
cheeks again as heard him speak, and knew
how anxiously had looked out for his barge
coming up or down the river; and then be-
gan wondering what it all meant, and soon
knew.
prudence, my lass" he said, "I've saved
up GlO, all my own, and our owner has just
given me the command of a new barge, with
as pretty cabin in as you'd wish to see
and so, my lass, / thought I'd ask you if so
be as now we've bee courtng four years, you
w0uld't come to me aud be my wife"
"No," said, "no," and shook my head.
81 belong to father, and could never leave
| him-never."
"But you'll have to some day Prudence, "
he said, looking dreadfully hearted
and miserable.
| "No," said, II shall never leave him
he wants me more and more. every day, and
l must stay"
prudence" he said sharply, "you ain''
playing with me, are you ?"
"Playing with you ?"
| "Yes; mean you amt going to take uE
with any one else, and aboard any othel
barge--no, no." he cried. II won't be u
mean as to ask you that. But, Prudence
dear some day you may have to leave him
and when you do, will you please recollec
as John Grove loves you better than augh
else in the wide world, and is waiting for yol
to comeP'
"Yes, john" I said simply.
"You mean it, Pruden e." he cried in de
light, as he caught my hand. ... .I..
"Yes, John don't know anybody else
and there's no one as cares for me.''
Hundreds on the river" he said sharp
ly.
"Then don't care for them, John, l sal,
simply, and if you like me, and ever do
do---leave-oh, dear what am sayingr'
sat down on fender, and covered m
face with my coarse, red hands, and began +
cry but he took my hands down, and locke
long and lovingly in my iacswith his great
e honest brown eyes and then he couldn'
q speak, but seemed to choke. At last h
l grasped out:
t "lhanky, Prudence, thanky. I'm goin
2 away now to wait, for you'll come to see IN
h some day, know"
}. didn't answer him.
!, "For the time may come, my lass, whe
g you'll be all alone in the world ; and whe
it does come, there's the cabin of the Bets
l Ann, clean painted up, and waiting for yo'
y Just as her masters awaiting too"
He went and cast off the rope, and W,
q gone before | knew it; and | sat there in
o calm afternoon and evening, sometimes or.
II ing, sometimes feeling hopeful, and with
Il sense of Joy at my heart such as / never ht
a felt before.
# And so that evening deepened into nigh
with the barge quarter of mile astern
us, and no wind coming, only the tide
help us on our way.
= 1t must have been about ten O'Clock
night when | was forward seeing to Il
:, light hoisted up to keep anything from ru
ming into us, when / heard father cor
y stumbling up from the cabin, and make
if to come forward to me.
:, 'Prue.' he cried, 'Prue 7
v Yes, father, coming said and then
y uttered wild shrek, and rushed towa
- where the boat hung astern by her paint,
hauled her up and climbed in fer no 500
- er had | answered than heard cry and
'' 70 heavy splash, and | knew father had go
:, overheard.
no was into the boat in q moment, and h
the scul over the stern, psddli ny away
D. the direction that the cry had come fro'
re but, though fancied in those horrible mi
IL utes that saw hand stretched out Of l
'p wster, asking as it were for help, Paddl
ne and sculed about till vas far from Q
gs barge, and then sank down worn out to
s. er moan of horror and sob, oh, fsthe
is father what shall dor
~ Il. that you Prudences said voice.
ne Yes John, yes,' cried. looking {
oh through the darkness, out of which bt
I'd seemed to steal till 1t WAS alongside, vh
e. John stretched out his hand aud took Nil
D. Quick / gasped, save him, John fat
i er-gone overheard
ds when you shrieked out, PrueY'
at Yes. yes, walled oh, save him 81
him T
~ Ny poor lass, he said, that's q q
a quarter of an hour ago, and the tides Z,
re ming strong; I've been padding about 6
Al q =. I