Connecticut western news., 1878-04-11

buoy nere ana @ l1gnG there, SlVlnS oIHer barges and smacks 8 wide berth, and listening to the strange squealing noise of the gulls as they wheeled and lowered and swept by me, so closely sometimes that I could almost have touched them with my hand.
 Our barge was we'll known all about the mouth of the r1ver, and far up be- yond the bridge !; and somehow, don't know how it was, the men on the differ ent boats we passed had always kind hall, or 8 wave of the hand for us, as we glided by, if we were too far off for the friendly shout to reach us.
 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 I cared to do so very often, because it seemed to make me sad, for the faces I looked on seemed to be so different to mlne that felt as if I was another kind of being, and it used to set me wonder ing and make me think and at such times I've leaned against the tiller, and dreamed and dreamed In a waking fash ion of how would like to read and write and work, as 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 reef in the sail, because the wind freshened, and my dreams all passed away.
 I don't think poor father meant 1t un- kindly, 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 sloven1y, and find fault with father and dismiss him, and that knew would break his heart. So l worked on, and in @ dull, heavy way father used to thank me; and the time glided on, till one day, as we were lying off Southend, with the sea glassy and not wind enough to fill the sails, felt my cheeks begin to. burn as l leaned back against the tiller, and would not turn my head, because could hear 8 boat being skulled along towards us, and I knew it was coming from the great lee- board barge lying astern.
 He's coming to see father," I said to myself at last, in choking voice; and as hail came I was obliged to turn, and there Stood up in the little boat he was sculling with an oar over the stern, John Grove, in his dark trowsers, blue jersey, and scarlet cap; and as saw his sun- burnt face and brown arms and hands, I felt my heart beating fast, and knew he was not coming to see father, but to see me.
 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 often as we had passed up and down the river.
 "Heaye us rope, my lass," he said, as he came close in ; and I did it dreamily, and as soon as I had done so I began to pull it back, but it was too late; he had hitched it round the thwart of his boat, and was up and over the side before I could stir ; and then he stood looking down upon me, while felt some times hot and sometimes cold, and as if I could not speak.
 "Do you want to see father ?" I said, at last
 "No, my lass" he said, quietly. ''I want to see you."
 "Mer' faltered, with my face burn ing.
 "Yes, you, my lass," he said and his handsome brown face lit up, and he looked so manly as he laid his hand on my arm.
 Prudence, my gal,' he said, "we're both young yet, for I'm not six-and- twenty, but I thought it was time I spoke to you"
 "Spoke to me?" I said, with my face burning still.
 Yes, my lass, spoke to you, for we've been counting now matter of four years.''
 70, John p I 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 long breath. cover again"
 cover again? What ?" I said.
 "Call me John, {" he replied.
 "Well, then, John," I cried, hastily.
 "That's right, Prudence but, as l was going to say, not spoken to one another We'll, how could we, always taking our turns at the tiller as we were ? 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 Prudence would come in sight, and I could give you hail and get 8 wave of the hand back"
 I could feel the color coming into my cheeks again as heard him speak, an6 knew how anxiously I had looked out fol his barge coming up or down the river and then I began wondering what it al meant, and soon knew.
 Prudence, my lass," he said; ''I'v, saved up ten pounds, all of my own and our owner has just given me com mand of a new barge, with as pretty cabin as you'd wish to see and so, m, lass, thought I'd ask you if so be a now we've been courting four years, yo1 wouldn't come to me and be my wife,"
 "No," said, "no, '.and shook my head '1 belong to father, and I could neve leave him-never.'
 " But you'll have to some day, Pru dence," he said, looking dreadfull