River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1878-04-11

NO, my lass Ae said, duiCtiJ,
want to see you
Me" faltered, with my face burn
Jug.
Yes, you. my lass he said; and hi
handsome brown face lit up, and h'
looked so manly as he laid his hand OF
my arm.
.'Prudence, my GAL" he said, We're
both young yet, for I'm not six-and
twenty, but thought it was time | spoke
TO you."
Spoke to me-" 1 said. with my face
burning still.
YES, my lass, spoke TO you, Tor we've
been courting now a matter OF four years.
%, joint" | cried. bursting out laugh
ing, and feeling more at my ease. why
we've never hardly spoken to one an
other.'
That's nice" he said, drawing a long
breath. Over again"
"Over again? Whatl' | said.
''Call me john" he replied.
"WelI, then, john" | cried, hastily.
"That's right, Prudence; but, as | was
going to say, not spoken to one another
Well, how could we, always taking oul
turns at the tiller as we weref But all
fhe same, my lass, I've been always court
| lng of YOU, night and day, these four
| years, and looking out and longing for the
| time when the Prudence would come in
sight, and could give you hail and get
a wave Of the hand back"
/ | 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;
aud then 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
lnand of a new barge, with as pretty a
cabin as you'd wish to see; and so, my
lass, | thought Id ask you if so be as
row we've been counting four years, you
wouldn't come to me and be my wife"
No" | said, "no," and shook my
head 81 belong to father, and l could
never leave him-never."
Z" But you'll have to some day, Pru-
dence," he said, looking dreadfully down
hearted and miserable.
mo" | said, 81 shall never leave him
he wants me more and more every day,
and must stay"
Prudence" he said sharply, you
STINT playing with me, are you!
PLAYING with you!"
Yes; 1 mean you amt going to take
.;p with any one else, and go aboard any
other barge no, no, he cried | won't be
80 mean as to ask you that. But, Pru-
;lence, dear. some day you may have
10 leave him, and when you do, will you
please recollect as John Grove loves you
setter than aught else in the wide world,
and is waiting for you to come!
Yes, John" l said simply.
''You mean it, Frudence!" he cried, in
delight, as he caught my hand.
"Yes, John; don't know any body else
and there's no one as cares for me-"
"Hundreds on he river" he said
sharply.
Then l don't care for them, john" |
said, simply "and if you like me, and |
,.ver do --do-leave-O, dear! what am l
Saying!"
I sat down on a fender and covered my
face with my coarse red hands, and began
90 cry; but he took my hands down, and
looked long and lovingly in my face,
with mis- great honest brown eyes; and
fhen he couldn't speak, but seemed to
ehokc At last he gasped out:
"Thanky, Prudence, thanky. / am GO
JIG 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;
and when it does come, there's the cabin
If the Betsy Ann, clean painted up, and
waiting for you, Just as her masters
awaiting too"
He went quietly over the side and cast
%tf the rope, and was gone before | knew
IT.. and sat there in the calm afternoon
and evening, sometimes crying, some
times feeling hopeful, and with sense
of Joy at my heart such as | never had felt
before.
And so that evening deepened into
night, with the barge quarter of mile
astern of us. and no wind coming, only
the tide to hep 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 | heard father
come stumbling up from the cabin, and
make as if to come forward to me.
''Prue, he cried, 8 Prue!'
Eyes, 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 . heavy 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 hand
stretched out of the water, asking as 1t
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, 40, father! father.
what shall dol'
us that YOU, Prudence" said voice.
''Yes, John, yes" | cred, 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.
Quick" gasped, save him. john
/ father-gone overboard.'
when you shrieked out, Pruel'
I "Yes, yes" | walled; 80, save him !!
save him.!
My poor lass" he said, "tbat's a good
quarter of an hour ago, and the tides run
ming strong. I've been padding about
eversince. trying to find you. for | went
up to the barge, and you were gore.
But father" walled, = father-save
him.
My poor little lass" he said, tender
". :" Id jump into The water now, if you
bid me, but what can | do, you know,
Prudence, what can | dor
did not answer, Tor | did know that
he must have been swept tar away before
then; and l was beginning to feel that |
was alone-quite alone in the world.
1t was not quite six months after that
dreadful night, that one evening John
j came ashore from his barge to the cottage