Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1878-05-03

my dreams all passed away.
/ don't think poor father meant it 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 como on board
and see things slovenly, and find fault
with father and dismiss him, and that l
knew would break his heart. So work.
ed on, and in a dull heavy way father
used to thank me; and the time glided ON,
till one day, as we were lying off South
end, with the sea CLASSY and not wind
enough to fill the sails, felt my cheeks
begin to burn as / leaned back against
the tiller, and would not turn my head,
because could hear boat being sculled
towards us, and ! knew it was coming
from the great leeboard barge lying
astern.
He's coming to see father" said to
myself at last in q choking voice; and as
hail came I was obliged to turn, and
there stood up in the little boat he was
sculllng with an oar over the stern John
Grove, in his dark trousers, 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.
N Iooc ~ l,n cos1
as he came close in; and did it dream
lily, and as soon as had done so began
to pull it back, but it was too late; he
had bitched it round the thwart of his
boat, and was up and over the side be.
fore could stir; and then he stood look
ing down upon me, while 1 felt some
times hot and sometimes cold, as if
could not speak.
"Do you want to see father ?" said
at last.
"No, my lass" he said quietly, 81
want to see you"
"Me /" I faltered, with my face
burning.
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 [ 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 courting now matter of four
years."
"Oh, john" 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. "Over again"
"Over againG What ?" I said.
"Call me john" he replied.
"Well, then, john" cried hastily.
"Thats right, Prudence; but, as I
was going to say, not spoken to 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 counting of you, night and
day, these four years, and looking out
and longing for the time when the Pru-
dence would come in sight and I could
give you hail and get wave of the
hand back"
I could feel the color coming back
into my cheeks again as heard him
speak, and knew how anxiously I had
looked ous for his barge coming up or
down the river; and then I began won
dering what it all meant, and soon knew.
Prudence, my lass" he said, "I've
saved up 910, all my own, and our owner
has just given me the command of new
barge, with as pretty cabin as you'd
wish to see; and so, my lass, thought
I'd ask you if so be as now we've been
courUing four years, you wouldn't come
to me and be my wife"
"No," I said, "no," and shook my
head. "I belong to father, and I could
never leave him-never."
"But you'll have to some day, Prud-
ence," he said, looking dreadfully down
hearted and miserable.
"No,"I said, "I shall never leave
him; he wants me more and more every
day, and must stay"
Prudence" he said sharply, "you
amt playing with me, are you?"
" "Playing with you?"
eyes; mean you amt going to take
up with any one else, and go aboard any
other barge-no, no, he cried, 81 won't
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 to Gomez"
" Yes, john" I said simply.
"You mean it, Prudence ?" he cried
in delight, as he caught my hand.
yes, John; I don't know anybody
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,'
| said simply; "aud if you like me, and
l ever do-do-leave-oh, dear 4! what
am I saying2"
L sat down on fender and covered
my face with my coarse, red hands, and
began to cry; but he 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 he gasped
out;
" Thanky, Prudence, thanky. I'm
going away now to wait, for you'll come
to me some day, I know"
I didn't answer him.
I" 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 side and cast
off the rope, and was gone before I knew
it; and sat there in the calm afternoon