The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1879-10-16
rRrpEses eRAI.

lbe Prudence, ASA II ives called sbe
sAme be Was sare there wouid sever Be .
better giri.
4 Poor father lie was slwsys vers fond
Of me. and my earliest remembranees sre
Of sitting on the liller aud having ride,
Z wheu lie stood there of an evening steer.
ing the barge, with the great cinnamon
red sail Oiled oui BY the wind, aud The
wsler iosming add bubbliug By as - we
rsu up lbe liver toward The big city,
where ships lay close together 10 dock
and against the wharves, emp,ying their
loads or waiting for others before goiag
away Scross the seas.
ased 10 lhink our barge, which vas .
very email bllly.boy, il you know whs!
that is s--il you don'i, must tell You that
irs barge built with rounded ends ana
low balwarks, meant for carrying loads
up rivers, but built also TO be able 70 80
out TO sea little while, running along
the coast--I used 20 think our barge,
ssy, very, very large ship, till grew
old enough TO compare il with those that
passed US going up or down the river,
and then Il used to seem TO me that il
would be wonderfully ane TO so on board
one OF those great ships aud go sailing
Away-iar awsy-Across the ocean, IN
stead Of just cossting along TO ShcerncsS
aud up the Midway, ss We used 10 gc
year after year, loaded deep down 10 the
water with pottery or hops, or even
bricks.
1 can't tell you how my child Lille slip
ped away, living with father and mother
on board that barge, in a little bit OF q
cabin with Tiny stove; all ! know Il
that was very happy, and that never
hardly went ashore, aud when did
was frightened aud wanted TO get back
aud al last seemed TO bave grown al
J once into great girl, aud father aud
were alone.
! Yes, quite alone, for mother had left VI
very suddenly, and ~e had been ashore
at Sheerness, father aud I, aud came bach
from the funeral aud were sitting on th'
cabin hatch, before could believe Il wa
anything but terrible dream, and that
should not wake and find that she wa'
alive once more, as blilbe and cherry 81
ever, ready to take the tiIIer or pull a
q rope, the same as did when my lathe
wanted any help.
Father was changed man alter that
and as couple Of years slipped by thu
work on the barge fell more and NOR
into my bands, aud used to smile e
myself as saw how big aud red ant
strong they had grown. For father grew
!. quiet and duh day by day, aud used tt
have stone bottle filled whenever b.
went ashore, and then sit with il in th
cabin all alone tin called him TO com
: aud help with the sail.
Not that wanted much help, for our
was only small barge, and once started
with fair wind, | could manage be
well enough; while when we had to tao
backwar1 aud forwards across the rive
mouth, could always lock the. tiller b
the rope that hung ON to the Delaying pi
aud give ii hitch on this side or thai
till had taken pull at the sheet an'
brought the barge round on the othe
tack.
Imust have passed half my life in thos
days leaning blck against that tillcr, wit
it's end carved to look like great acorr
!. and the name of the old barge, Prudenct
cut deep In the side. There I'd stan
looking out ahead as we glided alon
over the smooth sea, passing buoy her
and light there, giving other barges an
stnacks a wide berth, and listening TO h
strange squealing noise of The gnlls
they wheeled and lowered and swept b
.s me, so closely sometimes that could a
!. most have touched them with my haud
Our barge was well known all abo'
the mouth OF the river aud far up be. on
the bridge; aud somehow, | don't kno
how ii was, the men on the diherel
boats we passed had always kind ha
or a wave OF the band for us, "a we glide
by, IL we were too far of for the friend
shout to reach us.
Sometimes I'd run the barge pref
close TO the great ships aud rcamer
inward OF utward bound, 80 as TO loo
at the ladies | saw on board not that
cared 10 do so very Often, because
seemed to make me sad, for the faces
looked on seemed 10 be so different
mine that | felt as II | waa another XII
OF being, and il used 10 set me wonderil
aud make me think; and At such tim
I've leaned agAinst The lilier aud dream
aud dreamed 10 waking fashion OF be
I would Hike to read aud write and wof
ss had seen ladies siliiag aud readi
aud working, ou the decks Of the
ships, under the awning; aud then | b
10 act my dreams aside aud have pl
ST the sheet or take q reef in the sail,
'er cause the wiud freshened, aud my dresI
20 all passed away.
Dg don't think poor father meant II Z
les kindly, bat be seemed to grow more a
on more broken aud helpless every day q
Ids this frightened me, aud made me work
10 keep the barge clean and sbip-sbape,
the owners should come on board and
10, things slovenly, aud fad fault with fat
sy, snd dismiss him, aud that knew wol
break bis heari. so worked on, aud
en- dull heavy war father used to tbs
log me- aud The time giided on, till Que d
Of IS we were lyiug or souihend, with
Ter sea CLASSY and not wind enough TO Oh
sails, I felt my cheeks begin TO barn q
1od leaped hack against The tlIler, aud wo