Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1880-02-13

1Nel anu tnen began 10 wonder what u
all meant, and soon knew.
prudence, my lass" he said, "I've
saved ten ponds, all my own, and our
owner has just given me command of
new barge, with as pretty cabin in it as
you'd wish to see; and so, my lass,
thought I'd ask you if so be as now we've
been counting four years, you wouldn't
come to NE and be my wife"
emo" said, "No,', AMI shook nv
head; II belong to father, and I could
never leave him-never."
'But you'll have to some day, Pru-
dence," he said, looking down-hearted
and miserable.
NO. 1 said, II 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 yous"
Yes; l mean you ain't going to take up
with any one else, and 60 aboard any
other barge-ne, no. he cried, 81 won't
be so mean as to ask you that. But, Pru-
dence, dear, some day you may have to
leave him; and when you do, will you re-
collect as John Grove loves you better
than aught else in the wide world and is
waiting for you to Gomez
''Yes, John,'' 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 sharp
ly.
"Then don't care tor them, john"
said simply; "and If you like me, and I
ever do-leave-oh, dear! what am I
taying9
l sat down on fender and covered
my face with coarse red hands, and be-
gan 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 h. gasped out:
''Thanky Prudence, thanky. I'm 60
ing away now to wait, for you'll come to
me some day, 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
Ct tie Bctsey Ann, clean painted up, and
waiting for you, just as her master
awaiting too"
He went quietly over the side and cast
off 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 a sense
Of JOY at my heart such as never felt
before.
And so that evening deepened into
night, the barge quarter Of mile astern
of us, and no wind coming, only the tide
to help us on our way.
1t must have been about ten o'clock t
night when was forward seeing to the
light hoistea up to keep anything from
running into us. when heard father come
stumbling up from the cabin, ana make
as if to come forward to me.
,"Prue," he cried, "Prue2''
eyes, father, coming.'' said and then
I uttered a wild shrek, and rushed to-
wards where the boat hung astern by her
painter, hauled her up and climbed ir;
for no sooner had answered than 1 heard
a cry and heavy splash, and I knew
father had gone overheard
l was in the boat in moment, and
had the skull over the stern, padding
away in the direction that the cry had
come from; but, though l fancicd that
in those horrible minutes 1 saw hand
stretched out of the water asking as it
were for help, I padded and skulled
about till I was far from our barge, and
then sank down, worn out, to utter a
moan of horror, and sob, "Oh, father!
What shall do2'
''Is that you, Prudence?" said voice
near me.
eyes, John, yes" cried, looking out
through the darkness out of which
boat seemed to steal till it was alongside.
when John stretched out his hand and
took niue.
'Quick," gasped, s'save him, john
father-gone overboard!!"
"When you shrleked out, Prue2"
eyes, yes; oh, save him save himl'
my poor lass" he said, ''that's good
quarter Of an hour ago, and the tide is
running strong. I've been padding about
ever since, trying to find you, for I went
to the barge and you were gone.''
"But father" ] walled, "father-savc
h1m!''
my poor little lass" he said. tendcrly,
"I'd jump into the water now if you bid
me, but what can 1 do, you know, Pru-
dence, what can I do2
Ibid not answer, for did hot know
that he must have been swept far away
before then; and / was beginning to fee!
that I was alone-quite alone in the world.
It was quite SIX months after that
dreadful night that one evening John
came ashore from his barge to the cot
tage, where I was staying with his moth
er and had been ever since he had
brought me there, without seeing him to
to speak to only to wave my hand to him
as he sailed by. That evening he came
and looked wistfully at me, and said but
little, and at last his time was up and he
rose to go. "'' ~,s-~
walked down to the boat with him
and on the way he told me he had got
leave to alter the name of his barge, and
it was called the Prudence, too; and then
without word about the past, he was
saying good-by, when put my hand in
his and said quietly. !
%"John, dear, haven't forgot my prom
"And you are alone, now, Prudence
my lass" he cried eagerly: "a :.
. mo, John, no. said softly, as the
tears ran down my cheeks:"I never shall
be while you live"
"Never, my lass, never" he cried.
"And you will be my little wife.
/ Yes, John, yes;1 promised you"
"When come back from this voyage2'
"Yes, John, when you WILL" / said,
and with one long hand pressure we part
ed, and / went back to wait another
month aud then I was his happy little
wife 5.
And there seemed no change, for was
once more on the river or out at sea
leaning upon the filler and gazing
straight before me, with the gulls wall
ing as they wheeled and dipped and
skinned or settled upon the water while
the soft wind gently stirred the print
hood that was lightly tied over my wind
ruf1ed hair. Only bargeman's young
wife living on the tide but very happy;
for John often points to the great ships
that pass US, with their captains in gold
laced caps, and as he does so he whispers
Not with the best among them, Prue,
not with the best; I wouldn't even change
places with the king"
And if he is as happy as ], dear John
is right Cassszrs Magazine.
sF.|s5.gs.s4 Is