Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-10-06

and he stood looking down upon me,
while felt sometimes hot and some
times cold, and rs II could not speak.
"Do you want to see father ?" I said
at last.
"No, my lass" he said, quietly; 81
want TO see you"
"Mer 1 faltered, with my voice
burning.
"Yes, you, my lass" he said, and his
handsome brown face Lit up, and he
Looked 80 manly as he laid his hand on
my arm. Prudence, wore both young
yet, but thought 1t was time 1 spoke
to you"
"Spoke to me u 1 said, with my face
still burning.
eyes, my lass, spoke to you; for we've
been courting now matter of four
years."
"Oh, John" cried, bursting out
laughing, and feeling more at my ease;
"why, we've hardly spoken to one an
other"
"That's true, Prudence; but how
could we; always taking our turns at the
tiller as we were2 But all the same,
my lass, I've been always a courting of
you, night aud day, these four years,
and looking for the time when the Pru-
dence would come in sight and I could
give you hail, and get 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.
Prudence, my lass" he said, "I've
saved ten pounds, all my own, and our
owner has just given me the command
OF new barge with as pretty a cabin in
it as you'd wish to see; and so, my lass,
| thought I'd ask you il so be as now
we've been counting for four years, you
wouldn't como to me aud be my wife p
NO." I said, "no;" and shook my
head. "I belong to father, and l could
never leave him, never"
but you'll have to some day, Pru.
dence," he said, looking downhearted.
NO." l said, 81 shall never leave
him he needs me more and more every
day"
Prudence" he said, sharply, "you
amt playing with me, are yru?'
playing with your
eyes I mean you amt going to take
up with any ono else? No, no." he
cried, "I 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 reoollect
as John Grove loves you better than
aught else in the Wild world, and is wait
ing for you TO come"
Yes, john" said, simply.
"You mean it, Prudence ?" he cried
in delight.
EYES. John don't know anybody
else. and there's no one as cares for
me-"
Hundreds on the river" he said
sharply.
"Thon don't care S>sgohn."
1 said, simply; and il: 2 nc
oh, dear what am l sA
/ sat down on a fender md coYerVd
my face with my hands, and began to
CRY bat he took ny hands down, and
looked long and lovingly into my face
with honest brown eyes. A. last he
gasped out
"Thankey, Prudence, tbankey. I'm
going away now to wait. for you'll come
to me some day, l know"
"For tho time msy come, my lass,
when you'll be alone in The world and
when IL comes there's the cabin of the
Betsy Ann awaiting for you, Just as her
1 masters awaiting
He went quietly over the side Of the
boat, cast Off the rope and was gone,
and sat there in the calm afternoon
with feeling Of Joy at my heart such
as had never felt before.
It must have been about 10 o'clock
Mt night when was seeing TO the light
hoisted up, when heard father come
stumbling mp to the cabin.
"Prue, Pruei" he cried.
eyes, father" replied; and then I
uttered wild shrek, and rushed
toward where the small boat hung
astern, hauled her up and climbed in,
fer no sooner had answered him than
heard cry and splash, and / knew
that my flasher had gono overheard.
was in the boat in moment, padding
away in the direction that the cry had
como from; but though I faucied in
those horrible minutes that I aaw n