The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1881-09-14
PRUDENCE GRAYl

there wasn't a better purge the
river than the Prudence, and i was
called the same he was sur ere
would never be better girl
used to think our barge ich
was a very small biliy-bo d ou
know what that isif yolil i
must tell you that lisa barge Il
with rounded ends andlow bMwo /,
meant for carrying loads up ii
but built also to be able TO % o. )
sea little while, running along
coast--I used to think our, bare
say, a very, very large ships
grew old enough to compare II
those that passed US going y
down the river, and then IT nss
seem to me that il would II oDC
5fslly fine to go on board ope those
great ships and so sailing ava --far
away-across the ocean, instead Of
just coasting along to sheerness and
up the Medway, as We used to go
year after year, loaded deep, down in
the water.
l can't tell you how my child.life
slipped away, living with father, and
mother on board that barge, a little
bit of a cabin with atiny stove; all
l know is that 1 was happy, and that
l never hardly went ashore, and
when / did / was frightened aud
wanted to get back; and at last l
seemed to have grown all at once into
great girl, and father and were
alone. &
Yes, quite alone, for mother had
left US very suddenly, and we had
been ashore at sheerness, father and
], and came back from the funeral
and were sitting on the cabin hatch
before could believe it was any.
thing but terrible dream and that
| should not wake and find that she
was alive once more, as biithe and
CHEEKY as ever, ready to taks the till
er or a pull at rope, the anne as l
did when father wanted any help.
Father was changed nan after
that, and as couple of years slipped
by, the work on the barge fell more
and more into my hands, md used
to smile to myself as | sas how big
and strong they had grgn. For
father grew quiet and ilall da BY
day, and usedto hayea Stone bottle
filled whenever he yeit ashore, and
-tber :eitsMith it4ia sAhe cabin all
alone till / called him to come and
help with the sail.
Our barge was well known all
about the mouth of the river and far
up beyond the bridge; and, somehow,
| don't know how it was, the men on
the different boats we passed had al
ways kind hail or a wave of the
hand for us, as we glided by, if We
were too far off for the friendly shout
to reach US.
l don't think poor father meant it
unkindly, 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 come on board and see things
slovenly, and find fault with father
and dismiss him, and that knew
would break his heart. So | worked
on, and in dull, heavy way father
used to thank me; and the time glid.
ed on, till one day, as we were lying
off Southend, with the sea CLASSY and
not wind enough to fill the sails, l
felt my cheeks begin to burn as
leaned back against the tiller, and
would not turn my head because l
could hear boat being sculled along
toward US, and l knew it was coming
from the great leeboard barge at our
stern.
"He is coming to see father" l said
to myself in choking voice; and as
a hail came l arose to turn, and there
stood, in little boat he was sculling
with an oar over stern, John Grove,
in his dark trowsers, blue Jersey,
and scarlet cap; and as saw his sun.
burnt face and brown arms and
hands l felt my heart beating fast,
and knew he was not coming to see
father but to see me.
We had hardly ever spoken, but I
had known John Grove for years
now, and We had nodded and waved
to one another often as we passed up