Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-12-17
ON THE RIVER.

-
sloop, which lay IN the middle of
wide river the closing in of a summer
day, lounged q serious-face, blue
shirted, felt-hatted young man smok-
a short pipe.
He was approached by a pretty,
brown-faced girl, who came upon him
from the little cabin aft. He took his
pipe from his mouth and looked sill
emily at her
ST cane to have a serious talk,
Jacob" said She
We'll, I'm ready" was the rejoin-
der. give been expecting something
such for a week Or more. It's the old
subject, eh2"
"Parcly," she answered, Bat it is
different from what I have said be
fore. Jacob, can't marry you"
WHAT He glaTed at her furious
II can't marry you, I say, and
what is more, I mean it"
''And please why can't Miss Joseph
he asked with mock polItenesS.
because we should never be hap
by together afterWard. You are to
quick to anger, too improvident to
save or to spend carefully, and too
unreasonable. I think you may have
an idea that you love me, and I am
sure | could love you too well, in
spite Of your faults; but happiness
does not come Of love upon one side.
nor always if it is upon both. It has
cost me, and will cost me, much
heartburn, but it had much better
burn now than for endless years af-
terward. I have decided, and you
know what that means"
He said nothing for many minutes,
but he finally spoke:
Is "You. mean this, Josie, whatever
you say. You mean that | am but
deck-hand on your fathers craft
that / have not good looks enough,
and that I am not fool enough to put
up with your vagaries. That's it.
Stop, don't interrupt. I've got as
much pride as you have, and
SO l say here, on this very
spot, that now that you have re-
fused me, shall go straight to the
devil. I haven't any object in life,
and if drink and deSauchery will ruin
me, [ am going to ruin that way. 1
tell you not to speak" he cried. in
high temper. Il am going now, and
shall begin by stealing your fathers
boat. You tell me am too quick to
anger, to improvident to save, and too
unreasonable, and you may now add
am too cursed proud to take iilt-
ing from such as you, and stay In
your sight, like whining dog"
Womanlike she bitterly rapented
even her just act, and arose from her
position with a purpose. She gather
ed some articles of apparel. and with
another boat pursues HIM. She wand
cred for some days; went high and
low, in and out, into groggeres and
dens, but found nothing. Not trace
and her remorse grew with the hours.
AS for his part, he does as ne
has promised, ard plunges headlong
into vice. He stupefes himself. He
wanders among the shipping, is kick
about, and is locked up out of harms
way, and let go again. He struggles
aboard ships and steamers, and hides
away to sleep off his stupor, and so
wipes out all memory of his once
crazy love, and all vestiges of the
sweet face he used to adore.
On a wild night some men find
him aboard a river steamer already
cast off and bound down to the city
below. They fling him aside with
curses, and he lays himself down
against the door of the pilot house. It
is fearfully stormy and drenched by
rain, and pierced by cold, he comes to
his senses In the middle of the night,
and looks about him. He sees that
they are at high speed. He arises,
looks about, and recognizes the place
and the boat, for he is familiar with
the river and its channels from its
head to It's mouth. He stands en-
tirely sobered in the darkness, look
ing at the pilot house windows, at the
man at the wheel.
Suddenly he fancies he sees him sink
gradually, still holding at the wheel.
He tries to rise, but again his knees
bend and his head falls forward. At
this instant shouts arise from the men
below, and the wheel slips away from