Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-03-19
[copm1a',t Secured Al Rights Rese,rcd.l Driven From Sea to Sea:
 Or, JUST A CAMPIN'.
AY O. c. POST.

places the channel of the little stream had been ent rely choked up, and a new one cut by the waters through pastures and grain lands, and in yet others. | where little of the coarscr debris had | been deposited, the long standing of the water had greatly injured vine yards and orchards, the vines and tree trunks being thickly coated with the fine clay which the water had held in | solution.
 On the whole the damage was less than many had feared, and with the ex- pectation of preventing any further in- jury by the erection of the dam, hope revived in the breasts of all, and they began repairing as fast as possible the injury already done. and the cultiva- ton of their vineyards and fields for the coming crop.
 The Parsons ranch had suffered with the rest, but not more than many others. A hundred grape vines stand ing upon ground near the creek were killed or badly injured. Several banks of gravel, mingled with larger stones, extended across some of the most fer tile fields, the total injury amounting to thousand dollars or more, in pros pective, but not ser 'ously affecting the immediate income of the family occl. pying the white cottage under the bluff. around whose open porch still clam bered rose bushes heavy with their weight of yellow, and red, and crimson blooms.
 As soon as possible after Johnny had been brought home from the shanty in the hills where he lay so many weeks, Jennie and Lucy had returned to school in San Francisco, Mrs. Parsons being now more than ever determined that they should not fail to obtain an education.
 ''f we leave them nothing else, John, let us at least give them an cdu- cat on" she had said to her hu >band, and he had made no objections, though the house seemed doubly lonely with out them.
 To help Mrs. Parsons with the lighter work they secured the assistance of 9 young girl whose parents had moved into the nci% hborhood but tho year be, fore. and who, having but little 10 begin on. were not unwilling that their daugh- ter should find a home where she would be kindly treated and paid for washing the dishes and such other chores as her a.Ie and experience fitted her for.
 As they had missed a portion of one term the 2 rls did no; go home for the shor, spring paration. but remained n tine city and studied. in order to keep up with their classes; and when they did return n midsummer Lucy was en- gagged to be married to James Annel- scy.
 1.-The wedding was not to take plaou for at least a year yet" she toll her mother in annOunc ng the cnga cement.
 Mir. Annelsey had desired an immt: diate union, but to this she had inter- I lad l hn h, T last consented that she should remain at school a year longer, when they we e to be married and he would take her to New York to reside,
 This was not wholly unexpected by the family. They knew that Mir. An neisey had followed the young lad to San Francisco, and t at he had been a frequent caller upon them wh le there. ,Ienn:e had eYeu intimited i4 one of her | letters to her mother that s e thou@ht Lucy and he would be marreu some | day.
 She said less of Ensign. who was almost as frequent visitor as Anncl- sey.
 In fact the two young men had made up their slight differences and frequent ly cal ed upon the girls in company, or together arranged W tn them for attend ing upon places of amusemcnt: and fl Jennie had chosen she could have in- formed her mother of the probab lities of another marriage, almost as certain of taking place as that of Lucy to fir. Annelsey.
 Jennie, however, was not formally engaged to Mr. Ensign.
 He had his own way to make in the world. and had passed the age when men are apt to act hastily in such af- fairs He meant Jennio to understand i that he preferred her to all others, yet he did not think it we'll to bind her by formal engagement until he had some thing more ahead upon which they could begin life together. Times for laboring men, and especial. ly for skilled mechanics ke Ensign. were good just then, but the standard of living for ali classes was also high, | and the art of say ng large fortunes out week in private life is even yet not well understood except by few railroad of ticials and presidents of savings banks. ! Mir. Annclsey, infatuated with Lucy, and having no necessity for delay on account of pecuniary matters, had pro- posed the moment he found his courage sufficient for the ordeal; and she, al. though knowing in her heart that she loved Erastus better, yet thinking he cared nothing for her, nd that her par: ents desired CT union with Mir. An- nelsey. accepted him. But when he urged an immediate marriage. her heart failed her, and she begged fol tin e, gi>ing as her rra>o, a desire tc remain at school another year, and SC tit herself the tier to Il the posit on which she should occupy as the wife of one who had the entrance of polite so. ciciy in the first city of tho country.
 In this Lucy was partially ncere
 Sne not greatly love the man tc whom she la enga ed herself. As an escort to pla, es of amusement, or a
 companion upon days of merry -mak.
 ing. she would erhaps have chosen
 him in preferences to any gentleman ot
 her ac ua ntanc', and was not very
 sorry that sh' had p omiscd to be his