Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1896-08-11
CHAPTER IT

when the rver receded into it's prop- CT channel, the Schiller was ten miles from navlgable water. GottiIeb nnr. chased the little field on which his boat had stuck, together with a small tract of adjoining land, and decided to raise cotton and corn. He hired a party of men and dug under the Schiller until she had been sunken into a large exca- yation. Then at the cost of great labor and perseverance he had water hanled ill barrels and poured into the excava. tlon. Again the magnificent steamer was af1oat, but had to content herself within only few inches of play. One of the crew, an engineer, had been re- tained, and nearly every evening after his work ih the field was done for the day he would raise steam and set the ponderous machinery ill motion. Mrs. Langbuerger soon became interested in raising chickens, and every night she carefully housed her brood on board. In addition to agriculture Gottlieb estab- hshed school. He experienced no trou- ble i'll procuring scholars, for every boy and girl ill the neighborhood was charmed with the idea of going to school on boat. The captain not only taught the ordinary branches, but in. strncted the boys ill the ant of river nav igation, q highly interesting feature, for nearly every boy who lives near a nayigable river entertains an aspiring hope that he will one day be a steam boatman. Among the scholars was a bright boy, Henry Rusworm. The cap- tain conceived such friendship for the lad, partly due to the fact that he was an orphan, that he adopted the child. There was, though, tender affection awaiting the lad, for as the years crept along little Ida Gottliebs daughter, learned to love him. Her love was not i'll bestowed, for Henry worshiped her with that intense artlor which steals in- to boys life at an early age
 The years kept rolling on, as indeed they should, for no man of sense could have expected halt of time simply be- cause steamboat had run aground. The Schiller was kept in excellent re- pair Every year she was freshly paint ed, and every unsound piece of wood was replaced with befitting material
 One Sunday when the captain and his wife had gone to church Ida went up into the pilothouse, where Henry sat at the wheel. They had both arrived at the shy age, and at times, through very. excess of love, avoided each other.
 T didn't know you were here, " said Ida, blushing.
 If you had known it, you wouldn't have eeme I'D, would you2"
 Yes, l would have come, but I wouldn't [ have come so soon."
 You would havo come sooner if you had thought Web Jones had been here, , meaning | boy whom Henry knew she disliked.
 No, l wouldn't either.
 You like him better than anybody, i anyway.
 You know don't, /" her eyes beam ing with tenderness.
 Then whom do you like better?"
 Somebody. Law, look at that bird on the jackstaff!'
 Never mind the bird. '"
 He's gone now.
 Are you quite sure you saw bird:"
 Why shouldn't be?"
 T don't know, see bird any time when look at you. ,
 I'm not bird can't fly"
 Yes, you can. You have. You have flown into my soul and fiuttered against my heart ; She looked down and toyed with tassel that hung from rich cord around her waist. Don't you know that I worship you?'
 No, for you avoid me "
 You avoid me. ;
 "Don't t you know why?"
 s'Yes, and he caught her in his arms.
 What glorious day it was for them. How many little words of sweet moth ingness passed between them as they sat