The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1899-12-28

iduShCu IhhSICdliJ anu GOSSSu JHc H'Ou
of her long gray cloak back from a
little, dark face. ''Ah play games all
by myself when All stand out heah
nights, sab. play that used to live
in the ruined castles yeahs and yeahs
ago, an that L understood enchant-
ment, and could be anything or any
body that L pleased. They look like
ruined castles, don't yo' think, sah?"
She pointed to the mystic structures
fashioned by trees and moss.
Indeed, was playing the same sort
of a game myself only few minutes
ago." cried Ethan. -How strange that
we should have been thinking the
same thoughts"
Yes, sab" Her voice was like sad
music; her manner compacted of gene
tie boldness and a sort of proud diff"
dence. Ethan found her enchanting,
and he remained with her till the
songs of the crew ceased.
9TH boys ah all goin' to sleep, All
think, sab. All mus be sayin' good
night"
Good night, Miss Jones. To-mor-
row 1 fear our journey ends. 1 would
willingly go up and down this stream
indefinitely, but the ladies complain
of mOnotony. This making a house
boat of the Lulu Jones and following
her up and down her route is not to
their liking"
"Ah'm sorry, Mistah Bahtlett."
You cannot possibly be as sorry as
I, Miss Jones'" He spoke with ear
nestness.
'Oh, All don't know, Mistah Baht-
lett. Perhaps All can She flung a
look at him which bewildered him, and
then fled down the ladder.
And the next day he shook her dark
little hand in farewell and started for
the north. Once back in Boston, he
expected to forget her. His profess
sion was beginning to make demands
upon him; his social obligations were
many; and it was time that he was
beginning to think of his duty to Miss
Long. But this duty was now OBJ
scured. 1t seemed as if duty, or some
thing much more alluring, continual
| ly drew him to the moss-draped
swamps by the Okobogee; nor could
he enjoy the electric lights of his his
toric city for dreaming of the glow of
pine knot on a dark river.
So one day, to his own establishment,
he quilted the city, though he had
some business and many engagements
of pleasure, and made fast and furi-
ously for the lazy stream, where the
| blacksnakes lolled undisturbed, the
| lazy turtles watched the river with an
cient-seeming eyes and the buzzards
wheeled and wheeled, ever expectant.
He had to wait three days before the
Lulu Jones tied up at the wharf, but
when once it's nose was made fast he
was soon on board. He sought out
the captain and went straight to the
| point.
Capt. Jones, l love your daughter.
| tried to think | didn't, but | do. l
went north expecting to forget her,
but | can do absolutely nothing else
but remember. Do you think she
would marry me, and, if she would,
should | have your consent?"
The old captain looked him over
with an appraising eye.
"Ah don't know about her loving
yo', sab, but All do know for cehtain
no one gets Lulu that doesn't take the
| boat"
81 don't know what you mean, sir"
| "Ah mean Alive got nothin' but tn
gail an tn boat, and they go to-
gethah. Lulu understands it. We've
talked it ovah. Whoevah takes Lulu
has got to leahn to run this heah boat,
sab, up an down the Okobogee. That's
fact
But you are running it yourself,
Capt. JONES'
80 l be-now. But I won't fo' long.
Ma days ah almos' done. All reckon.
All feel maself gettin' stiff an I'M
handy. An All want to see tn boat
an tn gail in safe hands"
But | have my profession. captain,
and my home and friends. You
couldn't expect me to give them all up
| and come down here to run "a
steamboat up and down the river, cap
tain!"
He looked about with ill-concealed
amusement at the old craft.
mo. No, sab. All don't expec' any
thin of TIL kin. Oh. sno! All was JUS
sayin' what Aid expect of whoevah
got Lulu" And he walked softly
away, leaving Ethan staring at fat
turtle on a Shiny log.
So the next train took Ethan north
again, and once more he essayed work
and pleasure, and proper conversations
with Janet, and all the familiar
round. And then, actually against his
will, he was back again amid the warm
and lazy airs of the Okobogee.
You see, Capt. Jones, | am back.
It's no use. I'll be miserable man up
there in Boston. I've come down to
see if | can learn navigation on the
Okobogee!" He couldn't help roaring
with laughter at the absurdity of the
idea. The captain laughed, too.
'Lulu's SEWN up fo'wahd sab. I'M
dab tn awnin'. Yes, it's gettin'
pow'ful wahm. She's maxim a white
fiNen fo' chuch. Bettah go see heb.
She's been kim O. down lately-white
an dull. But | reckon she'll chirn nm