The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1909-08-06

would.
There was no pause OF regret, no
delay for parting looks or words;
from the moment that ! had made up |
my mind to go, | felt nothing but a
desperate eagerness to prepare my
step-mother for my ostensible errand
were soon said, the good-morning |
calmly spoken, and | passed into the
forest path leading TO the town A
pang smote me as remembered her
conscientious discarge of duty toward
lne for so many years; but 1t was1
duty, not love, that had urged her,
and while / said that to myself, ]
said, too, that time would bring to
me the opportunity of repaying her.
Toward the settlement on the oPpo-
site shore | turned no look. ] would
not trust myself; knew my own
weakness too well; this desperate en-
ergy which was carrying me on now
would fail, II allowed my heart one
moments indulgence. Steadily ] walk
cd on through the woods, my own
woods, which, perhaps, ] should new
er see again, till wearied out by the
exertion, which had precluded thought,
! saw the houses Of Louisa rise be-
! fore me. ...-
The boats lay at tire fork above the
town. had informed myself OF their
movements, and knew they were TO
start at noon. A few inquiries for
groceries and so forth, where knew
they could not be gotten, gave me
an excuse for the proposition to the
captain of the boats to give me a
passage to Catlettsburg, II was read
lily granted, and the crew, most of
them Sandy men, put up a rough
awning, and, spreading under II some
blankets, did their kind uttermost 10
make me comfortable.
| remember now, as one locks back
into q dream, the afternoon and night
that passed before we reached Cat
lettsburg. laY perfectly quiet
watching the shadowy trees as we
/, glided past them, noting their varied
reflections in the water, marking
every popularity Of shore and stream
, hearing the jests and laughter The
words of command and the oaths
, that went round among the boatmen
Tut all passed as something with
. which | had nothing to do. To M
: there was the burning desire to pu
great distance between myself anC
my home,-but with 1t, too, the con
q seriousness, that, as | could do nothing
, to expedite our slow progress, Sc
& neither could | afford to waste upoI
| It in impatient mestlessness tn
I strength which would be so mucl
p needed afterwards. The men brough
n Inc cup OF coffee from their sup
per, which gave me strength for tn
, light, The biscuit | could not taste
But how long was that night, hoy
tedious the summer dawn, and hoy
slowly went the hours till we brough
up our boats at the landing at Cat
lettsburg!
O | had formed my plans; so, tellin
II the captain that might perhaps war
a to go back with him, | hurried int
: the town. A steamboat lay by tn
Il wharf-boat. "The Bostona, for Cir
u cinnati," said the board displaye
A over her upper railing She was I
d leave at eight o'clock. walked abor
10 the town till half-pagt seven; the
X returning to the cOal-boats, gave I
IA the man left in charge letter ha
" prepared in which told my steI
10 mother, in as few words as possibl
n that | wanted to see something (
the world, and had determined
In go for a time either to Cincnna
10 or to Plttsburg,-that l begged HI
~ not to be uneasy about me, ha
" sold my watch, and had none
m enough for the present; she shoul
l. hear from me in due time. The ma
TX took the letter. with some remark o
s, my not returning with them, AM
10 with a quiet good day, | left hi
re and walked rapidly toward tn
ye steamer. The plank was laid fro
ID the wharf and, without DARN
s. to hesitate, | walked over it.
II 1t was done. was fairly separate
. from everything had ever know
before; everything now was new
\ me; | was ignorant of all around me
each step might be a mistake. fe
this, when a porter, stepping forwar
and taking my bundle, asked me
| would have state-room. What wa
q state-room? | did not know, br
saying Yes" with a desperate fee
ing that 1t might as well be yes" a
no" was led back to the ladie
cabin, key was turned in one {
an infinite number of little door
and was ushered into what locke