Year: 1871

and his wife, not having much ''book
learning" as they called it, themselves,
were resolved TO make up for it in Dol
ly'S education and as she was quick
and bright, she had long ago been able
t" astonish the good couple with her
fund of cruduion.


1t was vacation now, and Dolly had
come home on Il visit, and was m0in" to
the city with her parents to get supply
oi new dresses and hats and ribbons for
Dolly liked To look pretty and be in the
fashion, and the old captain was so proud
OF her that, saving and economical as he
was ON his own account, he never dream
cal "f limiting her, or grumh!rd ut any
expense that she incurred


The only other persons attached to the
Mary Ann were the boy who drove and
Joe-the latter Il youth, who, like his
master, the captain, had risen in life from
the very humblest beginnings.


Half dozen years before Il larcfoutcd
little fellow, i'll torn straw hat and an
immense pair OF old trowScrs that almost
swallowed him mp, they were - large
and he so little, had applied To the crp-
tam for work, and, after good deal of
cross questioning, had been taken on trial
As the driver of the Mary AIMS mules
This was Joe; and Joe had driven 50
well, ana shown himself 50 quick and
bright, and good-naturcd withal, that
at the end OF the season, instead of turn
ing him adriit TO shift for himself, as is
customary i'll such cases, the captain took
him home to his own house, and sent him
To school during the winter with Dolly.
The next summer Joe proved himself
still more useful, and in the winter again
went TO school with the captains dau"'l-
ter. She had been longest i'll attendance,
and was the most advanced, and often
bent her brown curls over .Ioc'S book or
slate 10 help him out of some knotty
problem in arithmetic or grammar and
in return he carried her satchcl of books
for her, helped her on with her ovcrshocs.
and over the snow drifts, and was n de
voted ilttlc cavalier in hundred other
ways. So it went on until Dolly was
promoted from the public school to the
Young Ladies Seminary :" and hence
forth Joe had TO do his ciphcring alone,
and Dolly had grown such little beauty
tl:at she had many besides Joe to carry
her books for her.


In the mean time each summer so ad-
vancCd the latter in the art of canal nav
igaton that he had become the captains
risht-hand man, and was, in fact, almost
Indispensable TO him and the Mary Ann.
As his knowledge and efficiency became
known he had many offers of other places,
with larger WAGES and better prospects,
but he refused them all. Whether his
determination to stick by the Mary Ann
WAS due alone TO his regard for her sturdy
old owner, we may well doubt. Certain
IT iS that the bright eyes and red pouting
lips OF Dolly Jones often troubled Joe's
dreams. We say troubled, for Joe look
cd upon lis love as something altogether
hopeless. Dolly was SO bright and hand
some that she had troops of admirers
and, more than this, she was his mas
ter's only daughter, and hcircss not only
to the Mary Ann, but to n little fortune
besides laid away safely in the savings





| Ic only saw her at rare intervals now,
and then usually accompanied by some
smart young clerk, or other stricken
youth from the village; and she had
grown So tall and womanly, and wore
such pretty dresses and bright scaris and
launty hats, and was altogether 50 be-
witchim" and lovely, that Joe was sure
the whole world did not contain such
another beautiful being.


Dolly's going with them, therefore,
was 4 great treat TO Joe. And as soon
as it was decided upon he set 10 work
and tore down the old sail cloth that
had been good enough until then, and
out OF his little savings bought and put
up Il gay bright-colOrcd awning over all
the attcr-part of the boat, and arrang-
cd the cabin, and Nimmcd and frstooncd
! it with cvcrgrccns and flowers, and in Il
dozen other ways SO bcautilieI and adorn-
ed the Mary Ann that she looked more
like Il bridal bark than Il sober craft la
den with freight for the Albany market
Her little aitcr-cabin was Il wonderful
example of the amount of comfort and
convenience that can be crowded into
the smallest space. 1t had two tiny
staterooms opening into it, and was sur
rounded with innumerablc drawers and
closets, and was in all respects as neat
and bright and dainty as possible. All
.Joc's labor was expended here, for Dolly
was to occupy it along with her father
and mother, although the front cabin,
where he slept, was as rude and cheer
less as the other was cozy and home
like.


"Oh, how nice, | should never have
known the old boat" exclaimed the
young lady, when she came aboard.
''Why, papa, it seems TO me you have
grown very cay of late"


sit amt me-it's Joe" replied the
captain. Giles bin to work ever since |
he knew you was Il comm. told him
it was all waste and foOlishncss but
Joe thinks there amt amy thing quite
good enough for you, Dolly"


Dolly blushed and tossed her pretty
head, as much as TO say that although
the sentiment was correct enough, she
didn't know what right he had TO think
about her at all. Still, she couldn't but
help feeling flattered and pleased by this
attention; and when Joe came in TO
speak TO her she put her little white hand
in his big brown one, ard thanked him
for what lie had done in such Il charm
ing way that the foolish fellow, who had
spent all his spare time for IL week, and |
Il large share of his summer earnings
upon it, felt hundred times repaid