Show Pru prudence denoo oray aray my name tor for father said there a better barge on tho the river than the prudence and it if I 1 was wa called the samel barns he be was waa auto there would never be ba a better girl poor lather ile he was always very fond foad ol of me I 1 and my earliest remembrances aro are 0 et t sitting bitting on the tiller and buying a tide ride when he ba stood there of an evening steering the barge w with I 1 th tho the great cinnamon red bail filled out by the wind and the water foaming an anil bubbling by us its BB we run ran up the river toward the bs big ii where the lay together in dock boox bud and against the wharves emptying their loads load or wait ing lor for others before going tar far away T the ses I 1 used to think our barge which wm was a very small billyboy billy boy it you yon know what that io ia if you dont I 1 must tell you jon its a barge built with rounded ends and low bulwarks bulwa meant for carrying loads up rivers riven but built also to be able to go out to sea a little while running mulling along the coast 4 I 1 used to think our oar barge I 1 say aay a very very large ship till I 1 grow grew old enough to compare it with those that passed us going 0 io g u up p a and n d down the river and then fl u used d t to s seem eem to me that it would be wonderfully fine to go on board one of those great ships chips and go sailing bailing away far away awayA croes the ocean instead of just jast coasting along to sheerness anil and up the ho medway as we used to go year after year tear loading deep down in the water I 1 cant tell you yon how bow my child lka lita slipped clipped away living with lather father and mother on board that barge la in a little bit of a cabin with withie a tiny stove all I 1 know Is i that I 1 was waa happy and that I 1 never ever hardly went ashore and when I 1 did I 1 was frightened arld and wanted to got back anil and at last laft I 1 teamed seemed to have grown all at once into a great girl and lather father and I 1 were alone yes quite alone for mother had bad left us ni very suddenly ind oud denly aud and we had been ashore c re at anther father and 1 I and we back from tho the funeral and were sitting on the he cabin batch before I 1 could believe it was aril anything thing but bat a terri terrible ble dream and that I 1 should not wake and a n d find and that she was alive once more as blitha and cheery as ever ready to take the tiller tillei or a pull pall at a rope the same u I 1 did when non lather fathey wanted any help father was a changed man after that sad mid as a couple ot of years yean clipp alipe A J by the work on the barge oil fell moru and more into my hands and I 1 used to smile t to 0 myself as I 1 saw naw how big and strong they bad grown F for or lather grow grew quiet and dull day by day clay and used to have bare a stone atone bottie filled whenever he wont ran ashore dro bad and then sit bit with it io in the iho cabin all alone till ill I 1 callej lim to corns and h help I 1 me with the bill not that I 1 wanted much help for oure oura was a only it a nill barge and onoe once started with a fair wind I 1 could manga age her well enough while when we had to tack backward and forward sor cud the river mouth mont liI I 1 could always look tho the tiller by the rope that bat duag on to the helming pin aad find give it ita a bitof on thise do or that cide tide till I 1 had taken a pall 11 at the sheet and brought the baar barge rge round on tho the other tack I 1 must ila ha 79 70 pass passed ad halt ball my life those days leaning back that tiller with its end carved to look like lika a groat acorn and the name of the be OR oil barge deep la in tho the side lido thero there rd id stand looking out oat ahead as we along over the smooth sea VMS pass aug fug ing a buoy hero here and a light there giving other barges and smacks a wide berth and listening to the strange no a king nol the gulls as they wheeled Ts aled and hovered and swept by me ime go 0 closely sometimes that I 1 could almost have hata to touched ached then them with my hand band oar barge was waa well known all about the mouth of the river bull and far up be bridge anel and some somehow how I 1 ilont dont know how it was the men on the different boats wo passed hail bad always a kind bull bail or it we of the hand for or us ua as we wa glided by it il we wa were too far off to tor the friendly shout to reach us as id run ran the barge pretty celoso to the grent great ships an annl 1 ete steamers amers inward or outward bound so KO a as to 10 look at the ladles I 1 saw law 01 ou boari board f pot not that I 1 eared cared to do so BO very ofton became it seems I 1 to mile mo me oal BH 1 for to tio loea I 1 looked on seemed to ba b so sa different from mine that I 1 felt as it I 1 will wai another kind of 0 being bud aud it to out bet me ma wondering and make anko me think tand lt ht such times iyo ive leaned against I 1 ilia lie tiller and dreamed in a waking fashion of 0 how I 1 would like to read and write und anti work as M I 1 had wea ladies fitting and reading and working ou 03 the decks ot of the big ships under the aiming slid aud thoa then I 1 had to set my dreams aside and aad havo have a pull a att the tha sheet or take a reef in the eail bell because the wind freshened and my dreaux dreana all passed away I 1 dont don t think poor father meant it unkindly but ho he beemen to grow more and more broken and helpless help loaa every alayo day and abi frightened me and majd mada me work to keep the barge clean and ship shape lest lent the owners should come on board and see bee things slovenly and find fault with father and dismiss him and that thai I 1 knew would brank braak his hi heart so I 1 worked on aud and in a dull heavy way lather father used to lo thank no me and the time glided on till one day dai as wo we were lying off southend Sont Sout hend with tt the to meis glassy and not wind enough to fill thu the sails I 1 felt fell my cheeks begin to burn barn cis as I 1 leaned back against the tha tiller and would not turn my head beadi because I 1 could bear a boit boat being along toward us and I 1 know it was coming from the great le aboard barge lying astern 11 hes coming to see aei lather father I 1 bull aati to myself at last in u choking voice As aa a hail bail came I 1 was obliged to tarn and there stood in in tho the little boat ho be was wa sc Boul liag with an oar over the stern john grove in lie his dark trousers blue jersey and scarlet cap and as I 1 saw ho his face and brown arms and hands bands I 1 felt fell my heart beating last fast and know he be was wa not cot coming to see father athar but to see eee me we had bad hardly ever spoken but I 1 had known john grove tot for years now cow and we had nodded and waved to one another often as we passed up and down tho the river beate us a sow 1 my lass lais he be said as he be came close ofa fo n I 1 did it dreamily and as soon ua as I 1 had bad done so I 1 began to pull it flock back bat it was waa too late he be had hitched it around the thwart of bis boat and was up over the side before I 1 could stir and he stood looking down upon me ahila I 1 felt sometimes hot and rome times cold and as it I 1 could not speak 11 do you waal to see father I 1 said at last no my liina he said q quietly betly J I 1 want to sea bee you yoa mel I 1 faltered altered with uy my face burn I 1 aug ug yea Ye ayou you my lass he said and aad hb handsome brown face lit up nod and he looked so BO manly as aa be laid his hand baud on my arm prudence my ay girl he said 11 were wera both young yet lor ir im not six six and twenty but I 1 thought it was time I 1 spoke to you seeks spoke to me I 1 said with my face lit still burning hotly yes spoke to you for weve been courting now a matter of four our years 11 chi oh john I 1 oried cried bursting 1 out laughing and feeling more at my case why weve were hardly spoken to one as other 11 nice he said maid drawing a long breath say it over again 11 what over a gain again I 1 asked 11 call me john he be replied 11 well then john I 1 cried hastily 11 right prudence but bat as aa I 1 was waa going to say gay not to oua one an another etherl well how could we always taking our turns tarns at tho the tiller as wo we were but bat all the sam bame a my lass lais ive been beau a courting of you yon night and day these tour four years and looking out and longing tor for the time when the prudence would come in eight bight and I 1 could give you yon a hail and kot got a wave of the hand band back 11 I 1 could feel eel the color coming into my cheeks again as I 1 heard him speak and knew how anxiously I 1 had looked out lor for his bla barge coming up or down the river and then I 1 began wondering what it all meant and soon knew 11 prudence iny lass he said bald 11 ive saved ten pounds all my own and our owner has haa just juat given me the command 0 of a now barge with as aa pretty a cabin in it as wish to sea and so my lass I 1 thought id ask you ton it il so BO be as now weve been courting tour four years you come to me and be my wife no I 1 said no and elwook elook my head 11 I 1 belong to my father and X L could never cover leave him never 11 bat have to some boma dy day prudence prud he ae bel said d looking downa downhearted I 1 arted and miserable I 1 I 1 no I 1 said 1 11 I shall never leave leava win him he ha wants me ina more and more every day and I 1 must stay with him Pm prudence denoe he be said bald ah imply you aint playing with me gie are you I 1 playing with you yes yea I 1 moan mean you aint going to take up with any one else alae anil and go aboard any other barge no no he ha cried 11 I 1 wont bo be so BO mean as aa to ask you that bat prudence dear some day you yon may have to leave him and when you yoa do will you please recollect as john grove loves you better than aught elso also in the wide world and is a waiting for you to come coma to him 11 yet yes john I 1 said simply you mesa mean it prudence ta he cri cariad ea in ia delight as ai he be caught my hand band 11 yea john I 1 dont know anybody else and theres no one as aa cares tor for me 11 hundreds on en the river riter he said sharply then I 1 dont care caie for or them john I 1 said simply 11 and it if you like me and I 1 over dolea veoh dearl dear what am I 1 1 aaning in 2 I I 1 oll bat down on a louder fender and covered toy my face with coarse red hands hand and began to cry bat he ha took my hands handa dow down a and looked loag and lovingly into my face bee with b h i great honest brown browa browneyes eyes and then thea he speak but seemed to choke at lost be gasped out 11 Th anky prudence than y im coing boing away now to wall wait for nr J JOB oa wilt will doaa come I 1 ti me some boma day I 1 know kaow I 1 ill ant clawer hin him 11 for the tha time alma may cona I 1 my like bliem when coull la be all alora I 1 in tho the world and when it does come theres tua the cabin of 0 the tha betsy beley ann olfan clean pic til up aul waiting we biting for or you yon just HM air bar mas masters t waiting too il lie e went quietly over the milu soil nuil c cast as 0 ott X the topo rope and ami wall gone before 1 I k knew new it and I 1 as but there ia 11 the cm calm afternoon and evening sometimes crying sometimes eclida feeling hopeful ho peul and with a cause of joy at my heart such aach as I 1 never coyer felt before andio that evening deepened into night the bargo barge a u quarter of a milo mile astern of us ua and no wind coming coining only the tide tida to help us tie on our wy way it most mast lava have been about ton tea at night when I 1 was forward feeing to the light hoisted up to keep anything from running into no when I 1 board beard father come stumbling up the cabin and make as aa if to como forward to me 11 prue lie he cried 11 yes father e coming I 1 bald and then I 1 uttered a will wild ali aft tiek riek and rushed toward where tho the boat hung attorn astern b by y her hamlor I 1 hauled her up and climbed in in forno sooner had I 1 answered than I 1 heard board a cry and a henvy heavy splash abill I 1 know knew father had bad gone overboard ara I 1 was in the boat in a moment and I 1 had the scull over the stern pat paddling tilling away in im the direction that the cry had come from but though I 1 fancied in those thosa horrible minutes that I 1 taw law a hand stretched out of the water asking as it wore were tor for help I 1 paddled and about till I 1 w wm s a far from our barge and then sank down worn out to utter attar a moan of horror and bobbi bobbing 11 oil ob eatherl what shall I 1 do I 1 1 1 lo IB that you prudence sell eaid a vo voice 1 c 8 yea xe john yes yea I 1 cried looking out through the darkness out oat of which a boat seemed to steal till it was alongside when john stretched oat his hii hand bud and took mine I 1 I 1 I 1 him gasped save bare jo ii father gone overboard I 1 I 1 I 1 11 when yon shrieked out prue 11 f I 1 I 1 yes yei yes yea I 1 walled wailed 11 oh ob save aava himl him save him johnl hohul 11 my poor lass he said thata good quarter of an lour hour ago and the tides running strong ive been paddling about ever since trying to find you for I 1 went up to the barge and you yon were gorio 11 but father I 1 wailed il father save lilia him I 1 I 1 11 my poor little lass laas lie ho bald louder ly td id lamp jump into the water now it i you bid me e but what can 1 ii do you know kilow prudance what ban oan I 1 do V 2 I 1 did not answer for I 1 did not cot know that he be must have been swept far away before then and I 1 was beginning to feel that I 1 was alone quito quite alono alone in the world it was quite six bis months after that drea tift night that one evening john came ashore from his barge to the cot tage where I 1 was staying with his hi mother and lad had been ever since ho he had bad brought me there without teeing seeing him to speak to only to wave my land to him as aa he sailed by that evening he came end and looked wistfully at me slid and said laid but little and at lost his time was waa up and ho he rose to go I 1 walked down to the tha boat with him bad and on the way he told me he be had got leave to ILI falter er the name of his barge bad and it WM was called the prudence Piu denoe too and then without t a word about the past lie ile was saying goodbye good bye whon when I 1 put pat both my hands bands in his and said quiet lj ll 11 john dear I 1 havlat forgot my promise anil and you are alone now BOW prudence m my y lass he cried eagerly no john john no I 1 answered softly as tho the tears tear ran down my cheeks che eki 11 f never shall be while you yon live 11 my lass laa never ile he oried cried aad and yon will bo be my little wife yes john yes yea I 1 promised you yon 11 when vlen I 1 come back bach from this thia voyage 7 yes john when you yea will I 1 baia and with one long hand bund we parted and nd I 1 wont went buck back toa to wait another 0 her month alaa and the alien I 1 we was his happy little ettle wife and there seemed no change for I 1 was wai once more on the river or out at sea boa leaning upon the tiller and gazing straight raight Bt before me with the galls wall wail ing as they wheeled and nd dipped and skimmed or settled bottled upon tho the water v chilo hile the soft wind gently stirred the print boo hood 1 that was lightly tied over eye my lay wind raffled hir hair only a barge mans young wife living on the tide but vary happy for john often points to the tha groat great ships that pass paes us na with their thair at captains in gold daood caps and as he does close so BO he softly whispers not with the belt beat among them prue not with the best I 1 would not even 0 lunge change places with a king and it if he is ii as happy as aa 1 I dear john is right |