The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1876-05-25

cnuulSn aS WAen Her pfeLty lace LempIeQ
honest Pierre to commit the great folly
of his life-marrying her.
The September morning on which my
story opens dawned dark and lowering.
Pierre and Louis had been up before
light, feeding and grooming their horses.
+" 1t will not be fine day for the
roder," said Pierre; pointing to piled
up masses of dark clouds in the east. sit
will rain-yes, it will blow and storm
before two o'clock"
Louis shrugged his shoulders. $50
much the worse for, us; but we are
neither sugar nor salt. We win have
to do double riding, though, to get the
cattlein the corral. A storm scatters
them terribly
g Where is the corral to be?'' asked
Madame Laclede.
cat Baptiste Colas's; about 10 miles
from here, you know"
"Ah! and the dance tonight" she
cried, clapping her hands. Pierre,
thou must let me go; for, see! it has
been three months sinceI danced!''
But, Marie,s how can we take the
children? The pony is too small to carry
double, and Louis and can not go all
the way to Colas's this morning."
"Take the children, indeed!" with
ali angry toss Of her head s..As if I,
who 60 to dance, want them under my
heels! Aha, Pierre! thou thinkest to
hamper me with them. No, no, my
friend! See here, I will step across the
creek to old Aunt Johan, and she will
come and stay with; the children to-
night whilst am away. Saddle my
pony immediately" and without wait
ing for an answer, Marie ran across the
little rustic bridge which spanned the
creek. ss.
Pierre's face wore the. troubled look
which Marie's words and acts had often
brought to it within later years.
"I don't like leaving the children
with that woman" he said, at last.
ssShe is old and imbecile,' and Marie
knows it. Why, she may burn the
house down. She may hurt them. She
may-'' - s4 ~ .e4a9a,y
s.Don't add to the list of mays, - said
Louis, interrupting him with laugh.
"If you don't want Marie to 60, my
friend, make her stay at home, and let
us get off. 1t is not right to leave the
children with old Johan. Ceme!''
Pierre held back, his face more wor-
ried and perplexed than ever. Louis
Laughed again. a
80, the goose!" he cried. "He is
afraid to contradict his wife, and he is
afraid to take her. Come, now, I will
settle it. Marie soill 60 if she has to walk.
You know that as well as ! do. Saddle
her pony with a good grace, or youwil
have to do it with an ill one. But look
you; care nothing for the dance, and
1 will return to the children to night.
There, now, are you content?',
Pierre turned his broad, honest face
to the speaker, and there was deal Of
admiration in his eyes.
! "What a boy you are!" he exclaim-
ed. "You think of every thing, and
see your way straight through, and I
stumble and stumble, and never come
out right. But you shall not miss the
dance. will come back myself
'sAnd Marie?'' asked Louis, signif-
cantly. "Stay with your wife, Pierre,
and protect her, for there will be q
rough crowd at Colas's s." al
The vacher's face redeemed painful
ly. Marie's coquettish ways had more
than once involved HIM in serious diff
culties. But there was no time to
weigh the sspros and cons'' in his slow
mind. She was going, and he saddled
the horse by the time she returned, and
had gone into the house to make few
final preparations. ss
/ She did not tell her husband when
she returned that she had found old
Johan too i'll in bed to come over. Why
should shep He would fuss and worry,
and make her stay at home. Besides, a
great boy like her son Ralph-he was 8
years old-was surely large enough to
take care of himself, and his little sis
ter, too. So she contented herself with
giving the child orders not to go near
the creek, and told him where to find
the cooked provisions for their dinner
and supper.
In few minutes more the party were
trottipg rapidly towards the Grand
Prairie. When about half way they
separated-Marie to pursue the road to
Colas's, and her husband and Louis to
join one of the squads of horsemen who
were rushing after the cattle madly over
the prairie, with loud shouts, and the
fcracking Of numberless whips. am
-" See there, Louis!" cried Laelede.
There are five of Mons Soubise 8 cattle
between those two bulls. The bulls
will make a fight, but we must haYe our
cattle" ''sstss 81
BELOW and fight the bulls did,. but it
was not in the vacher's programme that
one of them should gore his leg 50 Sc
verely that he had to make a speedy re-
treat, and at safe distance, to watch
the agile movements of his companion.