The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1876-01-13

S"reu soumarkee for the young sauce
oox. tie wasn't SO handsome as Mat
Morris, but he he'd the Hall and the
square behind him, to be sure. and he
wore store clothes, and he'd such airs as
wOmen-folks take to. You see. he'd
carry your shawl and hold YOUR nm
berell and quote pretty verses to Won Il
you was young and pretty yourself; and
he he'd a mustache that sort of drooped
at the ends and give him a sad look,
which was quite contrary to his feel.
ings. I've always noticed that gurls
take to a mustache as duck takes to
water. He was full of mischief, too, and
that's what gurls don't object to in
the leastest; the kind that gets
rusticated and expelled, and Thai
proper sort of mothers dom
countenance, is jest the kind the daueh.
ters mostly loses their hearts to. Not
that Sibyl was one to like fast young
men; she was so innocent herself thai
she didn't as much as suspect any thing
about the wickedness Of this wicked
world, and she thought Rhett was all
that fancy painted him, and maybe q
good deal more. His fine airs was so
many virtues, and she believed him If
ne said black was white. Sibyl was
good and pretty enough for. Dukes
son, and she he'd bin sent to school by
her great-aunt Cover to the seminary at
Great Guns, and want no ways lacking
In book-learning; she could pass any
word in the language, and she didn't
murder the Kings English as I've heerd
some do that's he'd more chances; and
she was q master-hand at reading, and
could tell you all about furrin parts,
and do the biggest sums in the arith-
metic. Nobody needn't bin ashamed of
Sibyl, she was that lady-like and fit for
the kingdom of heaven. But the trou-
BILE was, she he'd set her poor heart on
Jack Rhett. When he neglected her,
all the light in her world become dark
ness; when he was kind, the darkness
divided, and it was day. Many's the
time I've seen Rhett lettering in the bit
OF wood near the school-house waiting
for Sibyl, who taught the district school
that summer; and then, when the
scholars ID come trudging out, he'd
seem to happen near all by accident, and
raise his hat and kiss his hand and walk
along with her, and it didn't need spec
tacles to see that the longest way round
was the shortest way home at such times.
Well, when he went back to college.
he'd used to correspond with Sibyl, and
when he came home on vacations, he'd
contrive to meet her either by the trout
brook or the Witches P0ol-a pretty
puddle enough, that didn't seem to lead
nowhere, nor to come from anywhere,
all overhung with trees that reached
across and knit together and darkened
the place with shadders. 1t was such
a lonesome place that you couldn't hire
a girl in all Pixies Clearing to go there
alone, yet it was a favorite spot for
young folks a-keeping. company; such
as amt afeard of ghosts-it amt any
thing but rivals as will make their hair
stand on end. One time Jack come
home and didn't 60 a-nigh Sibyl for
several days, and she set in the porch in
her best pink gown, and sweet-pease in
her hair, and watched the road stretch
ing out to Square Rhett's, and grew
rosy and trembled when a team or a
man hove in sight, and fidgeted in school
hours, and didn't sleep o. nights, and
got blue as bank of clouds. On Sab
bath-day there he was in the family pew
rs fine as silk, in kid gloves and patent
leather shoes, a-holding hymn-book
along Of strange gurl, who had on a
morey antique gown and blue bonnet
like a flower garding, and was all a-glit-
Ter with beads and bugles and things.
She heda plaguy ugly face for all hergood
clothes, and she was a-singing off of
Rhett's face instead of the hymn-book;
Ind when meeting was over, he give her
his arm, and never looked at Sibyl no
more'n she'd bin a post. We was at
,inging-school the following Saturday
night, and somebody says,
81 reckon how that there II be we'd
ling at Pixies Clearing afore a hundred
rear"
81 should hope so,'' says Lucy Ladd.
"And it won't be Lucy'snor Sibyl,s,
'ays Ben.
ssTime enough for that" said Lucy.
ST ioked Rhett about it myself o.
Friday put in John Piker. 81 asked
Why he needed to be going abroad for
wife when there was so many pretty
yurls to home going a-begging."
81 hope you're saucy enough, says /.
els be really sweet on the gurl to
,hurch with himp'' asked our Jane. 81
vonder what he sees in her9''
"Solid charms" !" says Ben. II heard
him tell John Piker that it was proven
'ial that beauty'd fade, but money'd
lold its own through fire and water!"
=" I see him kiss Sibyl one day, "spoke
Up little Tim Ladd, who was lame and
,etted; 81 see him kiss her twicet. If
lie don't marry Sibyl,r will" And then
We all laughed; and 'sHush, Tim" says
lucy, for there was Sibyl at my elbow