The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1877-03-15

where she lived, or when she went to
see her friend in the city, where he
had, fguratively, pitched his tent.
The visit over, they would separate,
and both be much given to signing and
meditating for a week or two. ~
Grey would spree it pretty stoutly
after such VISIT, and my poor little
cousin would firt with a pertinacity
worthy of better cause than sheer
desperation.
Her affection for Grey Endicott was
the one sole thing she never confessed
to me. l strongly suspected that Grey
himself received that part of her con-
fidence.
just now he happened to be on sum-
mer sojourn to Milestone Centre, and
he and Jessie were going it very strong.
The first words he said on entering
were:
"How dye do, my old boy? Where's
Miss Jessie?" o.,
"Just gone out-I'll call her."
I found her in an adjoining room be-
fore the glass. She had heard Grey's
voice, or knew his ring, and quite
naturally discovered that her collar was
a little awry, or her hair was coming
down. 1t was one Of Jessie's peculi-
arities that her hair was always coming
down.
When we entered the sitting-room
again, Grey took Jessie's hand as a
pious Hindo might take hold of his pet
idol.
This interesting religious ceremony
over, he stated the object of his visit to
be the arrangement of party to 60 to
the Tide-mill House, favorite water
ing-place about twenty miles off, where
parties frequently went for jaunt. A
gentleman and his wife-friends of
Grey Endicott-were going, and want
ed some young folks to accompany
them to make it pleasant. With this
idea they had commissioned Grey to
make up little coterie.
elf Miss Jessie will accompany us,
and if you can get some agreeable young
lady to accompany you," said Grey to
me, "I think we may have very
pleasant time. - ......s. .....
Charming! Miss Idelia and 1 must
go, Of course, l. thought. | pictured to
myself the delight we should have in
wandering by the shore and picking up
shells, and L" enjoying the fresh," as the
French say, or sitting upon the front
piazza of the Tide-mill House in the
We must 90 and Ideia
should write a poem on the sojourn.
My cousin Jessie interrupted my med
itations with what seemed to me like
very malicious and uncalled-for re-
mark:
"If you take that Vaughn thing 1
won't 60" -
Grey looked imploringly at me, but l
was determined and merely retorted:
"Then, my dear child, you will not
60"
By some means unknown to me, Grey
succeeded in persuading her to change
her resolution, and to accompany US,
even if "that Vaughn thing was of the
party. He was avery persuasive fellow
was Grey Endicott-especially with
some folks.
The morrow was fixed upon for our
trip, which was to last two or three
days. We got together large assort-
ment of fishing tackle, baskets, ETC.,
and Grey laid in an ample supply of CT
gars.
"For," said he, stake my advice and
never smoke a watering place cigar. 1t
win be something to haunt you on your
death-bed if you do" -.
To stages bore US to South Milestone
two miles from the Centre-and a,
small sort of a single barreled steamer
bore us the rest of the way. Miss Ide-
liza Vaughn and myself occupied one
stage, while Grey and Jessie made them
selves miserably happy, with Grey's
married friend, in the other.
When we arrived at South Milestone,
and assembled ON the pier, Grey con-
fronted us, and, much to my astonish-
ment, handed my cossin over to me,
and walked Miss Idelia on board the
boat himself. As l followed with Jes-
sic I heard him say: l",
81 don't know as you are acquainted
with my friends lady-shall I intro
duce youP'' a.- ..g.- .s.-.- 4
The fair Idelia responded that she
would be delighted, and, as we gained
the upper deck of the boat, Grey pre-
sented Jessie-my own cousin-as my
wife!, f - 81 .tg.r
Miss Vaughn was thunderstruck. A
gloomy cloud gathered upon her brow,
and sdouble-action lightning flashed
from her eyes, which she rolled so far
up that it seemed impossible they
should ever attain natural position
again.
Without word she bowed low, and
before ] could get my mouth open to
deny that my cousin was my wife, Grey
led her away toward the bow of the
boat, leaving Jessie and me where we
were. A moment after. Miss Idelia