The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1877-07-05

mean Uncle Johns daughters or his
step-children?"
s'Both.''
81 think you will like Mary, tolerate
Susan, abhor Agatha, admire Jane, and
adore ALICE
"Alice is the adorable one, is she?n
said Edith, laughing; "and is she the
one they say is so pretty?n
"Oh no; poor Alice is deformed, and
can never leave the sofa; but she has
the sweetness of an angel, and the cour-
age of a martyr; she is not in the least
pretty"
ooh, what trial! always on the
sofa!n
"What a sweet little thing this isl"
thought Uncle George, but he said moth
ing.
"How comes it that you know none
of your cousins?" said he, suddenly.
"Why do you want me to tell you
what you know so much better than |
do, Uncle George?"
eyes, yes, of course; but naturally l
want to know your side of the story.
Have you never been at Hatton?"
"Never; and I thought it so very
pursuade mamma to let me 60"
"Yes; L thought, you know, that a
few companions of your own age would
do you good. How old are you?'
"Did you not get mammals letter in
which she told you that l was to be
eighteen tomorrow"
"No; it must have been late. [ new
er heard of it,
"How very unfortunate! Then no
one will know [ am coming. She asked
you to tell Uncle John about the train
and things"
"Ah, ah, that letter! oh, of course,
that is all right. | don't-I-I some
times don't read letters through
Edith laughed.
"And do you know, since we came to
live in England, l have never
paid a single visit, or been for one week
away from home. Oh, it is such fun go
ing to Hatton Do my cousins ride?''
Eyes, great deal; are you fond of
it?"
81 love it; there is nothing in the
world to me like a good gallop. All, it
was the greatest trial of all my life when
| Queen Nab was Sold!"
"When was that?''
"Mamma made me give up riding, or
rather l gave it up myself, because it
made her so nervous
"What else do you care for?-danc-
ing?"
"Oh, love it; but l have never been
to ball in my life.'
"There are to be two at Hatton next
week, and you must promise me the first
valse at each.''
"Do you valse?"
go, yes. You see l am not such an
old fogy as you expected"
emo; nobody would believe you to
be fifty-eight, but for one thing"
"What is that?''
But Edith blushed and would not an
swer.
"You need not mind, child, I never
was at all sensitive; and, alas! now my
memory is not what it was''
"That's it, said Edith eagerly
"only l did not like to say it. Here we
are at station"
1t was now ten o'clock; Uncle George
bought the Times and Daily Neaos, and
they both began to read. About Il
O'Clock the pangs of hunger began to
assail Edith, and she exclaimed:
'Uncle George, it is only II o'clock,
and must eat to liver
81 have been existing merely for the
last hour with the greatest difficulty, but
| have got nothing wherewith to refresh
at Carlisle''
"Hours hence! No, I am amply
provided. viii you have beef or chick
en- sandwiches, or cold partridge, OIL
! what?''
They made a very good lunch, and
uncle and niece grew hourly better &C
quainted.
81 believe we ought to look out of the
window said he presently. "My ia
ther said the country about here was
quite beautiful"
"That must have been before the
days of railways" said Edith, gravely
"Those coaching days must have been
quite delightful.
"They were.''
"Mamma has told me about that ex-
traordinary adventure you and papa had
on the Aberdeen coach.''
/" 1t was extraordinary:
Papa caught the branch of a tree
did ne not?''
Yes; and do you remember what ]
did?"
You jumped out just as the coach
upset, and sat on all the horses heads. >
"And most uneasy seat it must have
been; and did uncle Arthur NEAR
your papa-remain suspended in mid
air!''
"No, he swung into the tree. have
often heard of your climbing exploits