The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1877-09-13

| Mr.. Gascoigne's arm-either both hands
were necessary to keep her skirts from
the mud, or the country sidewalk was
too narrow for three abreast. And vet
there was nothing obvious or awkward in
Miss Raymond's scheming. 1t all came
about as naturally as if foreor-
dained; and if Mr.. Gascoigne was
sometimes a little vexed that he
could not be trusted to find the latch
key, close the window, or fetch the
umbrella, Flora would say, "It's Bells
way; she was just so at Madame Buhl' S
always Would wait upon herself''
1t had never been Bells way, how
ever, to linger in the vestibule after
church but now she found it convenient
to ask old Mrs. Ross about her rheu-
matism, and Martha Meeks about her
grandson fishing at the Labrador. And
by that time the Reverend Clarence had
put off the gown and made his way to
the church door, where Flora welcomed
him; and Bell nodded and begged they
would walk on, and let her overtake
them: she must speak to the sexton
about his sick child, or see the treasurer
of the Mite Society-only she never did
overtake them. The treasurer had
proved garrulous, and the sexton had
set his heart upon showing her the head
stone he had got up to his first wife. If
she found them sitting alone in the en-
brasure of the open window, study
ing the consultations, she moved softly
away. Who could ell?-it might be
the decisive moment,
1t so happened that just at this time
Mrs. Raymond fell ill. Flora proposed
going home, but Bell stoutly vetoed the
proposition. ''It will be so lonesome
for Mr.. Gascoigne," she said. 6 And
Aunt Milly will be up again soon. No;
do you stay, and pour the tea at table,
and play at housekeeping, and make it
a little like home for the poor fellow. -
:" Seems to me you are very anxious
about his welfare,' said Flora, but staid
as she was hidden, poured his tea, whiled
away his leisure hours, beat him at
chess, visited his sick, listened
to his views, filled the place
of the absent soprano in his choir, and
borrowed his old sermons for private
reading, while Bell spent her time ad-
ministering hourly doses, concocting
gruels and dainties to tempt the appetite,
and waiting in darkened room by day,
after broken nights. Perhaps it was the
effect of overtaxed nerves and depressed
spirits, or perhaps Miss Raymond had
misunderstood her interest in Mr.. Gas
coigne, but as she left her patient doing
one night, and paused a moment, lean
ing out the hall window to commune
with the evening star and the last ten
der effulgence of the sunset, the sight of
Flora and Mr.. Gascoigne pelting each
other with roses in the garden below
smote her with sense of something
alien and cruel. Her absence did not
affect their enjoyment; they had forgot
ten her in the delight of being together !;
and for the first time a selfish sorrow
stirred in her heart and filled her eyes
with sudden tears. "Did she grudge
them their happiness?" she asked her
self. "Was not success enough for
her?n
When Flora had gone to her room
that night, Bell knocked at the door and
went in.
"Haven't you any thing to tell me?''
she asked. "Has nothing happened?"
"What should happen, you dear old
sleepy owl, you? Oh, yes; broke your
India china bowl. A sin confessed is
half redressed. We meet, but we miss
you; we linger to caress you-at least /
do. By-the-way, I'm afraid the Rev.
erend Clarence is getting horribly bored
with me!''
"What impossible nonsense, Floral"
Was love teaching Flora to prevari-
cate?
The following night, as Bell was 60.
tard, the door of Mr.. Gascoigne's study
opened, and the draught blew out her
candle as he closed it and came forward
"You keep late vigils, Mr.. Gas
coigne," she exr;Ssimed. cit has just
"The truth is, ke exclaimed, IL had
gotten behindhanA with my sermon
I've been dissipating too much, I'm
afraid, with your lively friend"
"And of what do you suppose Flora
is afraid2 That you are getting bored
with her!"
"Bored with Flora?" he repeated
smiling broadly "Can't you imagine
who Dever bores mep''
sis it a riddle?" laughed Bell, with
sob in her throat. 81 suppose l nigh
guess with a great effort of imagina
toni" Why did he torture her will
his condolences?
81 should think you might he pur
sued, still smiling, but not so confident
ly. During your absence at Mrs. Ray
mond's bedside l have become confirm
ed in sentiment whose existence ha,
only suspected before. Is there an,
hope for me, wonder?''
Any hopepn she answered. confus