The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1878-10-17

you must 90 bach, ~ and back r. came
long before was expected, but my dear
father and mother assured me not q mo-
Ws sS la had always heard tasce
a year from aunt7-once eDllectiVely at
Christmas, and once respectively ON our
birthdays-and each time the kind note
which exhortedns tosebe good, induss
trious, and self-reliant, . inclosed . check
larger or smaller, according to aunt's
gains of the preceding year These
notes we had been taught to answers
with many wishes for the old lady's well
1are, and thanks for her kindnesses, and
hopes. fora speedy nesting; j. iHshor, in
a manner beftting the only neices and
nephews of the Carnody family when
replying to the friendly epistles of their
only aunt, to say nothing of that aunt
being the wealthiest and most influen-
tial member of that fnpily
A few days before our father died he
called us together, and said, My chill
dren, it isn't at all likely to occur, but
if ever aunt should ask q favor of you,
grant it, at no matter what inconve-
nience. She has been my best and dear
est friend.''
Poor father! i suspectsmnt had often
helped him out of. pecuniarY. difficulties.
He was an impractical, dreamy sort of
man, fond OF birds and poetry ana flows
ers, and didn't succeed very we'll in life.
But, in spite of his dreaminess and his
want of worldly tact, and his being so
totally unlike her in most ways, he was
a great fayorite OF aunt's and when we
telegraphed his serious illness to her she
left her vast possessions without cap
tain at q moment's.notice, and fastened
to his side, making her appearance in a
bonnet that Immediately Suggested the
prairies, iitfswas so unlimited as ito size
andso bare of ornament, and which
grotesquely obtruded itself into the re-
membrance of that sad time forever
after.
Since fathers death things hadn't
been very bright with us. In fact, they
hadn't been bright at all. 90
We fouad there was d good deal of
money owing, and what remained of
the two hundred dollars aunt gave us
on the day of the funeral-she babe us
"good-bye'' the instant the ceremonies
were oyer-after our very cheap mourn
ing was paid for, went to the butcher,
grocer, and shoemaker.
Whatever wsss oonld soaa nSf subptftins
the household but, dear! dear talk
about weeds! 1 never saw any thing
grow like bliss $1,000 yx1
Carol, who had an artistic turn of
mind, struggled with it, and I, who had
dressmaking turnofs MAD, Struggled
with that, and Helen struggled with her
books, hoping to become q teacher in
time, and little Will struggled with
somebody else's books, for he went into
a pnblishing-house as errand boy-poor
fellow! 2T Hst - ''.i''s F'',Tss'
Besides the struggles, we had mother
on our minds A few weeks after we
lost our father we lost our baby sister.
A beautiful child she was, as bright as a
diamond and as fair as q pearl, and the
pride and darling of us ALL Already
sinking beneath the blow of her hus-
bands death when her little, daughter
died too my mother heart was nearly
broken. From being "a 1sunshiny, ener-
getic, busy woman, she became listless
and apathetic, sitting in her room day
after day gazing upon the pictures OF
the loved ones, or rocking back and
forth, her hands clasped before her,
locking with dry eyes upon vacancy .
"O that she could be made to weep!
that she could be reused from this dread
full speechlesssglooln into whichash has
fallen!" was, our continual prayer, for
the terrible thought came to us often
that we should lose $our mother in q
much worse way than we had our father
and sister-that her brain would at last
give way beneath its weight Of heavy,
despairing thoughts. 1900.
and mother had had one of her very bad
spells; and a lady customer had just
been in and abused me-yes, abused; l
can use no other word ), women do fly
in such temper at their dress. makers-
about the fit of her dress, declaring it to
be i" utterly ruined.''' when it only want
ed taking up a little on one shoulder
and letting down an inch or SO in front !;
|aeand Wills right arm was almost dis
abled from heavy load of books he had
carried long distance the day before
Chow men can have the heart to give
mans burden to child. / can't, see)--
when aunt's letter fell like a bomb-shell
into our very nearly disheartened little
camp.
DEAR F0BKs~-Af friend Of mine-Aan IN
glishMess@s.f NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
enough, but e times her spelling was sQnsy