The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1878-01-03

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Nicodemus gathered himself togeth-
er and began to work with as much
alacrity as he was capable of.
Get your bonnet and shawl, joan
na," said her mistress, and take this
child to the Poor-house.
Joanna disappeared, and Miss Grey
went to the basket and looked in it
again. Curiosity got the better of her
principles, and she stopped and drew
aside the blanket that enveloped the
rosy bundle, and gazed curiously at the
dainty embroidery that covered the in
fant's robes. Up came a tiny hand-a
small fist full of fingers came out and
grasped one of hers, and bird-like
note gurgled from the perfect month.
She drew back half frightened; the little
one opened its blue eyes wider, seeking
hers with wondering, wounded look,
and burst into a low, grieved cry.
Something in the look of those blue
orbs thrilled her with tender pain, she
knew not why; dead memory awoke
in her breast, and stabbed her like
knife. s..
Joanna came back with her wrappings
on. The little ones piteous cry went
to her heart.
"Poor baby!'' she murmured, stoop-
ing and rocking the basket gently to
and fro.
There was something motherly in the
very touch of her hand upon the basket,
and in the strangely softened tone of
her voice, that awoke fierce jealousy in
her companions breast. She almost
pushed her aside, as though she could
not bear the sight.
"What do you know of children,
Joanna?" she said; "give it to me-"
Then she took up basket and al, and
marched into her own room. Joanna,
going back to the kitchen and to her
cooking, heard her telling Nicodemus
to put more wood on the fire. Present.
ly she came into the kitchen, got some
milk from the cupboard and warmed it
in cup on the stove, saying never a
word; and after little, Nicodemus
brought the cup back from her room,
empty. tst5F
When Miss Grey was called to break
fast, she came out looking as serene as
could be. She left Nicodemus in the
room with the baby, during her absence.
During the morning, Joanna con-
trived an errand into the sitting-roon,
and found her mistress busiiy working
small garment of delicate texture,
while the infant lay soundly sleeping
in his strange cradle-the basket.
"Joanna," said Miss Grey, 81 have
named this child Emily Grey, after my
mother"
cts girl, thenP'' said Joanna.
Certainly. Did you suppose 1
wanted to raise up boy, to break my
heart in my old age9"
| "No, a'am.''
"Bring me the bible and pen Iand
ink" 3
Joanna lifted the heavy, richly bound
volume from its cushion on the table,
and carried it to her, then brought pen
and ink from small writing desk by
the window. Miss Grey turned to the
Family Record, and under the head of
"Births " wrote on the clean page, in
a fair, clerkly hand: ~
Emily Grey, December 25th, IS"
All that morning, while the bells call
ed the people to worship in the little
white church under the hill, and the
choir sang the Christmas anthems, Miss
Theodore sat and wrought patiently on
slip for little Emily. Peter Brook
came over to eat his Christmas dinner
as usual-the only Christmas hospital
ity she ever dispensed-and received Or
ders to bring up a neat crib from fhe
village 90 D.. ,o,,,., .~ d.
$50 she's going to keep the little
one," observed he to Joanna, over his
pudding. "Curious creatures these
women are.'
"It's blessed mercy there are wom-
en- in the world,'' retorted Joanna. "I
dare say you'd have sent it to the poor
house, or the 'Sylum."
"That's the place for 'em," returned
Peter.
sect out, you hard hearted brute.
It's my opinion that baby came straight
from heaven. l can't believe any hui
man being brought it here, and me new
er to know it,
"Pshaw! that shows how much gou
know"
In naming the child, Miss Theodore
totally ignored the fact that certain arti-
Giles of its wardrobe-which was of the
finest material-were marked with the
letters "L. W." What these letters
signifed was no concern of hers, appar-
emily.
The little white draped crib stood al
ways in Miss Grey's room, close by her
own bed. There little Emily lived,
watched and tended by love that new
er grows weary.
And how the little one grew! 1t
seemed but little while ere the old
house, so grim and austere in its former
state, grew musical with laughter and
patter of little feet, and sunny with a
| Winsome presence of white robes and