The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1878-01-03
ing, when little Emily was nearly two

just outside the Vlllage-a sum
burned, wayworn woman, dressed in
faded black, and on foot. She was hur-
rying by, as if wishing to escape obser-
walton, when glance at the occupant
of the little carriage seemed to root her
to the spot.
"Good evening, ma'am," said joan
ma, icivilly, seeing her stop, and suppos-
ing that She might wish to inquire for
some shelter for the night.
Her salutation was returned in a
slightly broken accent, but the stranger
no further speech, Joanna
hurried on with her char ge,
leaving her standing on the road. They
reached home, where Miss Grey, giving
Joanna reprimand for keeping Emily
out so late, took the child, gave her her
supper of bread and milk in her own
room, and put her to bed.
Itwas now quite dark but Nicodemus,
who generally lay around loose at all
times and seasons, came ambling into
the kitchen, saying,
"Dar's a oman at de gate.''
"At the gatep'' repeated Joanna, who
guarded gates and doors at night, as
though the place was fortress in the
midst OF an enemy's country.
"At de big gate," answered Nicode-
mus.
Joanna went to see. The full moon
had just risen over the tall eastward
hills, and by its light she saw, standing
by the gate, the same strengthening
woman whom she had met near the vii
lage.
"What do you wantP'' she asked,
sharply.
81 want to stay in house all night. ~
"Then, why don't you go to the vii
lage?"
"They won't take mel have no
money" -
Joanna surveyed the forlorn figure in
perplexed silence.
6. Can't you give me a corner where
I can rest?" asked the stranger piteous-
ly. 81 will not trouble you for any
thing, except floor to sleep on"
"My mistress never lodges stran-
gers,o said Joanna, " but come into the
kitchen-I'll see what l can do.'
By the exercise of some diplomacy in
behalf of the tramp" as Miss Grey
styled the traveller, Joanna succeeded
in gaining permission for her to sleep
on pallet in the kitchen.
"Give her some supper, joanna"
added the mistress. "No doubt she is
half starved
And Joanna went back to the kitchen,
leaving her knitting peacefully by the
small bed where the child slept.
After the ''tramp" had had her sup
per, and Joanna had prepared her bed
on the floor, she stood up by the fire,
and, looking Joanna in the face with her
large, black eyes, said suddenly:
"Whose child is it you had with
yol?"
"My mistress's child"
" Not her own childp"
"No;" and Joanna shut her lips
tightly, as if to prevent the escape of
further information.
ado you know whose child she is p"
"No.n
"Did you find her at your door, one
Christmas morning."
Joanna nodded, looking up in sur
prise and beginning to tremble with
strange agitation.
"Then I can tell you whose child she
is"
"We don't want to know" said Jo-
anna, shortly.
"But l wiN tell you, for you should
know that she is of honest birth"
Joanna folded her arms and stood
waiting.
"Two years ago, "asaid the woman,
." l came to America with my mistress,
who was then young bride, having
married an American gentleman. She
was French and so was I, but we had
been living in England since herparents
died, when she was child. NV mis-
tress was at school, educating herself
for governess; but her health gave
way, and she was obliged to give up her
studies. She had no relatives, she was
quite poor, for she was sent to school
by an old lady who had taken fancy
to her, and had died leaving her a sum
to educate herself with. Well, the gen.
tleman had become acquainted with
her case, and took care of her, and
married her in a few weeks after
she left school. We came to this coun-
try about q year afterward. We lived
at boarding house in New York. Soon
after we came over, the gentleman was
obliged to return to England to secure
some property which belonged to him
there. He was to be back as soon as the
trip could be made.
"Well, mistress waited as well as she
could, poor thing. She was quite alone
but for me. When the time he had set
for his return passed by, and he did not
come, she became quite ill. I don't
know how long we waited--it seemed
like months, and she grew worse all the
time, till her baby was born. Then she
got another letter from her husband.
He had been dalauna hu hn,cinorc hut