The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1879-09-18
A SPINNING.WHEEL.

The old house stood in an unfrequent-
ed lane; how unfrequented was evident
from the grass-grown wheel-track in the
middle and the half-effaced foot-path at
one side. 1t had melancholy aspect,
the old house, as it gazed out at the
fields with its blinded and closely-shut
windows. A long, untrimmed briar-
rose tapped with its riotous withes on
the front door, the little yard was choked
with weeds, two or three missing panes
had been mended by squares of pasted
paper; there was just repair enough to
avert look of squalor and not sufficient
quaintness to achieve the picturesque
Still, the yellow sun and the sweet air
of September bathed the shabbiness and
lent II peaceful air to the spot, and the
same blue sky arched above which over
hangs earth's fairer places. Nature
knows no favorites. Her free bounty is
shed for all, and her sweetness reaches
and communicates itself to unlikeliest
hooks.
Forlorn as the old house was, it wore
Il delightful look to one pair of eyes
those, namely, of young woman who
was driving down the lane in a light
country wagon, with a companion of her
own age and sex beside her. They were
city girls, lodging for few weeks in
neighboring village, and this was one of
many drives they had taken together,
partly for enjoyment of each other and
the scenery, and partly with view to
possible brc-a-brac, of which one of
them was an enthusiastic collector.
They had taken the turn into the lane
with the expectation of finding human
habltation beyond, and when the old
house caught the eye of Matte Mason,
the bric-a-brac fancier, an exclamation
OF rapture broke from her lips. The 9th
er girl did not notice it at first. She was
dreamily regarding the hedge-rows, and
humming to herself:
Wild rose, delicately fushines
All the border of the dale
Art thou like a pale cheek bluShin1,
Or like red check
"Well, Matte, what is it9'' as her alb
straction was rebuked by sharp poke
from the elbow of her companion.
ION. Hester, see! Such delicious
old roost! 1t loo&s as if it were built in
the year one. The very house for and
irons, and brass candlesticks and spin
nng-wheels. What IL you bet that I
uont lind the spinning-wheel of my
dreams in that very garnet which YOU
see up there? And to think that no one |
told us that there was house down this
way!'
" 1t does look spinning wheelv," said
Hester, with a smile, as her friend turn |
Ell the wagon toward side door, where
was visible row of milk-pans set out to I
air. The sound of wheels. bushed and
veiled as it was by the spreading grass,
evidently caused an excitement within.
for blinds ratified and one or two heads
peeped out OF windows Bv the time the
horse had checked himself at the top of
the grassy rise, the door had opened.
and become, as Matte afterward ex-
pressed it, "densely populated, y no less
than three women and one old man
at once to enjoy the unwonted
spectacle of two young ladies and a
wagon. Two of the women were GOOD
specimens of that hearty, though tooth
ess and wrinkled, old ace so often seen
n the New England country REGIONS.
he third, spare, shrinking little crea-
ure, did not seem of the same genus.
Matte leaned forward. She was al
ways the spokeswoman of the two. and
ler voice, as she spoke, softened itself
nto the pretty, coaxing tone which she
vas accustomed to employ when there
vas an end to serve or new acoua;n-
ance to be pleased
Good afternoon said the sweet
oice, .'we stopped as we went bv to
sk IL ov ehance you happen to have i'm
our garnet an old-fashioned fiax-wheel
.hich YOU no longer use?n
"Well, yes, | calkerlate there is one :,
eplied one of the women.
9 Is it pretty-small you know, and
lade of dark wood?' ,
''Yes, It's kind of SMALL ,
81 wonder if might go up stairs and