The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1879-05-08
.mes ~ TODDLES.

lsdy, thought, after all; quite as
s,uch SO as MS, Jones. who lived in the
n,ssf cupola house on the hill. Quite
:. much of lady, l said to myself,
hr;ikly, Is I busted up my little shop,
IA arranged the sheeny ribbons and
striped goods in the window. The
s;ndoW was hung with pretty lace cur
t.;us and there was a globe of
so1.fsh in It that sailed about as courte-
Ssk and busily as though they were
oettinp. their living as head clerks.
II was sweet soft autumn morning; !;
zbs village street was grassy and quiet,
md / hummed a tune as l glanced
eheerily out at little Toddles, fitting
sbout ii, her scarlet ribbons under the
theoli willow outside. Bless her little
rosy face! why shouldn't l be happy
SAsnIsre her to look after?
was happy, and l hummed again
that old snatch Of a tune, and nodded
aFsits RIDDLES, wondering vaguely to
.uyself what. was going to happen that
Hsltso uncannily bright. Nothing
simply nothing; things were done hap
usdag me long since. My way was
5night and narrow, my days quiet and
uneyentful. -.
.lksA Wiped my coffee that morning l
remember that'I held the cup up to the
Eght, and felt a certain sense of salts
action in the ,translucence of the rare
heSf 0hika. n is so pleasant to know
that ones own election may keep one
a0of HON the ugliness and squalor of
i Itdo.shssA@ mach to keep one per-
pn,ak cQQrse,sand don't count Tod
dhs for any thing. 1t needs but the
odds ana ends 0of "things-a bowl of
ksad sna milk. a cup of coffee, with
fio3 and then lively bit Of ribbon-to
keep the littleone going famously.
,aYes,I always wanted to be a lady.
Ind as sat in my bright little room
hsf fet ,inelipe6T tos forgive Richard
Gray the heaft-break he gave me long
4ssssAGd, sAH9tUd . it was a heart
break. But if be had married me, per-
haps'f6wedld Nave Shut me up in some
gAQRNcitya ahQuse, to be a lady after
M iahfon, to stife for want of bit of
freshair. TO walk softly under a thou
and petty acOnventionalities, and to
1ease being my own mistress. All! that
lasser could endure. So it is, perhaps,
aANnlA thatR Richard left me and went off
sdhieRhere- God knows where.
You see, l like tiny little shop.
Mtesiscmething SO delightful in see
ine the pretty girls Of the village, with
now and then a fine lady, hanging over
anydai1ty wares, and trying the tints
OF scarlet and blue and orange with
many a laugh and many glance in the
Ne0rsA | Gaf sit my reception when
they pour in Of q holiday afternoon.
loye colQgs; I loye grace and beauty :;
and perhaps | might have been a bit of
N artist, in my way, if I'd ever had the
@DEtppity. Richard used to say so.
MEah! be said many a fattering thing
@dmany q false in those old days.
Anqai lever dreamed of any higher
hR than contents me now-well, I've
gwen up dreaming.
Ntort there'ss Toddles, so round and
west and soft andsreal. She leaves me
htle time Tor building air castles.
,xfon seeI love the child as if she were
@ very own. For she came to me one
HPfabout four years ago, wee little
moy thing, curled up in a heap on my
a0orstep when / went to open the shut
Sn. wherever she came from I never
.uew. Toddles never explained; she
nM stretchedup her little fat arms to me
0d gurgled "Tod cd -doddle," and that
w Der sole introduction.
u was surmised that the child had
wen dropped by some travelling circus
sSslns through the town, and l had ex-
~llent neighborly advice about putting
ne treasure in the founding hospital.
pu one seldom takes good advice, and
ldldn't. .4BsF
10 tell the truth, L grew so attached
Me child that I should even have
.s 0sn wicked enough, fear, to regret
suy ones turning up to claim it. But
e not at all likely now, after SO
MY years-no, notatall likely no more
1ely than that Richard and / should
sssl meet sagaih il this world. And
snat IS among the things that new
9nn happen.
nTas on this wise, our parting:
a'enard' 8 mother was old and feeble
s aseriy. She'd spent a good deal
Mmoney on him sent him to college,
aa expected, folks said, to "make
~nelhlng of him. She always ex-
ooo sSt sher moneys worth out of
~. y. Isnsactions. .Richard held her in a
~, ~. Of awe, somehow, though she was a
1--we l1e Elzsned cid woman that he could
N nv sr'ed With bis left hand. Bat
nm Tor respecting his mother.
MI ssvae DAY We two were sitting at twi-
Ssa gu talking Of the future dreamily, as
~ Oar wont.
ii, MY little one," said Richard, putting
S.l - arm about me, sit half seems toe
uisnt to ever. be.n
~ "a 1ver be!n / echoed. "Oh. Rich.
l. S' !, u you talk that way, it will never
Alcnard smiled, but his face grew