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

1
having paid which concession to sex,
She turned sharply and said to the no
! bier creature indicated, in peremptory
voice: "You go along up and light d
candle, SOS she can see when she gifts
there "a mandate which "the man >
obeyed with docility. Then, turning to
Matte: ''You can go up if you've a
mind to, but you'll find it kind of dusty,
[ guess
'.Oh | don't mind dust in the least, =
laughed Matte, who adored old garrets,
and was not often able to win entrance
| into one with so little trouble as this.
She and Hester jumped out; the old
woman tied the horse to the fence by
his reins, and the whole party proceeded
| indoors and up a narrow-walled stair
case, with sharp, square turns, to the
upper entry.
Here was a pause, during which the
old man joined them again, Il lighted
tallow-dip in his hand.
81 guess We'll have to 90 through
your room, Miss Treadgar, if it won't
put YOU OUT said one of the elder
women.
"Oh, 90 right in. My sister won't
mind, l think" was the reply, in a shy,
hesitating voice.
They passed, accordingly, into large,
low-ceiled room, with windows on three
sides set in ''lean-to' roof. 1t was
furnished with some attempt at comfort.
A small open-grate stove stood in the
chimney, there was a high-backed rock
ing-chair covered with old-fashioned
s'patch," bed-quilt of the same, IL
chest of cherry-wood drawers, and, on
a square of faded carpet in one of the
windows, claw-legged table of dark,
mahogany, before which Matte Mason
came to ''point' much as a trained dog
does when it detects the presence ofhid-
den game.
What a dear little table," she cried;
"such funny, old-fashioned shape Do
you use it much? Wouldn't you like to
sell it?''
"Oh, please began the spare little
woman, in deprecating voice, but, as
if evoked by the words, out from be-
hind the bed ran another woman,
not before seen--a tall, strange,
melancholy woman, with oddly
shining eyes. She came swiftly, with
hands tightly locked together, and, with
a motion as if to embrace the table,
cried:
"Oh, no. oh, no! Don't take away
my little light-stand. It's the only
one I've got. I've had it always. I
couldn't bear to lose my light-stand.
Don't let them, Hexy, don't let them! -
Hush, Harriet; hush, dear!'' said
the spare little woman, evidently the
" Hexy' addressed. "The lady won't.
She don't mean nothing by what she
said But still the fixed gaze contin-
ued, and the imploring voice went on:
"Oh don't let them, you won't, will you,
Hexye They've taken away so many
things. Leave me my little light
stand!''
:" Yes, dear, yes, DEAR said the sis
ter, soothingly, while Matte, discomfit-
ed and repentant, echoed her assur-
ances; ~ wouldn't rob you of your ia
BILE for the world. Pray don't suppose
so for a minute. | was only asking
from curiosity. Don't feel so badly
please don't!'' But still the pitiful
pleading continued, though in lower
key: "Don't, DON'T" till the elder
woman plucked her sleeve, and whis-
pered:
You'd better come away. She amt
rightly in her senses, poor creetur. and
don't know what she says''-and Mat
tie, glad to escape from scene which
was becoming painful, willingly followed
to farther room, which proved to be a
loft, whence presently the old woman's |
voice was heard demanding: "Now |
whatever can have taken that wheel? | |
see it just the other year-that time Je- /
hiel's folks was here, / guess; it was
tweve year, is it?-well, twas here then
| I'm most sure, but don't seem able to |
lay my hand on it nown Hester, mean
while, less absorbed in special interest |
than her friend, fingered with the sis
ters, the older and feebler of the two
still lowering over her property, as
though she feared it might yet be snatch
ed from her by fraud or violence.
g Is she illP" whispered Hester, when
1t last the poor creature had been
soothed into comparative quiet and per-
suaded to sit down in the rocking-chair.
''No, not worse than she often is. It's
Just the excitement. Nothing worries
1er like the idea of losing the frrnitur'.
Twas that upset her in the first place,
7ou know" and Hexy gave trou-
oled sigh.
"That? You mean-''
"Oh, all the talk about breaking us
Up and selling-off the things, and send
NC us to the poor-house. They never
lid it, but the idea was enough to break
Harriet all down. She had kept up
leart till then. She was master-hand
or doing and encouraging, and when
rot down she would always kind of pull
ne up and make me take hopeful view
$ wells she could. As long as we live
n in the room we had been used to
lways, and have our own things about
IS, and have just work enough to keep
IS goin', she was satisfied and so
vas /. Twas home-that was what
Harriet always said; and we both
bought heap of it -
We was together, too, and of course that
ounted for good deal.''
"Where was this home of YOURS o., ;
sked Hester. She had seated herself.
nd her gentle voice and sympathetic
yes tempted the speaker on.
II |