The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1879-06-14
HER BIUE-EYED BOY.

Or smile in happy dreams and sleep.
Torn from these loving arms away,
iBv thoee " tho Iteked not tear or prayer,
Ere thou couIdst speak thy mothers nauie,
MY tiny bud. my bahelet fair.
"My BOY my blue-eyed boy,
Could within thy bright eyes gaze,
Or nave an hour to kiss Thee in,
s1wouId light up my weary days,
But thou art far away from me,
Between us ocean's hlllo~s beat,
and car but tiny pieture kiss,
Nv fairy rose, my babeiet sweet.
As Miss Isabella Spooner finished
reading these verses and proceeded to
cut them out of tine paper they had
graced, with pair of scissors that, In
company with bunch of keys, hung
from her generous girdle, murmur OF
admiration and sympathy arose from her
audience. This audience consisted OF
Mrs. Epooner, Isabella's mother, tall.
thin, pale woman with great deal OF
forehead--that is, in regard to height
and very white, well-shaped hands,
which looked as though they had been
nodded out of lard; Mrs. DusenberTy, a
lady who looked about five and.forty,
hut who, according to her own calcula-
tions, grew young SO fast that her friends
confidently expected that in few yearE
abe would be girl again, with lips so
thin that they came near being no lips
at all, bumpy brow, small, black, uneven
ewes, nondescript nose, and figure
remarkable for its unobtrusiveness
Capt. Hottop, Miss Epooner's uncle, a
hsle, hearty, rather handsome man, vino
had spent most of his lite in q sailing
vessel; Mr.. Wellington Octoper, a young
pork merchant, called "Deyil-fsh" by
those of his companions who had been
to the aquarium, because it came 80
devilish near being Octopus, you know"
with reddish hair, reddish complexion,
and no forehead TO speak of Miss Euge.
mia Ann Octoper, sister of the pork mer-
chant, a pretty, pert young girl, who
came down to breakfast In diamond ear
rings, and talked great deal about
"style;;" and two or three elderly men
and three or four young men, who being
near nobodies, can, OF course, only expect
mere mention.
1T was a lovely day in the last week of
July, and these people were gathered
together on the broad veranda of the
Spooner homestead. Mrs. Spooner took
a few summer boarders for company,
and, truth to tell, they could not have
beenina pleasanter place. The house, sub
stantially built of gray stone and draped
with beautiful wistarias that climbed to
the very roof, faced the Delaware river,
and the CLEAN of the water through the
branches of the catalapa trees that stood
Just outside the garden were laden with
snowy flowers among which the bees
were having rare riot, was pleasant
sight to see
Miss isabella 6pOoner, the real mis-
tress OF the homestead mothers
extreme lassitude rendering her only the
nominal one--was comfortable, senEi-
mental old maid, with an obtrusiye
figure, tin which respect she formed
great contrast to her friend Mrs. Dusen-
berry, light, very light blue eyes, and q
snub nose. She wore her hair crushed
back like her mamma's--and falling in @
curly crop on the hack of her neck. In
evening dress these curls were always
tied with q bit of bright ribbon, which
to them quite Juvenile ap
and charm.
Miss Isabella dotted on poetry, and
looked upon all rhymers as "heaven-
born" Intact, she had an intense re-
spect for and admiration of all persons
with literature, and was wont
to say, "Could ] have been pen-gifted ]
would have asked no other boom"
elbow very sweet!" said Mrs. Dusen-
berry, in soft, too soft voice, as Miss
Sp0oner, after reading the verses quoted
above, took her scissors in hand. "They
remind me of some lines introduced In \
my first letter to Prot. GAM at the time 4
] became 30 interested in the habits of I
the birds of North America. He said 4
afterward, by-the-bye, that the bright
ness of that letter absolutely dazzled
him." Mrs. Dnsenberry prided herself
on her letter.writing, and anxious that
her talent should not be '"hid under q /
bushel,o wrote ON the subject which she \
thought would be more interesting to 1
him, with hint as to the impression he
had made on her susceptible heart, to /
every man with whom she came In 4
contact, as soon as possible after forming
his acquaintance.
"And when do you expect her,
Isabella ?" asked Mrs. Spooner, lifting
her hands, of which she was very proud.
from her lap. to regard them more
closely, and then listlessly dropping
them again.
This afternoon, toward evening"
Mrs. Spooner, taking letter
from her pocket and referring TO 1t. 4
She writes: j hope to arrive just o. 4
beasnn is beginning to drown In your
peeutiful river, and the evening star
theps forth ms bright---as bright, alas az
the eyes Of my blne-eyed boy"
(" How very sweetl" said Mrs. Queen
berry, lit reminds me OF note I re-
ceived the other day from DR.. Drake, in 4
answer to one sant him begging him I
for copy OF his lecture on the Human A