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

wasn't no more than natural.
Still it came hard on Harriet and
me. Mother was dead then, there
wasn't no one left but us two.
Sewing was the only thing we knew how
to do, and at last there was hardly any
sewing to be had
Couldn't you have moved too, and
got little nearer to your customers?'
"That was just what folks told us.
But we didn't seem to see our way clear
to do it. We was attached to our room
for one thing. Harriet thought heap
of that room. We had lived there al
ways, you see. Some folks don't mind
moving, but Harriet always said she
couldn't understand what they were
made of. Every thing stood just where
it did when we was little things growing
up with our mother, and we sort of chung
to the spot. Then, moving costs money,
and it was all uncertain how we should
get along after we moved. The folks
we used to work for had got kind of
scattered, and we didn't know any of
the new-fashioned kinds of sewing. All
our work was hand-work. If there was
any thing Harriet could not abide it was
machine She always said the man
who invented them hadn't got any poor
woman-folks belongin' to him, that she
was sure.
1t was re,y hard for YOU
"Yes, twas. 1t got SO bad toward
the end that for more'n three months we
didn't have any work at all, not single
stitch. Mis- Chandler, that was
Shrieve, did you ever know her. she's
beautiful lady 2-she had sort of KEEP in
with us always, but she'd gone up to the
mountings that summer, and there
wasn't nobody else that wanted any
thin done. We'd always counted
good deal on Mis- Chandler, she was
real kind to us always; and when she
went away we didn't know which way
to turn. l don't know how we should
have got along at all if it hadn't been
for Mis- Ware. Do you know her?
She's another real beautiful lady. She
was keepin' house that time for old Mr..
Ames, up ON Beacon Hill, and she'd
taken charge of a District for a
spell, and so she came acquainted with
Harriet and me. She used to bring us
things most every week. No, | can't
tIliilh HoN we MOuW nave uOfle WITHOUT
Mis- Ware.
"The Lord sent her, that's just the
long and short of it, proceeded Hexy,
her voice choking a little. You see,
| fell sick, and Harriet, she got all wore
out taking care of me, and we got out of
every thing, and at last the Overseer of
the Poor come, and he judged 'twan't
no use our trying to keep along any fur
Their. We must sell off what we'd cot,
he said, and just 60 into the aims house
with the town poor, and be supported!
| was settin' up by that time, so | see
him as well as Harriet. He didn't mean
to be unkind, guess, but he said it kind
OF hard. | suppose he couldn' t realize
what ones feelings was, and he didn't
make it sound no easier than it was.
After he had gone away Harriet turned
kind of wild. She couldn't say word, !
but walked up and down the room,
to herself and wringing her
hands. | cried till was all tired out,
then | went to sleep; when woke up, |
she was gOne!"
"Gone! whereof
81 didn't know any more than YOU do |
now. | was too weak to sit up long, and |
couldn't stir to find her. 1t seemed as
# the end of every thing had come. I
nistrllsted the Lord that night. 1t
seemed as if he didn't know and didn't |
eare what became Of us two poor cree
mrs, and had just let us go. But there.
needn't! 1t was real wicked and faith
ess in me, for we always had been
helped somehow, and we was then. The
very next morning, by o'clock, come
Mis- Ware. He sent her of course: and
when she heard what had happened,
he just went straight out to the police,
md they writ and telegraphed about
he country, and the third day they
ound Harriet
"Oh, where was she?n cried Hester.
hrilled with sympathy.
SWAY out to the back of Milton Hill.
What took her that way l don't know,
lor ever did. She don't remember moth
ne about it. She had just wandered
N and on, trying to get away from her
rouble, poor thing, as if any of us could
10 that.''
A pause. Through the open door of
he loft Hester heard Matte saying:
Yes, it is quite nice old wheel.
What will you take for it?'' and the old
maids canny voice in reply:
Wall don t know Jest what wheels
) a-fetchin' now.''
Mis- Ware didn't stop there, Meth
f." resumed Hexy. .'When she found
ow bad we felt about it, she told the |
'verseer of the Poor that she'd see we
Fas supported somehow, without comm
n the city. | don't rightly know how
was fixed, but some of Mis- Wares
ch friends helped, and it was arranged /.
e should stay on at the old place. {
hen the next year they cut the new '
rect, and we moved out here. Mis- S
Ware, she did it ALL Twas better for I
Harriet, she thought, and all our {
wn things was fetched out, to
lake me feel home-like. She's good ,
cal better since. She likes to look out !
the window in summer time. and :
'me days she's almost cheerful and like :
er old sef-no, not that, but more than /;
ever thought she would be- :
" 1t is pleasant, quiet spot for her. !.
re the people kind to you?'' I
" Well, yes. They're kind enough, as j
6 On -t,.< ~l.,I Al