The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1879-04-03
w. H. vSCANLAND, IPrepfie

'...'@..'..' ~.Ha H" RFT
Where are you going?" ''''.'
swamp" 49,. 80
as it a tavern ?'' '''''1 '''''e' '' ''3''
"No." saa r. frrlJ ealu.fO
a" Would they take me for the night
l could pay them well.'' .'''''
His eyes CLEANED, the yellow stunps
stood revealed once more. am.
81 guess so; folks don't stop there ;,
cit is not far from here?'' 1HE no
Not very; about half mile.'' j..
linen make haste and let us reach
1t. 1 am drenched to the skin.,, ~
we plodded On, my companion, more
than keeping pace with me. Presently
we left the edge of the ravine, enterino
what seemed like d trackless woods.
and keeping straight on until the lights
cleaned fitfully through the wet foli-
age. ........ ..'..".'.'S''
1t was ruinous old place, with the
windows all drawn to one side, as if the
foundation had settled, and the pillars
OF rude porch nearly rotted away.
A woman answered my fellow-tray-
eler's knock.~.~My companion whisper.
ed word or two to her, and she turned
to me with smooth Voluble words of
welcome. si q fp=.fu=+ nE .I9IFiII
She regretted the poverty of their &C.
commodations; but was welcome to
them such as they were. u' -s.ia s.a
f" Where is Isaac2" demanded nv
gui ie. '..'
g He has not come in YETI 7'd-slal'
sat down on a wooden bench, be.
side the fire, and ate few mouthfuls Of
bread. m &C. .He=Gj r.r8gi!f {
81 should like to retire as soon as
possible" [ said, for my WEAKNESS was
excessive. ",t 'p y" Ha 93i@iT
'' Certainly" The woman started UP
with alacrity.
"Where are you going to put him?"
asked the guide. - ~ I-ld
cup chamber"
"Put him in Isaac's room" -'
"No." ......,
"It's the most comfortable.
81 tell you no!" f+.. aa.f#rit~
But here interrupted the whispered
colloquy.
81 am not particular-I don't care
where you lodge me, only make haste.'p
So was conducted up steep ladder
that stood in the corner of the room,
into an apartment, ceiled with sloped
beams and ventilated by one small win
dow, where cot bedstead, crowded
close against the board partition, and
a pine table, with two or three chairs,
formed the sole attempts at furniture.
The woman set the light--an old oil
lamp-on the table.
"Any thing more 1 can give you,
sir?' =
Nothing, thank you"
"When shall call you 70 :~a -
''At four O'Clock in the morning, if
you please. l must walk over to R
station in time for the seven clock ex-
press.'' .s.....-.s..st...
EN- be sure to call you, sir.'
She withdrew, leaving me alone in
the gloomy little apartment. l sat
down with no very agreeable sensation.
1" / will sit down and write to Alice,n
l thought; 4" that will, soothe my nerves
and quiet me, perhaps
l descended the ladder; the fire still
glowed readily on the hearth beneath !;
my companion and the woman sat be-
side it talking in a low tone, and a third
person sat at the table eating, a short,
stout, Misunderstanding man, in red
flannel shirt and muddy trousers th'i II
| asked for writing materials and re-
turned to my room to write to my wife.
"My dear Alice-"si !.1ai ~ 'if."t +
l paused and laid down my pen as l,
concluded the words, half smiling to !
think what she would say, could she
know of my strange quarters. 78Its al
Not till both sheets were covered did /
l lay aside my pen and prepare for
slumber. AS folded my paper 1 hap i
pened to glance toward the couch.
Was it the gleam of human eye OBJ
serving me through the broad partitionll
or was it my own faucyP There was
crack there, but only blank darkness
beyond, yet l could have sworn that
something had sparkled baIefully at me-
Itook out my watch--it was l 0 clock.
1t was scarcely worth while for me to
undress for three hours sleep. I,would
lie down in my clothes and snatch what
slumber could, So, placing my valise
20 the head of my bed, and barricading
he lockless door with two chairs, ex-
.inguished the light and lay down. y
At first was very wakeful, but grad
1ally soft drowsiness seemed to steal
over me like misty mantle, until, all Of
l sudden. some startling electric thrill I
,oursed through my veins and ] sat up
excited and trembling 45N ess7tE-H
A luminous softness seemed to glow
through the room-no light of the moon
,r the stars was ever so penetrating
md by the little window l saw Alice,
ny wife, dressed in floating garments
80. I L