The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1880-12-02
..--.- BELLEVUE La. THURSDAY, DECEMBER ?. 1880

| nor, ana often mentioned in the Bible.
some OF the trees in the garden where
Glta now worked were SO old that the
the world. -
At moon the olive-pickers paused to
rest. Glta went away alone and ate the
hahdiul OF chestnuts given her by
grandmother. When she returned to
the town atnight she would have anotb-
er blt OF bread and raw onion. She
seated herself on the edge of the ravine
and thought about Raphael as she
munched her nuts. Below. this path
traVersed the ravine and climbed the
opposite slope TO the wall of a pretty
villa, one OF the houses occupied for the
wlnterby rich strangers Gita locked
at the villa, with its window shaded by
lace curtains, balconies and terraces.
where orange-trees were covered with
little golden balls of fruit.
" Ii were rich like that would have
soup every day, sometimes made of
pumpkin and sometimes with macaroni
IN It," she thought. ssss&s
Then she turned over stone with her
heavy shoe and it rolled down the hill.
Glta uttered a cry. The stone had COW
cred hole at the root of the olive-tree
where she sat, far away from the other
workers. in the hole she saw a green
frog; she dropped on her knees to look
at it more closely. Yes, it was green
frog. How did ita come there? She
touched it with her fingers; the frog did
not move or croak. Then she took it
out carefully. The frog was one of
those pasteboard boxes which appear
eachyear in the shop windows of Paris
for Easter presents, In company with
fish. Holsters and shells.
VIA ralsed the lid, Inside were bank
bills dndsa lizard She knew lizards very
well; they were always whisking over
the stone walls; but then those were of
a sober brown tint, while this one IVES
white until she lifted it, when it sparkled
like dewdrop. The lizard was an or
nament made of diamonds. Gita held
her breath and closed her eyes. She
believed herself asleep. Soon sherose.
took the box in her hand and crossing
the ravne began to climb the path to
the villa above. s.......s =
AS she reached the door pony-car-
riage drove up. A big servant with
many buttons en- his coat told her to 90
away. Gita paused, holding the box.
The pale ladyiin the carriage, who was
wrapped in furs, motioned her to ap-
proach. Quickly the girl ran forward
and held agt the frogs 60 Yx g
g found it in a hole at the foot Of the
olive tree" she explained. cit must
belong to this house,. .. ..s-.~ -
The lady took the box and opened it,
the contents on her lap.
There lay the diamond lizard and the
roll OF French bank notes. =
'You see that Pierre was dishonest
servant, although nothing was found on
him. I said. the lady to those about her.
8. He must have hidden this box in the
olive grove to return from Nice later
and find it. - -. hut4 ~
Gita listened with her mouth and
eyes wide open. The lady looked at |
her and smiled. r'i - 1917 8 |
!. . You are good girl" she said.
Then she selected one of the bills and |
gave it to Gita. 1t was a note of one |
hundred francs. az; Il.
Now ! can marry Raphaelr', she
: Raphael was standing beside grand
mothers chestnut-roaster when both
saw Gitar running toward them, her
cheeks red and her eyes flashing like
stars. She had to tell all about the
frog, not only to them but to the neigh
bors. As for grandmother. she could |,
not hear the story often enough. When
she had been lemon girl no such luck
had befallep. her
"Who would have thought Of find
ing wedding dowry in a frogp'' !
laughed Raphael.
Gita and Raphael are soon to be mar
'iedrin the yellow CHURCH on the. hill.
The olive-pickers in the grove seek for
something beside the dark berries; they
lope to find a green frog under stone 7
containing money ands diamond lizard;
,ut this will never again happen
Virginia W. Josasso,a,. ia Ha,per's You,aq
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