The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1880-03-25

duoots, sdtiu Ine gentleman, Laughing,
but deeply touched by the tears in the
big blue eyes. He sat down in a large
chair and drew the child close to him
81 must know who l am entertaining
he said. "Tell me your name, and how
you were lost''
My name is Willie Dandy, and my
papa is dead" the child said mot noticing
the start his new friend gave as his name
left his lips. Then he told in a child's
| simple language of his chase after the
rabbit and the departure of the train
without him.
But why did you come to this house
when there are so many nearer the sta
tion?"
"Because my mamma used to come
here once,'' replied Willie. "She said
it was seven years."
"Seven years since she came here?
Tell me what your mamma is like,
Willie.''
Willie described his pretty mother as
| well as he could, surprised that at the
end of his recital the stranger kissed him
again and again, and said he was very
glad to have him as guest.
What time the two had in that big
| house! Roger Conway had come home
from abroad only that day, and there
| had been no one to welcome him or ar
range for his comfort. But for nearly
| seven years he had been used to trough
ing it, and did not mind few incon-
veniences. He left Willie in charge of
the house while he went after provisions,
and then they cooked their supper in
| crln hrrf hofn ha1f
| Willie's head began to nod, and his big
blue eyes to droop, for he had had
fatiguing day and was very sleepy.
Roger Conway undressed the child as
tenderly as a woman could have done,
and was about to lay him in bed when
Willie spoke up
81 haven't said my prayers, Mr..
Roger in very rebuking tone.
Roger smiled as the little boy knelt
down before him; but his eyes filed
with the first tears that had gathered
there since Lulu's death as he heard the
sweet, childish voice pray for poor
MAMMAL and ask that God would bless
all his "fren's and 'lations.''
Meanwhile little Mrs. Dandy was
almost i'll with distress. Not until the
train had left Jarvis mile behind did
she miss Willie, and then she could find
out nothing about him no one could
explain his absence; no one had seen
him. When she reached Belden and
found her father waiting for her she
threw herself into his arms with wild
sob.
envy Willie! I've lost him." she
said brokenly; and it was some time
before old Mr.. barley could arrive at
any explanation of her words. When
he at last understood, he went at once
to the telegraph Office and sent dis
patch to Jarvis inquiring about the
child.
g Now don't worry, Gertrude. Willie
will turn up all safe and sound to-mor-
row. | will go to Jarvis on the very
first train and see if can't find him, if
we receive no answer to the telegram. :"
'There is no train until ten O'Clock
Tomorrow" sobbed Gertrude. CT
shall die of suspense before then"
But when she has been driven home,
and welcomed by her two sisters, who
conforted and consoled her, she grew
calmer. and at last began to believe
that Willie would be cared for at Jarvis,
and that she should see his bright little
face on the morrow.
When the pleasant home supper was
over she went out on the wide, vine coy-
cred porch and looked around on the
familiar scenes of her girlhood. Six
years had passed since she had left her
home with handsome Will Dandy. and
now she returned dressed in Widows
weeds, and VIII was lying in his grave
in the Far West.
Yet nothing was changed about the
old home. There by the gate still stood
the old elm tree beneath which she and
Roger had plighted their first VOWS.
How wildly these familiar scenes
brought to her the recollection of her
first lover! Where was he now? In all
these years she had heard nothing of
him, though her sisters had written of
Lulu's death. She wondered If he was
married, and where he lived, and what
his wife was like-if he had one, as of
course he had, for men never remain
true to first love. How well she re-
membered the quarrel which had caused
their separation. 1t had been principal
~ her fault. She saw that when her
| anger had cooled sufficiently to let her
see any thing; but she was too proud to
ask her lovers pardon, and had made
haste to marry VIII Dandy "to show
Roger how little she cared,'' and had
gone to Kansas to live.
She had learned to love VIII very
dearly, but it was a very different love
from that she had given Roger. Still,
they were happy together, and she had
sincerely mourned Wills death After
a six months struggle to earn living
in the West, she had consented to re-
turn home to her father, expanding her
last cent in the expenses of the journey.
She intended to try for the position of
teacher of the district school at Belden.
for she was too proud to be dependent
upon her old father. She felt that she
must earn the bread she and her child
ate.
The next morning the barley family
rose early so that Mr.. barley might
have ample time to prepare for his jour
ney to Jarvis, no telegram having