The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1880-10-14
Sally Grants insults that ranked, and
drove he to- sacrifice her pretty nets. =

~ W S"oaanHe ner pretty peCS.& .
my chicks will have to go, ma, y
she said with heavy sigh. II reckon
Mrs. Burton (she's the shop-keeper,
you know will take the chickens her
self and trade me the hat for 'em. In
take EN- to Swamptown tomorrow
Aunt Rebecea said no more, ,butS in
her secret soul she did not believe that
Lilah would ever bring herself to part
with her beloved pnllets. Even when
she saw her that night take them
from the roost and secure them in a
wicker basket, she muttered to herself.
wen mornin' comes she'll let them
loose again. knows her,"
But Aunt Rebecca was mistaken this
tlme. The morning found Lilah gulp-
ing down her gtears. over the sacrifice,
but determined to make it,. AS she tied
on her sunbonnet, she said to her
mother:
81 amt caught but six of the pullets.
The other two look sick and droopy.
and | reckon I'd sbetter let 'em alone
for while''
Her mother nodded her head. at
don't pay to sell sick schicksns, honey.
De folks thinks you do it a-purpose.
You'll be passin' Granny Hynson' 8
house, and want. you to stop and ak
how she is. l hearn tell she was mity
bad wild misry in her back and legs.
Pore ole critter, she amt got no Kin
here, and de Lord above knows how
she Ibis 1 reckon she's one OBJ de
Lord poor, and wot you does. fur her,
you does fur him. s'f'''
walking along to Swamptown, which
was about mile from her home, Lilah
found that the picture of poor old gran
ny, sick, helpless and alone, would
keep thrusting itself before the beatific
vision of the red and yellow hat.
| Granny had come to that part of the
country about a year before, with q son
who died soon after their arrival The
lnflrm woman, over seventy years of
age, had come as afauperonthep parish
for the pittance which kept life in her
worn-out frame.
Her CHEEKY patience and piety were
| something remarkable. No one had
ever heard her complain under the Bit
terest circumstances.
But to Delilah this old colored wom-
ans lot seemed something terrible. s.If
| was her," she muttered, 81 reckon
I'd feel like KILN myself and gettin'
rite out of the world. When people
gets poor and helpless and nobody even
to give 'em drink of water, it's better
to be dead and out of it,
She had reached the cabin, rather a
lonely plaGeszands nstAs, outskirts of
gently pushed theunfastened door open
and entered the only. room the scsbin
contained. It was not an uncofnforta-
BILE room and the neighbofs, who were
very poor themselves, ,,had sdpne. their
bestfe maka il habitabh. ESets
There was q patchwork curtain at
the one small window On a deal table
in the scorner was aplate Of, Autasted
victuals, pitcher and cup. The bed
was covered with a clean home spun
sheet and the pillow-cases were of the
same material. sas. ~ ,,.1g..syr = 3 szss..
! But what a wasted, sdried-up, little
dark face lay on the pillow, with eyes
tightly closed? Lilah'sy heart gave a
frightened leap. Was granny Ideadp
No; she moved andmuttered and smiled
and then her eyes. dim eyes they were
opened and fixed themselves on the
girl. ,.f -, ..x,-,,.N'+.s., "a 4 ~.
{. Is dat you, Hannah?',' she asked,
family. ssa1l5*a as
"No, it. SINE. Lilah Winters; I stopped
in to see how you was::"
"I fought it was Hannah. She stops
wild me all she kin, but de good chile
is got to help her nanny. I tole her
] didn't need anybody. Yes, honay,a I
ofnt# ~ SMnSS 4 ,ryas osIoTM ,,a,x%A%,
Sea 3 B5l s8a aEsF dId ssa slaa s ssaR s
ant dreams I didn't feel like wakin'. I
thinks l feel quite peart, but weak, hon.
ey, monstrous weak" $ ser
= I You ANT eat your BREAKFAST gran
ny, Eiifah said, with a glance at the
onsasfsa Ns besst tSsSt b folssss i GOOD and
kind, and dey sends me- bread and
meat. Take it sometimes from der
selves and de chilluns. II reckon. But
somehow. my stummick gees sgin pork
and corn bread. It's mean and ongraf&
fnl to feel 50; but den. you aint COUNTS
BILE fur dem foolish ways in 'sickness,I /
reckon. Itries to eat, but I Iaint teched
nothin' sence yesterday mornin'. sas;,
"You see, honey, fore Icomed here.
Twas cook in a rich house. whar de
folks had turkeys and chickens eb,ry
day for dinner, and custards and pies
and ice-cream for dessert. reckoned
it pampered ppg my stummick till it
want fit. fur geoda plain vlctdals. 1
wasn't to say greedy, but 1 was 'tickler
bout my food. It's my fault I can't
eat wat i gifts, but, oh, honey, l aint
ongrateful."
=" IwishI had something nice for you,
granny" said Lilah. Her heart filled
with Che stendefest pity as she gazed
at the wasted face and feeble move
ments of the old woman. Folks kin
starve with dread and smeat. in their
hand, if they can't eat it."
Don't you worry bout me, chile"
A strange, wild smile lighted up her
face. Ode Fader gibs me food you know
not OBJ. Fore l went to sleep, I was
longin' for chicken soup. l amt had
none sence l lef' my home, but seemed
to me eff I could git good bait oh it, as
I used to make it, wild tomatoes and