The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1880-12-02
FOUND IN A FROG.

-. FUND IN A FROG.
The sun had risen when Gita awoke.
EShe lived at the top of a tan old house
with her grandmother, and both were
poor. When she had put on her thin
cotton gown and smoothed her hair with
Nher small brown hands, Gita ran down
stairs lightly; and these stairs-some
crooked stone steps in a dark passage
] would have broken our necks to de-
4 send She came out in a narrow street
i with the tall houses almost meeting
overhead, and steep paths or flights Of
aseps leading down"to the shore. The
ahwn was Mentone, in the south of
France, with the boundary of Italy not
Z klf d mile distant. 7 AT one end OF the
street Yasavisiple the blue sky and two
j churches, yellow and white, On an open
square,, with towers, where the bells
we're fihging. Fss2'sk -s9ttss
Gita felt in her pocket for crust of
J hard bread and began to eat. This was
her breakfast and if she had been richer
she, would have. drunk a little black
tfee with it. As IT @as,s she pausedat
! the fountain, where the women were
gossiping as they drew water in buckets.
and placed her mouth under the spout.
Raphel came along and greeted her.
Raphael, a tall young fellow with bright
eyes, face the color of bronze and a
little black mustache, was the son of a
merchant who kept goats and donkeys
for the visitors who came here every
year. The goats furnished rich milk
for thefnRali dssto, ,afink. AahiR the la
dies and children, rode the donkeys.
Gts found Raphael very hand some.
: Hewbfe curious strawshat with the
brim turned up. a shirt striped with
red, blse, pantaloons and "a yellow sash
about his waist. One could see he es-
teemed himself rather dandy. In turn
Raphael found Gita the. prettiest girl of
his acquaintance, with her large black
eyes brown face and white teeth. Be-
sides, Gita was amiable, and did not
mock at him when he walked on the
Promenade on Sunday with his hat on
one side and a cigarette in his mouth.
Il have asked the consent of my
pEentsto oursmarriage, said Raphael.
They refuse, unless you have asdower
OIL at least hundred francs. We must
wait.'' .e,..,....~. {,
Gita sighed and shook her head as
she pursued her way down to the shore.
10 Nheses countries the syoung people
must obtain the consent of their parents
% marry and the bride should have
asxry. Gita' had not a penny; eRa-
phaefs father might as we'll have asked
nm to bring the moon as one hundred
rancs. s~se .ti.. 90 III
Grandmother was seated under an
rchway, with her little furnace be-,
ore her. roasting chestnuts.A = Grand
aother, wrinkled old woman. with a
ed HANDKERCHIEF -Weund about her
ead, was chestnut merchant. The
ailors, children and Italians coming
Terthe border bought her wares, and
Shsn she was not employed in serving
hem she twisted fax on the distaff.
:. "".RaphaeIs father needs a dowry of
ne hundred francs,n said Gita, as
randmother gave her few chestnuts.
" All, if you were a lemon girlr'
nd grandmother, beginning to twist,
he fax. 3le.ial "a ~ FL
Gita poised basket on her head,
'ek white stocking from her pocket, |
? iaa began to knit as she walked away.
ne women of the country carry all |
ardsns ON their heads. You may see !
mother with mound of cut grass on
er head. dandling a little baby in her
rms as she moves along. Grandmother
aa been a lemon girl in her day, but
l1a was not strong enough. The
mon girls bring the fruit on their
eads many miles. FROM the lemon
pYes down to the ships when they are
'ns 70 America and other distant
Glta went along the shore knitting.
= empty basket tilted on. her head.
ae Que Mediterranean Sea sparkled
Iar as the eye could reach and broke !
tne pebbles of the beach in waves as
q eaf as crystal. Soon she turned back
ward W the. hills, following a narrow
''h between high gardenwalls, passed
!uef railroad bridge and entered an
I'VE l' garden. She worked here all dav
snaerlng | aup the little black olives
'ncn iall from the trees, much as chill
- en gather nuts in the woods at home.
a; .aef, womenl were already at work;
s Z yesses Of gay colors, yellow and
II showed against the gray back
ound u OF the trees. A boy beat the
aacnes with long pole. ,Gita began
Work with the rect Sho did Go+
INK much about the oIfveEtree. al
~ 1agh it was good friend. She was {
~ ~ .wenty sous . day to gather the
8 srles Il from the ground, which were I
- Iaken to the crushing mill up the
! slne to be made into oil Gita ate the {
! zen lemons plucked from the trees as !
,alip Y ot the North would eat apples,
sue loved the good olive-oiI better. I
aen me grandmother made a feast it {
: 70 Try the little silvery sardines in
!, SO Grip and brown.
AAe ollye-tree is a native of Asia Mi ,