The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1880-04-01

evenings nlucn O1UenoF imam formerly
| because there is no comfortable place for
him at home, no doubt Jim makes a
point of being out. AS for Amy
and me, we sit on the back stairs, or in
the buffers pantry, or any other odd
corner which nobody else wants. Polly
laughed, but there were tears in her
brown eyes, and a very mutinous look
| about the pretty mouth, which John
| Norman, while in process of " sampling
/ the family" to borrow Polly's own
phrase, had once likened to beautiful
Evelyn Hopes, of the true "geranium
red."
GAS if all this wasn't enough" she
went on presently, with a half giggle,
half sob, - here is letter come to-day
from Fanny Allen-our cousin, you know
and she is engaged too; and she pro-
poses to make us a visit, and her young
man means to drop along forsooth,
while she is here. Now where are they
to sit! | can't imagine, unless they
take the r-chamber of the furnace.
The front steps are quite too cold at this
time of the year. Or might have the
trunk-room cleared out for them; |
|
Polly, you are ridiculous. Your
cousin viii manage all that for herself
see if she doesn't. They will take walks,
or something
"Oh, if they only would! If the
whole lot of them would take walks,
and keep on walking, and never walk
this way, how comfortable it would be (!
Sue, you are abominably tolerant about
such matters. That miserable Cupid
wish | could hold his wings in the
candle and burn them off. He never
flies but to do mischief somewhere.
How peaceful and happy we all were
together before this sort of thing be-
gam"
.'Take care; he will hear you, and
he's revengeful creature. | believe
him to be the original little pitcher
with long ears,'" laughed Susan.
81 don't care if he does hear me,''
asserted Polly, defantly.
Has Cupid ears? Certain it is that
matters grew worse rather than better
for Polly from that day forward. Fanny
Allen came, and in due time her
lover, according to programme,
and with the latter cousin,
Mr.. Othniel Oliphant, successful
merchant, just home from China for a
| brief visit. His return was not purely
for business purposes. Mr.. Oliphant
was on the lookout for a wife; and
with the prompt decision of merean-
tile man, he elected Polly Patten for
that position on two days. acquain-
lance. A firm believer in the faith that
"falnt heart never won fair lady, ~ and
"nothing venture, nothing have he
offered himself at the end of the week.
and quite undiscouraged by Polly's dis
mayed 'no,n sat resolutely down and
traced his parallels, resolved to gain by
siege what he had failed to win at a
coup by assault. This complication set
the seal to Polly's discontents.
For just imagine what state of
things it makes, =" she told her con-
fidante Sue. "There they sio-the
three sets of ninnies-one in the parlor.
one in the dining-room, one in the
'den, from which poor papa is turned
out bag and baggage; and there is that
abominable O! O! (never did man have
such suitable initials) looming like
doom or thunderstorm all day long,
determined to get me by myself, and
cultivate my acquaintance. How
can he make me care for him, he saws.
If he never has the chance to see me
alone? As if I wanted to see him Or
care for him either! 1t is the most
embarrassing, abominable condition of
affairs. | seriously mediate running
away to teach school-or something.
Home is growing unbearable. ;,
I" Why do you dislike Mr. Olipbant
SO muchP He seems to me very pleas
ant
/" Sue! When he leases the life ont
OF me? declare she is blushing. Are
you turning traitor toopn
s. Moth the least-I don't know what
you mean, that is. What | wanted to
tell you was that we're going to have a
young man of our own also. Nv broth
er Jack is coming home next week.
. How coherent! l declare, Sue, you
make me suspect something. Jack?
He's the one who's been so long in
Germany. Well, l hope you'll eniov
him; but pray keep him to yourselves.
I've had enough of young men, Johns
especially. [ never want to see one
again as long as | live-I think. Ora
cious! there's that tiresome O. %.
strolling up and downin hopes of catch
ing me as come out. 1 declare it is
uncomfortable. Good-by, Sue. I'm CO.
ing home by the back door, if you don't
mind And catching up her bonnet,
Polly vanished, while Susan Gilmore.
with a guilty look in her eyes, and pair
OF red. red cheeks, ties hers on, and is |
sues sedately from the front door, en-
countered Mr.. Oliphant, and presently.
under his escort, walked up the street. |
8 After all, y she thought to herself, "if
Polly can't like him, and doesn't want
him, why notP" Why not, indeed? 1t
was unanswerable.
Another fortnight passed. Cousin
Fanny and her fa'sce went away, but o.
D. still fingered. Polly gave an ex-
;iamation of despairing disgust when
'he learned his intention; but, after all.
ne did not prove the nuisance she had
cared. He had other friends in town
y this time, other engagements, and
lid not haunt the Patterns house every
lay, and all day long, as at first. POLLY
heard OF him often at the Gilmores'.
she saw little of Sue in those DAYS. she