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

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"Jarvis! twenty minutes for refresh
ments," cried the Conductor in hoarse,
loud voice, as he put his head in at the
car door.
Little Mrs Dandy woke up with a
start from the brief nap she had been
taking and looked around for Willie.
There he sat opposite her, his little legs
in their black stockings hanging over
the edge of the seat, his big blue eyes
just like his mother's-looking curiously
out at the throng of people on the plat.
form OF the station.
"Jarvis!" said Mrs. Dandy. $50 we
are nearly at the end of our journey.
Only twenty miles more and we will be
at grandpa's, Willie.''
care you going to buy any fresh
ments, mammal"
"No; grandpa will give us a good
supper. How familiar every thing looks
here. Willie, do you see that large
white house way up On the hill with so
many trees about it? Well, / used to
visit there before l married your poor
papa" and the widow glanced at her
sable garments, and sighed deeply.
"Who lived there, mammals
"The dearest girl friend 1 ever had
Lulu Conway" answered Mrs. Dandy,
a regretful look stealing over her fair,
youthful face.
"Does she live there now, mammal"
asked Willie, who always liked to have
the full particulars given him.
"She is Dead" said Mrs. DANNY.
signing again, "and l do not know
who owns the place now. 1t is nearly
,even years since I paid my last visit
there" and the pretty, blue-eyed
widow, over whose head twenty-six
ammers had flown very lightly, buried
her face in her shawl and gave herself
up to memories of that happy past
when Roger Conway had been her
lover.
81 think I'll get a dwink," MUIR
INJURED Willie, slipping down from his
seat, and walking toward the water.
cooler at the end of the car.
But when he had taken drink he
did not return to his seat. He walked
GU tof the car door, down the steps,
and on to the rough platform of Jarvis
Station.
Mamma won't care," he said soft
~, trying to stifie the voice of con-
science which was whispering that he
was doing wrong. "She ALWAYS lets
me do any thing, and I'll only run
up and down till the tired gets out of
my legs"
Just then he spied at the end of the
platform pretty white rabbit sitting on
It's hlnd legs. pulling at small shrub.
EN- catch it, and carry it to grand
pas" he thought. ssIt will be nicer
Imam the kitten mamma said I should
have.''
But Bunny was not to be easily caught.
Away it ran down a green lane, and in
not pursuit went Willie, quite unaware
tnat ne was chasing the pet and pride
OF the station-master' wife, who had
made the little creature very tame.
When at last, breathless and flushed
with his long run, Willie stopped at the
end OF the lane and looked about him.
ne could not even see the station. Only
over the tops of the trees floated the
smoke from the engine of the train,
and shrill whistle sounded in the dis
lance.
The little fellow was frightened, and,
.o"Soh hio oHoIb icSS were more tired
than ever, he started to run back to the
station. But the train had gene. and
only some rough-looking men were on
the platform.
Willie did not cry. He was too brave
ior that, and was no baby in spite of
his 1--WE years. But he was worried.
knowing how anxious his little mother
would be, and how terrified at his loss.
Dusk had already come on. Soon it
would be dark. What was to be donep
he sat down on a stone near by to
think, too much troubled to notice the
rabbit which went hopping past him in
the station-master's yard.
Suddenly the recollection of what his
mother had said about the large white
house on the hill came to him. and he
rose up, determined to 90 there and ask
the people to keep him all night and
send his mother word about him.
1t was long walk up the hill, and he
was dusty and worn out when at length
he stood in the wide porch and rano The
bell with trembling hands.
The door was opened by tall, hand
some man dressed in gray, who cazed
in surprise at the small, dusty visitor.
Well, my little man, what can | do
for youp" he asked, in a voice SO gentle
and kind that Willie looked up verv
eonfidingly.