The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1881-02-03
On THE YERANDA.

-Scribner'S Bric-a-Bruc.
On THE YERANDA.
The people who owned it called it a
porch, but Miss Hetherington thought
that rather depreciatory way of speak
ing of hereountry resort, for the sum-
mers boarders lived there. The house
might have been very pleasant one
when it was opened, but in the sum.
mer-time it was virtually closed, be-
cause of the flies, and heat, and dust,
and sun, Mrs. Fries said. In the morn
ing the bed in the boarders' room was
nicely made too nicely for consider
ate person to disturb-the furniture all
busted, and put back against the wall,
and the furniture was solid mahogany;
8 the blinds were shut, and indeed the
windows too, and coming in out of the
sunlight one had to grope ones way all
over the house. So Miss Hetherington
went out upon the veranda Immediately
after breakfast, and remained there, if
tsae remained near the house at all, till
bedtime.
Jusfnow it was delightful. She had
just left the breakfast table, but by the
little watch that hung from her girdle
it was already. nine O clock, and the lit
tie watch Kept excellent time. All
through. the meal there had been a
pleasant clickety music from the neigh
boring field. John had told Miss
Hetherington the night before that he
would about reach sthe middle of the
field with his mowing-machine when
sshesleft the breakfast table the next
morning, and sure enough there he was.
What a Hercules was this young farmer
Fries! and a handsome, stalwart fellow,
and fine, frank, excellent nature, and
a gentleman withal. The, Frieses had
always sent their sons to asort of col
iege for a, few years, tQzpolish them up;
then, II they choose to 90 on with a
profession, the money was found for it.
In fact, several of Johns cousins were
Students of divinity, of medicine, aof
law; but John chose to be a farmer, of
his own free will, his mother said. She
was a nice, quaint, wholesome little
woman, whom Miss Hetherington liked
very much, and Mrs. Fries seemef to
return this affection, until john
But that was a matter of course.
"Cela va sans dire, Miss Hethering-
ton said, and felt sorry sthat these little
hobbies of mothers always interfered
with their happiness. She felt sorry,
but not sufficiently so to let it interfere
with her'own. She had begun by liking
Mrs. Fries better than her son. She
amused her and interested her; the old
lady had all that native ingenuity, vigor,
simplicity and honesty of expression
which the few years at college had
cured for John. But of late Mrs. Fries
mad been very busy. IL was HAVING
time and she ,Went to bed. early. Mrs.
FRIES did; not Miss Hetherington, who
disliked going to bed more than any
tMng in the world unless it might be
getting out of bed after she had once
gone to it. AS for John, he liked The
Neon. But there he was. quite in the
middle of the field, as he had sworn to
ne, The, veranda faced the road, fun-
ming the whole length of the house.
some line old horse-chestnuts shaded
the lawn, which extended down dozen
rods or so to the road; then across the
was moving. -
Miss Hetherington put up her glass.
ner ey sight was tolerably good by moon
OF or gas light, but deficient in the garish
hight of day. Without her glass John
and the mower, looked one; she couldn't
.eI where john begafi and the mower
ended. Miss Hetherington put sup her
siass, and just then the veranda made a
peasant picture. A few vines had been
trimmed with a due regard to light and
shaae, but the most of them had. been
ieft 20 their own sweet will, just as the
farming had been left to. John. and
lhere is always something delightful in
tne attributes of an unfettered will.
1ummlng-birds and bees. darning-
needles and butterflies, and all sorts of
winged things, darted in and out of the
blossoms, and a gorgeous spider hung
midway in a magnificent palace made
IN single night. The spider wore black
ana yellow. the fashionable colors, and
so did Miss Hetherington, who was not
oniy handsome creature, but she had
great respect for the accessories OF
oeaaty. The spider paused in the
construction of his palace to look
ae her, and so did John. All at
once the music of the mower ceased,
ana the fine figure at the helm, or
Whatever the governing power of a
mower Is called, took off its wide
orunmed straw hat and waved it in the
sweet summer air; and Miss Hethering-
,on' not to be outdone, took from her
it peit a little trifie of lace and linen, and
also waved it. And heaven knows how
iong this little pantomime might have
zone on If Miss Hetherington had not
neard behind her a peculiar cough; il
was was an apologetic cough-a cough that
oegged to be excused for intrudine-