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

A Child from the city, spending the
summer near Bassett, came now and
then, to school as a sort Of pastimee and
brought with her doll that really went
to sleep when you laid it down: shut its
bright blue eyes, and never opened them
until it was taken up! u rs sr97 =
1t seemed to lonely little Nancy that
such a doll would be all anybody could
want in the world. If only Nancy, had
such a dear lovely creature to sleen. in
her bed at night, and sit up in the door
beside her while she knit. she knew She
would be perfectly happy but that
could never be. However,. after much
dreaming. wishing and planning. one
day a bright and desperate idea came
across her. That night she asked a
great many questions of Miss Roxy.
who at last gave her a sharp answer
and told her to hold her tongue: Init
the child had found out all she wanted
toknow. and did not mind the crossness.
Next morning she got up very early.
and, stealing acrossthe garnet, took an
old book from dusty pile on a shelf.
then with a pair of scissors She had
brought up overnight she cut out 4
blank leaf, andpinned it, carefully fold
ed, into the pocket of her dress. .isiar,
She did not go out-of-doors at the
school recess, but took the pen with
which she had been writing her COPY.
and, smoothing the paper out, wrote this
queer little letter: -Ttsa1Hsas D. zsfzEg
D ,IIs G 7; u am poor little gurl
mEo nits mittins Tor Miss Roxy. 7 am bound,
out and 1hayent gjt no folks OF my own. not
so much as Il Very small baby. II wish had
dol. am allonesum. viii you send NEE
dol My naim is Nansy Peck. and live to
the dol - ssxs.ls : ny y NAssy ' PR pcs !0'
ifIhe1letter once written, and waved
up and down under the desk to. dry.
the paper was pinned into her pocket
again, and when the next pair Of nit
tens She knit were done, pressed.
caught together withla bit of warn, and
sentup bysher to the trunk, the daring
and odd little note was slipped safely
inside one of them and lay there sew
eralimonths nndiseoVe red.,y 49, s ;lii'
One bitter cold day, at the, end OF the
next November, q young man came
hastily into john jackson sshop in st.
Joseph. Ns@ssa i sss.iss. V ses,s sa9sSs,s ~
i, 20. HulloH'' he said. -. I want pair
OF. those knit mittens Of yours. T.
ordered Otto the Denver station, and
they do say it's colder n blazes there.
Handling express packages amt real
warm work. .anyhoW!'' T,s'.' 'sA e 7s,h
4 Andaso, while little Nancy, washing
potatoes forsdiHner, wondered who had
got her mitten with the letter~in it, Joe
Harris, Adams Express Agent for Dem
yer. was cranlming the pair into his
pocket. The next week a ;snow-squall
with agale and "a half of wind sWooped
down on Denver with all fury, and the
new agents teeth chartered and his
hands smarted as ne stood waiting for
the train that had just aWhistIed; he
pulled the heavy rmittens Aout OF his
overcoat pocket, ,twitched them apart,
and. sticking his left hand into one of
them. found the note. He had no time
to look at it then, for there was, work
on hand; abut that evening, in the bare
little roomn at the hotel,Fshe took the
letter out OF his pocket, and, , bic, strong
man that he. was, two great tears
hoped out Of his. eyes onto the eager,
anxious little letter.s..Il Is rsg.s.sd ts.7s,4
I y BY jinksi she shall have her dollyp'
he exclaimed, fetching his fistldown on
the rickety table, where his lamp stood,
with n sthnmp, that almost sent lamp
and all to the door. But how to get il?
Denver was no place then, whatever it
is now, to buy dolls, and Joe was much
disturbed at it; but 1t happened that
the very next week he was recalled to
st. Louis on some business which must
be seen to in person; se,s Just as soon as
his errand was done, he went about TO
all the toy-shops until he was satisfied
ut last with adolf. And well he might
be! the dolly, was of bisque, with nova
bic eyes and real golden hair, joints in
her arms andtlegs, and a face. almost as
lovely as a real baby; for a baby doll it
was, in; long clothes, with, little corals
to, tie up its sleeves and tiny socks on
its feet Joe had itboxed up carefully,
directed to Miss Nancy Peck, at Bassett.
Vermont, and then. stepped into the
express Office. told the story. and read
the aletteraa The Superintendent, had
little girls of his own. d i,sz sfsssasasu.
7, :. II shall 90 free all the way there
he, said, and wrote on the outside:
4. Pass along the, dolly. boys! get it
there by Christmas, sure. Free. 5X.Y.Z.p
So the sdoilibaby began it's journey;
and the story doe Harris told at st.
.Eouiss was told and retold from enc
messenger to anpther, and many a
smile did it rouse on the tired fares;
and here one man tied on a gold dollar
wrapped in paper and tuekedit under
the box lid, and there another added a
box of candy. and another bundle of