The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1881-08-11
DIANTHY.


1t was a house perched far back on a
hillside. A long, fair slope, stretching
far away for an eighth of a mile, and
ending in brawling trout-stream, was
the prospect from the front windows,
and over it
.The pure winds moved mid light and shade
the pale-green waves of rye"
In fact, this magnificent rye-field was
the front door-yard. On the right was
patch of fodder-corn and rows of beets
and turnips, and a great barn stood a
stones throw to the left. Back of the
house rose, with many gray, jutting
rocks outlining its steepness, a beauti-
full. round-topped hill, its head crowned
with beech and chestnut and hickory
trees, till it might fifty typify the Boy
Paradise. On the three sides left open
hills were also visible from the cot
tage, the one beyond the field being
the grandest in all the region round
about. 8
The cottage itself, though small, was
neat and convenient, and Farmer Wof-
fray and his wife were fond of chill
dren. Yes. it. would do. And thus
Clearpond became our home for the
summer.
We first saw Dianthy on the evening
of our arrival. She stood at the neat
sink, near the kitchen door, washing
dishes-a great raw-boned. short haired
woman, her shoulders bowed with a
lifetime of hard work and her hair
thickly sprinkled with gray. Her dark
calico dress was made with utter plain
ness. No one could accuse Dianthy of
a"trail y or .'pull- back" Her face
when we caught sight of it was almost
painfully Intent upon her work, and the
deep wrinkles on her forehead and the
hard compression of her lips told that
Dianthy had not been reared ION
fowery beds of ease.n
Law me r she was saying as we
walked slowly by the door, I. them
folks make an awful site of dishes!
Wal, she concluded, with heavy sigh,
'Dianthy. is able to wash 'em.''
Good Mrs. Wofray made some kindly
response to her, then turned to us with
an apologetic smile, tapped her forehead
significantly, and said briefly: III
Born so.o
This somehow made us afraid of Di-
anthy at first, but we soon found out
that her heart was one of the kindest
in the world, and that she had far more
head than many people who consider
themselves very bright. Still, she could
never 6 learn books" they said; and
her house-work consisted only of simple
and regular duties.
A week after we came to Clearpond
New York family game swooping
down upon the Woffrays. They were
Mrs. Bitterman, the Misses Estelle and
: Esmeralde Bitterman and Master Al
gernon Bitterman. the three latter aged
respectfully fourteen. twelve and ten
years AS their names may indicate,
the Bittermans were not particularly
agreeable people. Mrs. Bitterman pre-
tended to considerable money and vast
social prestige. Her character and abil-
itles may be gauged somewhat by one
Of the first remarks that she made upon
reaching the cottage. Dianthy came to
Perform some little Office, and when she
went out Mrs. Bitterman turned to me
with an expression of Mortified amaze
ment:
Who is that creaturep'' she asked
in dismay.
Mrs. Woffray explained, whereupon
the lady sank back into her chair saw
ing' with the air of one who settles it.:
Well, whoever she is she hasn't q
ticle."
Yet Mrs. Bitterlnan had no concep-
tion whatever of wit or humor.
we had lived harmoniously together
iof some three or four weeks, when,
one evening Algernon Bitterman, IA
miiiilarly known as s.Nonnie,'' was taken
Ill. Mrs. Bitterman, who was a most
iheinclent woman, had no idea what to
10, put good Mrs. Woffray provided a
NOT foot-bath for him, gave him dose
oI .. herb tea and put him to bed. 1
ahonght nothing of his attack, but as
passed Dianthy, she pulled my dress and
yetr' -o '''A 'A'o'n
: " What makes you think so?''
Law, he looks bad; know he amt
salougn; Look a-here,n and she
opened her old calico apron, displaying
a.,,, : e,uster OF roots and some green leaves.
!, mats good to rub 'em with. when
my sasy re so, and them's good for tea. I
H. ns,n ran up to the pasture to get 'em
hell need 'em!n
.y ny an early hour, as usual, the house.
hola =, was wrapt in slumber, but short
Z al1er midnight everyone was aroused
~ piercing shrieks from Mrs. Bit
evrman ra. room. and a great connection
seneraily. Sure enough, ...Nonnie''
nasnt 4; Through yet. !" He lay upon
an;,, a,s pea wrlthing with pain. He would
s;s,aenuy s;ssy be in spasm if he was not re-
nSsed n,;s soon, and the doctor was two
'iieS away-up hill at that.