The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1881-03-17

iileeiy IN, 10 a snug little housekeep.
IL = an 1Anda seemed satisfied, an
contented, While Lord bless ye
mem was as happy man as We need
/ 10 see Tor a good spell, an as nroud 9
man as We could find in a davis search
When my little son came along an GREW
TO know me, an laugh and crow with
fun when l got home, at night. But
ABOUT that time there come on a kind o.
scurclty o work that could do. Times
got hard an money that we'd beer
a-spendin' ruther freely didn't come in
very plenty any more. Then, what with
It all; Linda got sort o. cross and fault
fndln'. didn't seem to do nothin' to
suit her, an once in a while, lest for
comfort, | slipped into dram-shop as
l passed along and took drink. for
which had a sneakin' love that made
me feel ashamed an miserable when
ever give way tot, | s'pose because
my poor, sutferin" mother he'd sech 4
dreadful horrors9 sdrinkin'.. But the
more L done the thing, you know, the
more l didn't care, an this didn't make
matters at home no better. got kind
O confoosed. Couldn't think clear
about my work when | had any, nor do
nothln' | undertook quite egzactly
straight, an people seemed to sort O.
not care for my help. Money got closer
an closer, and we jest lived from hand
to mouth, with Linda never givin' kind
7look- nor speakin' an encouraein' word
any more. An, at last, saws she to me
onesday, s'Tll tell ye what it is, Martin
brown I've put up with your shiftless-
ness jest as long as L mean to, an Pm
goin' to take little Willie an 90 home
to mother, therer'
20 Linda!hsays l., allishaken up by
sech q threatenin' g" don't talk in that
way, don't, Linda, don't. Pm sartin
that I'll have stiddy work now right
along, an won't take another drink
indeed | haiD't took one for a week
an We'll be SO happy agin-don't talk
that way, I'll do ANYTHING ye say
J 80, yes, yes, says she. "you're al
ways goin' to have things all so am so.
but Eve been cheated by ye times
enough. | wish, with all my heart, I'd
married Stephen White, who knows how
to take care O. me as man ought.''s e
My blood boiled up hot at that an
jumped on my feet an said what I never
meant at all, was so mad b. .-..g -,
lord knows,'' says I. 81 wish we'd
married Stephen White! l couldn't
want anything worseto befall him sure,
Ter ye've led me a dogs life ever since
We known aye.n 81 8sA AS@'Ss Na,-4
An with this 1 rushed off like wild
man, an never come back again till
late. at night, an then 4 found Linda.
the child an all the house belongin's
gone. Awfully cut uphI / jest run. with
my heart in my mouth, to look fer her
at her mothers, but the door was
slammed in my face an fer weeks an
weeks | never got sight O. her'nor the
baby, though | walked the streets con-
slant an wrote letters implorin' an, i'm
plorln' an tellin' her that [ never could
live without her it seened to me.
an L never meant at all what / said
about her, 1eadin' me a dogs life. But
she gave no sign O. hearin' word from
me, an one day when was all.wrouglt
up with my distress, l see Stephen
White a-comin' out O. the house where
l was sure Linda was stayin', an all hot
with burnin' rage darted after him as
he went stridin', in his lordly way,
down the street, an jest as he turned
on me l made "a dash at. him that
him to the ground, an afore / |
re lized what / was doin', an thinkin' |
an feelin' that he was the cause of all |
Linda's cruel treatment O me, l !!
snatched my knife out of my pocket
with the mad notion to kill him on the |
spot, but jest then l was caught up by
5he policemen who had been a-watchin' |
ne, an | was hustled Oft to a kind O. |
rial in which | felt, too sullen to try to
make any defense atsaH. SO went to |
states prison, mem for a term o. years
hat shet the door always tween me I
IN Linda, fer when l he'd served out |
ny time, an hurried back, she'd got a
Dill an wasmarried, mem, yes. married
o Stephen White, an Icouldn go nigh
Ter nor see my little boy that they'd
,ut, | was told, where he'd not learn
What a sdisgraceful scamp he had for a
ather. It was dreadful, mem. Il. |.
most broke my heart, Fer L wasn't
'ad man. | loved my wife an loved
ny child as we'll as the best, an it
eemed to knock away the last prop of
lope an encouragement when found
hat nothin' [ could do or say would
ver bring 'em back to, me any more. l
est felt as if there wasn't nothing to
i've fer, an L kind O. give myself up to
.rovin' hfe, not KNOWN NOR carin' 4
There | went, dom an odd JOB here
n there jest to keep the breath in me,
er,, sc mind. mem.it don't make rn.ich4
Inference whether man has anythin'
0 live fer or no, he keeps right on eat-
4 an drinkin' all the same. -. 49,
At first | used to kind o. watch for
linda. who went a-sailin' past in grand
tyle, never seeih' me at all, an +
ooked sharp at every child that came
long the street in the hope that one o.
I'm might be my Willie that was
aby when seen him last, but oh, dear
ord, Pve never set eye on him from
nat day to this, and mebbe you won't
elieye it, but my heart has jest been
ungry fer the boy all these years, mem,
n'sthe sight o. him would make me
tronger man, Pm sure. .@f Ii
Well, bimeby,. when / took it all in
lat, Linda was lost to me, an never
'ould give me a pleasant word nor look
gin. an that | wasn't likely to see the
oy, l felt as though I'd like to get clean :.
way from the place where i d been so Y,