The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1881-03-24

They were in comfortable room at
the depot hotel. and everything had
been done to make the sick woman
easy, but it was apparent to all that she
would never resume her travels to- the
East. She was going on a greater
journey-the one we must all take
sooner or Later, AS they gathered
about the bed-the doctor and a. few
sympathetic strangers who had volun-
teered their services-it was plain to
see that the end was approaching.
"Does she know you?'' asked the
doctor of the little wizened man who
sat on one side of the bed holding the
wan, white hand.
81 reckon she Does" was the quick
answer. Nell! who be I? Look,
Nell; does you know me right peart?r
:, The sick woman Enclosed her dark,
bright eyes, already filmed with ap-
preaching death, and stared vaguely
into space. 2i .fIC1 II .T51DsH4f1
L kin tell yer voice. she said, in a
sharp, metallic tone; e it's you. Hiram;
.whar's the baby Pr n lt'u. "a III I
81 s HUSH. said the man, lifting
crooked ,forefnger;' g the baby's been
la-dead sixteen years, and she thinks o1
that now. Amt that d good sign, doc
torp be she gettin' betterP'' = Sill
b r The doctor did not answer; no one
spoke, and the sick woman closed her
eyes again. =. a(t;,t,g,,,cyl, al .,Il.o,f..s
say, Nell" said the the man, 4, taking t,ksil "a an
old-fashioned silver watch from his
pocket and holding up the white face
that she could see it, /" what's the time
O. dayp'' :aw0iiai !
The woman looked and CROPPED feebly
with her hands. .jss Strike q, light" she
said, family; II can't see, .'twixt dav-
light and dark; it's darkern usual ter
night 'l '''t. ~ -
"NeI,' said the man, fondline the
thin hand, sshow old be little Arthurp'
"a year,n-a-half,l Hiram don't let
him get cold. he's so little and thin.,g /
: You see, she knows me,'' said the
man, 'triumphantly;o .'..it's1 kind OF
material for her to be allus thinkin' Of
the baby; he was just that old, too, but
it's sixteen years gone sence then
Nen!n n II y ( Il uoJf1s,9 dld[
"Yes, Hiram; what you want?',. Il
.gf'S'pose-spose you shouldn't never
get WeH-s pose--spose We don't go
East ,F.-.,.ft-s ~
I'm goin', East said the, y woman,
slowly; q IN goin' East with the baby.
'Tain't nothin' but hard work and
Inconsistencies but here, and I'm dead
tired. I'm goin' East, Hiram, ct go
alonerfI Il ,0c r .8G'iees1 hJaI
''She was raised East said the
man., and she's allus had yearnin'
for it; but never reckoned she cared
powerfully, till she got sick. Mebbe
it'll make her we'll right off, doctor,
what der you thinkP' and the poor fell
low s face auiyered with anxiety i5I
:" Let her Sleep. said the doctor, alb
rpptly. as the tired eyes closed, and
then everybody left them alone. the pa
tient man patting the thin hand he
held, and saying: ''Pore 1eetle hand,
it's done heap of hard work, fust and
last. - t--Gf IL i ,aQlj3o1 ajaE
The next morning the man stood
alone on the platform at the depot,
looking old and frightened, with his
homely carpet sacks and bundles. He
never once took his eyes off the white
deal box, SO small, so narrow, that
stood on the truck near, or seemed to
know when he was hustled into the
ears, and the train "goin' East moved
off. After all, she had reached .sthe
East" before him. Detroit Post.