The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1881-11-10
aar Rou',g 8tadtrs.
WINIFRED,S ADVENTURE.


WINIFRED'S ADVENTURE.
How strange it all seemed to little
Winifred! One year ago, or. as she
reckoned it, one snow.time and one
fiower-time ago, she was living in Bos-
Ton, and now she was in the wilds Of
Colorado. TWAS . great change-this
going from comfort and luxury to q
place where comfort was hard to lind,
and luxury not to be thought Of; whore
they had q og-hut instead of a house.
and pig in place of "a poodle. But, on
the whole, she enjoyed it. Her father
was better, and that was what they
came for. The doctor had said Colo
RADIO air would cure him. And though
mother often looked tired and troubled.
she certainly never used to break forth
into happy bits of song when father was
III in bed, as she did now that he was
able to help cut down trees in the forest.
Besides. who ever saw such beautiful
blue flowers and such flaming red
blossoms in Bostonp And what was
the frog-pond compared with these
streams that now, in the spring.
time, came rushing through the woods
silently sometimes. and sometimes
SO noisily, that, if it were not for
theirsparkle when they passed the open.
sunny places. and the laughing way,
they had of running into every chink
along the banks, one would think they
were angry. Yes. on the whole, Wini-
fred liked Colorado; and SO did her
little brother Nat; though, If YOU had
told him Boston was Just around the
corner he would have started to run
there without waiting toput on his cap.
Such little mite OF afellow Nat was,
and so full Of sunshine! Only one thing
could trouble him 2and that was is be
away from mother even for. half an
hour. There was something in moth
err way of singing, mothers wav Of
kissing hurt little heads and fingers
mothers way OF putting sugar on
bread, and mothers way of rocking
tired little boys. that Nat approved Of
most heartily. He loved his father.
too. and thought him the most power
full wond-cutter that ever swung an ak,
though really the poor man had to stop
and rest at nearly every stroke.
See these two children now trudgino
20 the little stream near by, quite re-
solved upon having a fine rocking in
fathers canoe! This queer boat. made
OF bark, and sharp at both ends, was
tied to stake. Now that the stream
was swollen and flowing so fast, it was
line fun to sit, one in each end, and get
" bounced about as Winnie said
" You get in first, because you're the
littlest,n said Winnie, holding her dress
lightly away from the FLASHING water
with one hand, and pulling the boat
close to the shore with the other ~
No. y0u get in first, cause you m
girl" said Nat. II don't want no
lelpin'. Pm going to take off nv toos
md tockies first, cause NANNY said i |
night s'Fs
Nat could say shoes and stockines
quite plainly when he chose, but every.
body said = toos and 'tockics' to him: |
% he looked upon these words, and
many other crooked ones, as q sort of |
of Nat, which all the world /
you'd speak if they only knew how.ta
In at last-both of them-and fine |
'ocking they had. The bushes and /
rees threw cool shadows over the |
'anoe. and the birds sang, and the blue |
KY peeped down at them through little.
penings overhead, and, altogether.
With the FLASHING water and the birds I
nd pleasant murmur of insects, it was
lmost like mothers rocking and sing
ng.
At first they talked and laughed soft.
Y. Then they listened. Then they
aiked very little. Then listened |
gain, lying on the rushes in the bottom
I the canoe, Then they ceased talk
1g, and watched the branches waving
and, at last, they both fell I
ound asleep. 81
This was early in the morning.
iother was very busy in the cabin,
tearing away the breakfast dishes.
weeping the room, making the beds,
llxlng bread. heating the oven and
DING q dozen other things. At last
ne took plate of crumbs and. scrans
nd went OUT to feed the chickens. II
Winnie! Natn' she called "a sha /,
epped out upon the rough door stone.
Come, feed the chickens!' Then she
1ded, In surprised way, to herself:
Why, where in the world can those
hildren be9 They must have stopped |
the new clearing to see their IA
ler.'
At dinner-time she blew the bio tin
orn that hang by the door. and soon
er husband came home alone, hungry
nd tired.
"Oh, you little witchcs!'' laughed
le mother, without looking up from
or task of bread-cutting. q How could
~ stay away SO long from mammal
ired. FrankPs
" Yes, very. But what do YOU meant
here are the yOungstersPi
She looked up now and instantly ex- ,
aimed in q frightened voice, as she ]
u out past her husband: I,
"Oh. Frank! I've not seen them for
70 or three hours! 1 thought, to be | !
re, they were with you. They surely Il
ouldn't have stayed all. this time in
70 canoer' 8
He followed her, and they both ran
the stream. In an instant, the moth
!, Fastening on ahead through the
'shes, screamed back: .sOh, frank !
'ank! The canoe is gone ~
ALI that long. terrible day, and tha
'xt, they searched. They. followed
g stream, and at last found the canoe
but II was emptyl In vain the father
ID mother and their only neiphbor
audarad fhrovyrh <hc $780, -