The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1881-01-20
A Practical Joke.

The mischief that thoughtless bows
sometimes do by their practical jokes b
Unreasonable. and as often unknown
to them. A while since, lady was con.
versing with dear friend, who made
the remark that ''she had never been
the same person since her fall"
The lady answered that she had never
been informed in regard to any iniury
from which she was suffering.
81 thought had told you," she re.
piled. at happened twenty years ago
] \ lou noticed the scar upon my forehead
1t is from the wound then received
We were moving, and | went out in
great haste, and was walking very brisk
ly, when | stumbled over a cord that
some boys had fastened across the
street, where the workmen were re.
pairing the gas-pipes. l fell directly
into the trench, striking upon my fore
head and also breaking my lett arm
in three places, so that the bone
pierced through the flesh. Twas taken
up senseless, the blood streaming
from my mouth, nostrils and ears; and,
as we were in a new neighborhood,
no one recognized me. and was taken
to a saloon near by and seated in o
chair upon the sidewalk. Of course,
l was soon surrounded by curiou
crowd, among whom came q poor old
woman, whom | had befriended in her
poverty. Through her exertions my
husband was found and was taken
home. Several physicians were sum-
moned, all of whom advised that / be
allowed to die in peace, my injuries
being considered fatal. But at the en-
treaties OF my husband and friends, OPP
erations were performed, and as lived
through them, the physicians took cour.
age. At four different times the probes
were introduced into the forehead tore
lieve the pressure upon the brain. As
the use of chloroform was then I'M
known, l had to endure to the uttermost
the excruciating torture the operations
inflicted.
81 was insane for weeks, and it was
three months between the first and last
operations. So you can judge OF the
extent of my sufferings.'
'.Since you make no illusions to the
broken arm," said the lady friend, 81
infer that it gave you less trouble than
your head"
"My arm healed very well, but has
been comparatively useless ever since.
l was formerly fine pianist, but since
the fall cannot use my hand at the pr
ano, and it is so weak that it is OF little
use for most practical purposes. 49,,
Were the boys ever discovered:
inquired her visitor.
"No. A reward of hundred doi.
lars was offered, but they were NOT
found. Possibly they never knew the
evil their thoughtlessness caused. but
that little cord across my path has al
ready caused me twenty years OF suher,
ing, for have not seen well day since:
Now, BOYS, you who have read TINS
incident, pause and ask yourself II ever
you were guilty of thoughtless deea
like this.
1t is not by any means an uncommon
thing for boys to do in the city, tn.'
stretching of cords across the sioe,
walks; and we have known seVefai
people to be injured by them:
Let this unfortunate ladys expen,
ence be warning against all practlca'
Jokes that are liable to inhict INJURY.
Many boys do not distinguish between Zen
mischief ana fun. Whatever can in)u,'
another is mischief. Humanity speah
ing. death would have been preierau.'
to the fearful pain and lifelong suns,
ing caused by the boys who niics'N
such injuries upon that lady. g., aha
/ might tell you how Dean'li Sannv
was at the time of her fall; now nspY
as a young bride; how kind ana peh hos
client and Christian she still Isl noS
especially tender toward children =. ALL al /
what a friend to the poor. Ana ye.
her life has been embittefed 0y luz
chievous boys.-Go9de1s gayS'