The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1881-01-27

am Mr.. Payson of the Mellendale
WORKS." interrupted our hero. with q
sign OF satisfaction as he expanded his
ehllied hands towards the delicious
warmth OF the blaze and felt the subtle
influence OF the generous freight per.
meating his whole frame.
| DO tell"' SAID the old man. who had
by this time swung huge iron tea-ket.
tie to crane over the fire. Eve oot
a granddaughter. who runs a machine
.here: 30 you're the new foreman? Ye
poard at Squire Ames' don'tyep Well,
you re good two mile out of your way,
sir. You'd ought to took the fust right.
hand road by John Middlebrook's stone
mill and then the fust left-hand one,
runnin' whar the Widom Fitch's tavern
Is. But you're kindly welcome to stay
mere all night, stranger, and nv little
gal she IL show you the way in the
mornin'. She was wonderin' what the
new foreman was like and now she'll
get good look at ye. Jest set down
III the big chair, stranger, and make
yerseif comfortable, while l 90 down in
the cellar after pot of apple sass NV
little gal. she comes home pretty tired
OF night and like to save her all the
steps | can. She's workin' dreadful
hard hard for a new cashmere gown for
Ihanksgivin'; and when the taxes is
pald and the interest on the mortgage,
| and"
At this stage of his remarks, the voice
OF Mr.. Payson's host became inaudible,
by reason of his slow descent down the
cellar, with the brass candlestick still
In his hand; and the new foreman was
alone with the purring gray cat and the
red shine of the flames, and the deep
shadows in every portion of the room.
'Well, grandfather, did you think I
was never coming?"
The door had opened suddenly and
admitted a gust OF frozen air. a crowd
OF flying snowhakes and girl all muf-
fled up in hoods and shawls.
Il stopped at Mollie Deans for pat
tern, y said she, land of course we had
to talk little. o, grandfather, with
merry laugh, as she sat down on the
floor to pull off her rubber shoes, sPve
seen the new foreman, and he's as
handsome as picture, and as cross as
two sticks. Hateful fellow! Only
think OF him refusing to change my
machine for me! Mollie and / have
concocted a royal plan. Pm going to
bewitch him, and wind him around my
finger, and make him fall desperately
in love with me, and then shall refuse
to marry him haughtily, and Why,
who is that?"
She sprang to her feet with a little
cry OF terror, for while Mr.. Pavson had
sat bewildered in the vague shadows by
the fireside, and she had ratified on, old
Moses Kelsey had finished his errand
In the cellar. and now came slowly up
the stairway, the candle light shining
in front of him like beacon.
There she is now,'' said he; "'my lit
tie Kitty. Well, my gal, supper's most
ready, and here's good chance to
scrape acquaintance with the new fore
man. He got lost in the snow, and"
But Mr.. Payson rose and laughingly
offered his hand to Kitty Kelsey, who
now stood as if paralyzed in the middle
of the floor.
"Pray forgive my backsliding, Miss
Kelsey" he said. I'm sorry if real
ly was as cross as two sticks.'' AS the
little children say, won't do it again
And am quite ready for you and your
friend to commence the bewitching
process. l dare say shall find it very
agreeable"
Kitty Kelsey could not help laughing,
in spite OF herself.
"Well, suppose it's just about as
well to make the best of it," said she,
''and we will proclaim an honorable
truce for the present, Mr.. Payson."
Kitty was charming all the evening
full of vivacious spirit and arch chat
ter; but Mr.. Payson did not know that
she cried herself to sleep that night
with the bitterest tears she had ever
shed.
''What must he think of me?" said
the factory belle to herself. 'How did
I ever, ever come to make such dread
full blunder?"
While Mr.. Payson was saying over
and over to himself, as he drifted into
dreamland: ''She is the most charming
girl / ever met in my life.''
And, at the years end, Kitty Kelsey
left the Mellendale Works to marry its
foreman and keep house in a pie
turesque little stone cottage upon the
edge of the ravine.
didn't [ tell you I'd do it?" said
Kitty, saucilv.
.You said you would refuse me
haughtiIy," said he.
90" laughed Kitty, Il concluded l
would change my mind upon that point.
But all the rest has come true now,
hasn't it?''
And Anson Payson smilingly con.
fessed that it had.