The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1882-10-19
MISSION OR NO MISSION

MISSION OR NO MISSION?
Ls...Nhati is the use of such ugly things,
dezgyou think, Benz" And Fanny
I Browns face was pale with fright as she
drew her dainty little foot away from a
& lagaspetted toad she had nearly stepped
s upon. sv,.+-..-s -s~A-
I "Why, no use, of course" said Ben.
"only to scare silly girls; and they are
neeasla for that, because girls will
sereeehs and squall enough to startle the
man in the moon, if they only see their
own shadow; so they are of no use for
ANYTHING" l-r--
y "Yes; but, Ben, mother says every
thing has q mission; and this toad is a
II fling, SO it must have one.''
20, bah! Mother is mighty smart
and good woman, but she says herself
sbe doesn't know everything; and it's
my opinion that on this particular
point, ; as Squire James would say, she
is mistaken. She is crazy on the SUBJ
leesof missions. But this toad hasn't t
anyElE know. And | believe a good
many people are just like it-of no use
under the sun; don't you, Fanp''
81 do, if Fan doesn't. And | am one
OF thems great, awkward creature that
has never accomplished anything but to
ny up and mar space that some one
else would have adorned. | guess Ben
right. and l belong to the class of
81 people like the toad-of no use under
the sum-" And bitter expression. sad
tsseeen so young face, settled in the
dark ey yes and around the thin lips of
their eldest sister, Sue, as, sitting by a
yasiew, hidden byssthes dark green
B leaves of large lilac bush, she had been
& listening to the children's prattle.
Poor Sue Of naturally sensitive
and gather melancholy disposition, she
Aadr unfortunately, in her early girlhood
heard thoughtless visitor remark that
in aslarge family of children of remark
( aRe beauty, she. was the only ugly one.
and her mirror seemed to her to verify
the statement; for the great black eyes,
straight, raven-black hair, dark com
pledon and thin lips, were a striking
contrast to the other fair faces, with their
lsht, waving hair, that daily surrounded
the family table of the Browns. Her
disposition, too, was unique, and
unlike all by whom she was surrounded.
she had lived an almost isolated life,
tnoughin large family of brothers and
sisters. The brother next in age to her
set had died in infancy, and the twins,
aeife and Dellie, four years younger
TWO gay, bright creatures, as much alike
IN nature as IN names and aoe-had no
heed OF any company or sharer in their
mutual objects of interest, while Fanny
and Ben were as inseparable as sub
sLance st and shadow. Wandering through
me grove IN search of nuts or berries,
pouring over the same lesson or story
oooAs telling to each other all their hopes
anu plans, or forming themselves into
Sei-appointed committee for the |
purpose, they criticised and discussed |
ge merits and dement's of the Brown
iau1iiy as freely as if they themselves
nag no part nor lot in it. So, left to her
ven, she had found companionship in |
pookS whose dear old authors never al /
aaea ., 70 OF reminded her of her .unfort-.
mia.ea ugliness,' as she termed it. And |
Nhlle Nelly and Dellie We're crimpipg
ana frlzzing their hair and ARRANGING
eslf feunces and ruffles. for party OF
A%enlc' she, in careless attire, with hair
Sras @a~n back any wayto keep it out of her
sss, vs.. : was reveling in the scenes of an
sor Ssna history; roaming with agnes of
IulfenfoD through orange groves; fol-
s;sing David Copperfield'' through
aS as weary childhood, or wandering with 4
issa1gelmen in her hopeless search for
"e ioVed and lost But to-day strange
slng 'aa OF unrest had taken possession of
haas hTa nervous dissatisfaction with her +
III IH ala w all by which she was surround F,
turning with restless fingers the II
sa'eS Oh her favorite poet, LonrfeIIow. 4
Hi,s isalm OF Life met her eve. with L.
W,es OF great men all remind us +,
B anae can make our lives sublime,---.--
- Ia, ~ departing, leave behind us
"aPrHlts on the sands of time" p III
uon believe it! There is no sub
sana %l'y 10 be made of my life, and will
az ii y. make any footprints on the sands ,
ha..a nef mat any one seeing, may take ,
,,a again, And, with a rudeness /,
sss snip which might have startled its ,
lses,;s .i rom quiet nap in his chestnut :
~ 81 siae thrust the volume in the book :
anu sauntered down stairs, where ,
M flVed Just in time to see Nelly and !
saa RADIANT in fresh muslin, with rib :
H. st: 70 match, embarking for picnic, .
hanieh she had not even heard. The :
asua T., ana mother gone to the city on I
Sraess, Sn. taking the two little ones with z
ala,,aaan1sa ana she had the great, quiet house 5
A,I. wonder if those butterflies will
sarsy any footprints on the sands of
she said, as she watched the S
s1rl. .e1lpplng Il gaily down the walk, and Q
4 fbsr ss tlie IN merry ripple of their laughter a
HNl ulSa ,-alf II