The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1882-04-27
So the children were carried up stairs
and tucked in the cooks bed and went

-
home.
Next morning I found my little folks
warm and rosy in the kitchen with the
cook.
My own house was little quaint, and
old-fashioned, but wife and 1. loved it
more than we could have dona any
stately mansion on Fifth Avenue.
But itgWas q quiet house. =
The reason? - ss
Perhaps, some day, wife will let YOU
peep at her treasures. She Keeps them
In drawer. Only q little torn hat, "a
whistle, a drum, a pair of shoes. Well.
our house WASH always quiet, and wife
was merrier in those DAYS. Our boy
would have been nearly old enough for
college, now fT efTag asa iss5asy
took the children home to see wife.
and her soft motherly heart leaped up
when she saw them. ~
Peeping into the Sitting room Just be-
lit up, telling about: MY mother, my
beautiful mother.''
"She used to do the sewing for the
stores all the day long, and often through
the night But they would hardly pay
anything, and sometimes we had no din
ner or supper till the work was taken
home. She looked so beautiful then,
because, In the afternoon the roses came
into her cheeks and stayed all the even
ing. But in the morning she was pale.
oh, SC, pale!I SEW 2lS15
One day mother went out to take
some work home. 1t was cold and
windy and we had had nothing to eat all
day. AT last she came back with bread
and tea, and wood and coal for fire.,
The basket of wood and coal was heavy.
and did not know she had it until she
set 1t down on the floor and sat down by
the window. Ralph?' she called. 1
sprang to answer, but there was mother
with handkerchief ito her mouth. o,
mother mine!"s ssss@@ - "a
81 called the neighbors but they could
do nothing, only one ran for the doctor
and came back without him.
- Idid all there's was to do,s T would
not let them touch her. She was ma
mother. / chafed her hands until at
last she opened her eyes, then her lips
moved and she whispered: s'Snowdrop,'
Ralph, and cried: Zsaax9
. o mother we are here! Please don't
go! o mother, live! o mother, mine,
live! But only aquick CULVER came over
her face, and her hand sought oriSnow-
drop" -, - .s.-s. .4-.
Il put her hand on Snowdrop' golden
curls, for she seemed to grope in dark
ness. - 1e#s'
ass'Ralph.' she whispered, take-care
of Snowdrop and God ~ keep
yo-rny-chi1 1A'' 1sl@ 1+sSa& g5>1@s
..She could not finish the word"
- Ralphp' y
ID Il bent. bent sgsE g hers but only sss beard
.sThey took us children away, and
then they buried mother in a big grave
yard,s 8 1*s s-t sslsts OK 7+EE
Zone of the women in a roomnext to
ours took US, but they were poor, and I,
though I sought for work, could get
none. They said / was too young and
turned away. And yesterday Mrs.
Burns husband came home drunk, aud
he knocked my little Snowdrop over be-
cause she was Bind and could not see to
get out of his way. Then he cursed her,
and Just went up and struck him lie
ordered us out, and we went into the
street just as the snow was beginning to
fall and we walked. till we were so tired,
and We Thought we'd sleep on the door
step.ssS aiy1nash8 Esssn 9Nssg isiess}9
" We went up that fine street because
we knew rich people lived there, and I
was telling Snowerop about the beauti-
full rooms we could see into when the
I forgot my. patients as I listened to,
the boys $ story. But when saw the lit.
tie birdie safe asleep on wife s lap and
her arm about Ralph, then went ON ray
round.
I had long round that day and it
was late when reached home When
/ did saw brighter light in wife eyes
than for many day, and a flush on her
cheeks as if she were growing young
again. rs hes2t4ssiAs
The children were off to. bed and wife
took me up to look at cher. Ralph
turned over and murrnured: s'Snow-
After tea wife came to her place on
my knee, Just as in the old honeymoon
days, and /, ,knevwhat vas coming. But
she didn' t. say. o. word, only. looked
SGTdlSub lutO Tue uTe, anu Il, tOOklug
closer, saw the tears gathered in her
eyes. So I didn't wait for her to ask bnt
said:
'ssssYes, wen keep them.p .ps@ Sax1E'
Then the tears ran over and she turned
and kissed me; kbut she could not speak
for the quivering of her lips and / knew
she was thinking of frankie in Heaven.
The children stayed; the house grew
and vile younger as the years
sped on. .s.lsy5ss
Ralph has grown to be a man and my
practice win fall into his hands. Wife
says he won marry, his heart is so bound
up in Snowdrop. But perhaps WE'LL
there is no knowing.
We cannot spare Snowdrop. for she
knows the old home from garret to base
ment.. Who would sing and pleyyfor us
ii the evenings, and warm my slippers,
and do all the other things she does for
wife and h3eR No, we couldn't. spare
our sunshine. our sweet spring flower,
,ur Snowdrop. Golden Rule.
One 81 Washington Irving Sunny
letter. tells about man who, in going
fr,,,, a l.xror rfu OF which ho 1