The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1883-04-19
BENJIE,S OLD HAT.

+ He sent me to get Mr.. Coles bill. the
boss did. and he said to hurry up. Well.
] did. Iran all the way there. ard Mr..
Coles he paid IL, and it was forty dol
lars, and took and tucked it into my
hat-band inside, in the sweat" as my
uncle, that's the halter. ca Is it. for
money has been snatched from fellers.
and fellers' pockets hare been picked.
you know
Nobody wanted my old hat, and
felt as safe as bank with the money
that was n it.
And SO go ng home. when I saw jim
and Bill Riggs playing marbles, /
stopped to speak to EN-.
''Come and play" saws they.
Cant" says |. ''Doin' a narrand. !"
''oh, shaw says they. .,just one
Well. l thought had time enough.
and | gave n, and at it we went-and
90 into anything when / do go into it, I
do-and was playing. | can tell you,
for all was worth. when all of sudden
Bill says:
..Henjie. where's your hat?'
My hat!
/ gave howl and put my hand to my
head. 1t was bare.
81 b, fellers," says /, ''don't tease
me! Give it back. 1t got suthing in
to it" But Jim and Bill both swore
thev hadn't got it, and nobody had
passed by but two old ladie and big
gentleman, a regular swell, they said.
! hadn't seen 'em, but they couldn't
want boys old hat. Jim and Bill
turned their pockets out, ands let me
feel their backs. They hadn't got it.
And looked high and / looked low
and ! felt as if was going era v, for
couldn't find it. ! didn't know what
would lie done to me; but I thought
may be L d be sent to prison. And [
thought, considering what my old
granny would say to me, and how she d
feel if she was to see me in striped
suit with chain on my leg. Ed better
go hang myself, only that was wicked
and no knowing where d go to. If |
was 10 run away it would be about as
bad for granny. And if / was to offer
to pay it up out If my wages, | only
got two dollars week, and two times
twenty is forty, and twenty weeks is
most six months; and a Teller has to
have shoes, and | give one to granny
for my board, and how She get me
any without it-for washing dom bring
in fortune--I didn't know.
''Oh, fellersl fellers!'' says /. "Oh,
fel!ers! Pm just done for! It's all over
with me. I've failed. 1 wish some
body would kill me, for there was money
in that hat that belongs to the boss. and
it's stole and gone forever. y
That's rough, Benjie," says Bill.
"Oh, that is rough on you. I"
on hadn't orter stopped to play
with u.s. says jim.
'sNo,p says I. II hadn't orter. What
would you do2"
'+fd own up" says Bill. d
81 d run away, says Jim. Fl think
somebody must have knowed about the
money, and followed you up. And III
think it was the swell old gent. Pick
pockets look stylish enough some
times"
whoever got it. III never have it
again. says l. "Good-by. fellers.
May be you II never see me no more.''
And off went
Iwasn't sure Jim hadn't got it, but l
knew about Bill. Bill was square,
| went ofiice-ways at first Then I
turned back and went towards gran
ny's. | felt like I'd die. and / wished
[ would thought if | did. granny
could tell EN- afterward. So up went.
md there she stood at table, sfarchinr.
poor old soul "a IS TO
why, Benjio.'' says she, :. what
brings you home so early, and where's
your hat?n af91ssg
Well, when she asked that | broke
Town. hadn't cried since / was a lit /
lie teller. but beloved then.
"Oh, granny" says /. ".some one
'tole my hat when / was playins mig /
yles! Oh. granny! grannyh'
"Twasn't much fur hat" says
''You don't know how much it was.
granny" says L
Your on y one, says She Poor
BOY! I'll lend you my night-cap to-
Dom laugh says !. ut may be
ny death, granny" 4
"Haye you caught cold. BenjieP'
'ays she, 9 or were You ashamed of a
bare head? See. lad; don't fret It's
III joke. Your ncle Frank did it.
our uncle. the halter. He'd brought
1ou new hat from the shop and see
ng you playing in the street, ust blind
Ind deaf to eVeryth ng, he slipped Of
With your old one to tease YOU. There
he bright new hat on the shelf in q
PAPER, lined with silk and the picture /
" cherub inside. on bit Of a gold /
'aF e.. looking out Of a window with
sis brother"
Uncle Frank took my bat, ard It's /