The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1883-10-18


ing about2
1.-The bug-man! the bug -man!'' they
were shouting, trotting toward her with
all their might on their sandy little feet.
1t was certainly strange. Why should
a stranger call twice. That he should
come once was not surprising-but
twice? r.Et gare.s.- etN,.-F.F
ave showed him your photograph, -
said Popsey, "and he said you didn't
look like an old maid a bit.
''And he said,n went on the terrible
infant. without a pause, wasn't we
proud to have such a nice sister he
wished he had and he had such lot of
bugs he puts them to sleep with medi-
cine and puts pins through 'em and he
has gold watch and he let us wind it
up and we told him to come again some
more and here he is!'
Charlotte was speechless, but in some
way she found herself rising to her feet
to meet a gentleman who was taking
off his hat to her and bowling with a
grace which even Grandfather Bran
tome would have approved
miss Brantome, i believe.n s.
She acquiesced in silence.
81 am gathering materials for an
historical work and was directed to vow
for information concerning the antiqui-
ties of this region. And | might as
well say now that l have references and
all that sort of thing E-t
"Then you are not = She
stopped; he smiled.
''No | am not exactly bug-man, as
these little fellows have called me,
although | must plead guilty to slight
leaning in that direction. Yet just now
l would joyfully part with the biggest
bugs of my collection if in exchange l
might examine your grandfather's pa
pers.
He was so gracefully genial that one
could no more be absurdly dignitied
with him than with the golden robin
singing on the Indian cross.
ssWill you walk in?'a E4fsxstK
II viii sit out here instead, ii you
will permit me.
So Popsey and Wopsey dragged a
chair and then stood motionless and
wonder-eyed, listening to the talk of
discovery and adventure. They did not
understand it very Welt until the con-
versation turned to Indian lore. In
dians and bears they could comprehend.
Then the mother, attracted by strange
voice, drew near the door in her
melancholy, wavering way.
"The Postmaster's wife thought that
La Sale was an Indian Chiet,n Char
lotte was saying, ''and she had heard
of Father Marquette, but supposed him
the priest down at La Paz. Her opin-
ion of him would not have made him
vain. She does not believe in Pop.
perry as she calls it. -
81 met woman the other day who
thought herbarium was bug" re-
marked Mr.. Duncan. Then they
laughed.
But everything comes to an end.
The boys began a dumb show behind
the strangers back to indicate to their
sister that they were perishing of
hunger; SO she let the conversation lag
in order to end the call
'.Come tomorrow and see the papers
if you like she said. ''It will'be Sat-
urday, and shall be at home to answer
questions. s."
He thanked her and withdrew, Jump.
ing over the rail fence which skirted
the field of rye in order to get a near
view of the cross, on which not one, but
dozen, golden robins, were now hold
ing vesper conelaEe And the tea
kettle was soon singing in the Brantomes
kitchen a song as gay as that of the
robins, and Charlotte was not her usual
careful self as she picked the straw
berries for tea.
"Half of them green" said the dis
gusted Wopsey. aspect she's think
ing Of the bug-man.''
1t certainly was astonishing how
much consulting the Brantome manu-,
scripts needed. And, too, Mr.. Duncan
required so much assistance. 1t was
Miss Brantome, will you kindly read
this list while I copy itP' or, 4'Iiss
Charlotte. really l can't make out
whether this is an or an 4, all the
while. Grandfather Brantome, would
have begun to inquire as to marriage
settlements and Scotch pedigrees had
he been alive to see those chestnut locks,
innocent of bangs, and that dark mus
taehein such dangerous proximity. 1t
was the old story-two young heads
bending over the same page. No word
of love had passed. All was onastrictly
business basis, = the correctness of the
History of the Missions of the Northwest
the objectiver ainis rs ILEGY ,2&f1Al
But at last there was no excuse for
longer. . The hills across
the prairie. were red and. gold, the rob-
ins had fed. and the grain around the
little burying-ground cut and slowed
away.
Charlotte was walking home as usual,
Far away in the road two moving dots
which developed into the
twins as they eame nearer. Tears
were cutting briny burrows down their
not very clean cheeks. Hysterical
sobs alone came from their mouths as
they tried to speak, but finally sisterly
intuition eliminated these words from
the choas:. z-.
Mother has runned away! She said
she would if We didn't stop pounding,
and We didn't, and she has runnedr'
That poor motherl She hadsmadeI
the same threat hundred times before,
but had been pacifed.
Which waya Tell me quickly"
l. L. ~ - L. y go