The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1883-11-15
PEARL.

"Listen, Pearl, and mind all say"
eyes, papa. =
"Can you take care of mother all
day?p
;.Of. course can, papa. Are you
going away?"
ayes; Sam and I have to 90 after
those yearlings. And like as not auntie
won't be home till tomorrow.
What eozy time mamma and |
will have!'
"And, Pearl, if should not be home
ill late, can you call old Snow into the
stable, and push down q little fodder
for her?n
"Yes, papa, and I'll get the chickens
in, too.
''But let everything else go for
mother, dear. Always remember
that
"You know l will, papa
Her words were as earnest as his own
as she ran after him for another kiss;
and he added, as he laid q braid of her
pretty hair against his lips:
III she s the least bit nervous toward
night, don't leave her a moment, my
bird, but let the animals take care of
themselves
Pearl lived on the shore of the great
Mississippi, far down, where Jack
Frost never gets a very tight grip on
things, and lets go very early, as Madam
Spring comes smilingabout. Her father
was getting poorer and poorer year
by year, as his worn out land grew less
productive with every season of slack
tlllage, until he found it hard to wiring
from it living for his small family.
The stock dwindled down to a few
poor ill-kept creatures, which looked as
i fforlornly wondering within them
selves whether it were really worth
while to live or not. Pearls father
had something of the same look him.
self which increased as his wife grew
weakly and gradually sank into the
condition of gentle invalid, content
% be waited upon, without, perhaps,
ever pausing to ask whether she really
stoodin need of it.
You may think Pearl must have had
very sad childhood. But she had
never known any other place nor any
other children, and was so happy in
her own bright, unselfish little nature
as never to have suspected anything de-
pressing In her surroundings. Pearl
IaroFe as nothing else on the place
thTove, even under the burden of care
naich came to her too young shower
ing back upon her mother SO many
earresses and such loving care that it
would be hard to say which looked
most upon the other as child.
=, H get your breakfast pet. Wait
alI you see what I've got for YOU
fearl skipped about in great glee at
oslng left in charge for all day, and,
Aieer the usual amount of small fussing,
saLiled IN the tray with face full of
auuclpatlon OF her mothers delight.
ne nrst branch of Grape myrtle.
soanu 1t peeping out in the sunshiny
soIher OF the old pasture. You poor
dear little mamma'f-a dozen kisses ON
1T, 1T ihln hands-''if you only could go
p pNn me to see all the beautiful things
nM III bring you every one. Papa
aiVaght ne had found the first mag
a0na oud the other day, but / had seen
= .le day before, and never said a
Tofu' No, / won't take single taste
egg. There isn't enough for you. .
Just taste, little one"
Not ore bit. See what great
saoag thing | am! You must have the
eoOa things to make you well. y
1ne lassie set her foot down. and
aAmma never dreamed that there was
= ..ssiaase'hlng u almost heroic in the refusal
ne tempting morsel, the little Girl
saslng Just turned away from her own
aaalnyltng breakfast of bacon and
eoFn-hread.
Inc river looks curiously, mamma
ssa, ssn, she said, chatting over the wild
esefs she was arranging on the table
= 4 sae spread their feast. Il went into
~ s.s BOAT to play, and when wanted to
sS 81 cut the water was between it and
- ,,, more, SO had to Jump.
..v hy, Pearl, are you sure?''
e,ses, mamma; and I was afraid I
aun get in it again; so
aaaed asa'led it and held the rope till it
s,,1, sussee 70 the little bayou, and then I
work, too. . = = - nai =
A., Nan the river be risingP / wish
we're not all away, daughter
Rs s helpless woman looked out of
WINDOW with troubled face. The
lssls lss q the year before had done but
lury IN their neighborhood. the