The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1883-04-26

dlOHSi ne turned TO his men, and to
finish my walk. Al week later she was
unable to leave her room.
3 Iwent into the old-fashioned bedroom
to see her one night. after our Barly tea.
She was lying with closed eyes, and I
feared to disturb her; bat she looked up so
sweetlyl that drew arocker to The side
of her bed and asked her if there was
anything | could do. She shook her
headagentlys and asked me if Il was not
lonesome in their quiet life. told her:
''No, indeed! The quiet and freshIair
and absence of excitement are luxury to
me. Then | have SO much reading
want to Doll O. ssEg.f3 -.s S,{t
"Ah, yes she sighed. '.when 1 was
married | longed to read, but there was
no time. l Sometimes think I shall
never read again. !" fafe
81 thought of the thinking that went
on day after day, and alas, night after
night; and / trembIed for her reason.
Then something prompted me to break
the pause that followed by saying: !. You
must miss the little ones the dear God
Ishas taken from you, very much '--and I
was sorry the next instant, for great
spasm of pain swept across her face; but
with it [ had learned the secret of her
WEAKNESS. She said, with evident eff
fort:
I Il have mot, been. strong since baby
came and went. And must get well,
there is somuch to be done before win
ter sets i'm She opened her eyes
brown eyes they wereAa and theiight of
Alice CalyFs lines
''Her sick soul aweary with waiting
Came up to look out of her eyes"
Jenny, the dairymaid, came in forjsome
| directions and | went up stairs with that
look haunting NE. A few days latershe
was feverish and decidedly worse.
II wish you'd go in and see her, if
you wouldn't mind" her husband said,
as inquired for her as usual after sup
per- Then, instead of putting on his
broad -brimmed hat and following his
brother to the barns, he took it off again
and fingered the rim slowly, I waited
for I knew he wanted osay something
Farmer-folk. are general I vsry1 silent.
Silence is the rule,i conversation the ex-
ception. And when they do speak they
have something to say. So I waited,
and he said. after clearing his throat and
looking out of the open door:
'1f she would just CRY or sleep. She
has not she'd a tear since the baby died.
II Thought she bore Hp real well. but a
woman who came over to help lay itiout
said she hoped she'd have crying spell
soon.A 1 didn't think so much abouti6
then, but reckon 'twould have been
better a-5
..sHaslshe no mother or sister to come
and stay with her?a'' / asked. He shook
his head 'ePAA - %Nsa ss@
"Her mother died soon after we were
married, and she was an only child. /
have sister, but she has little children
and could not .eome.f even il Minnie
wanted her. Our farmhouse is un-
usually far away from any neighbors,
and those nearest have never been such
as She was used to, or cared to see much
Il never realized until lately how lone
some she sheen. pses ,sses tszFF f8T
/ thought, of the years spent in
this isolated life. The leaving all girl
hoods associations and friends in the
distant New England State and coming
to this new,s strange life; of the babies
who had come like CLEANS of sunshine,
and then were. snatched away. to leave
hthes lonesome nlonotony almost unen-
durable;zof the settling down to hard,
unceasing work that filled the empty
hands bptnot the aching hearts of the
last baby who had come like whole
flood of sunshine to the lonely house and
mother heart, and the three months in
which she held her. darling close-so
close! andfhen 4oh ,hoW could itbeisthe
bright, beautiful boy must be laid with
the others in the grassy slope. L thought
of all this as Isleft the diningAfooin and
crossed the hall to her door. The warm
sunset came in through the western win
dow I she was lying with gher face to-
ward it, the far-awaY, hungry look ip
her eyes. - x
Mrs. C----.'''I said. gas I took her
thin, feverish hand in mine, :" is there
no ouosWho could COME and stay with
you, whom you would love to have near
you and eane. foryoh2Y. I'd
" No one,' she said, YEARLY.
T" How You must wish for your mother
now, / went on. 90 = =
ssAtather, ''Gslie repeated, catching at
the word; "Mother2 Yes, 1T is mother
Iwant now. How L do want her! need
, my mother now. .7a+y.sf s1.f.,W
1t was aowoman of thirty five living
before me, yet it did not sound childish
1t came to her like fresh thought; as of
something 50, impossible it, had not oc-
scurred to her. If I could only bring
the tears to her eyes, thought, as. Ire-
membered her husband ) words, s.ff she
would only cry or Sleep A silent prayer
went up from nlysheaft to the spitying
Father in Heaven, and like an inspira-
gtion come those beautiful verses of Eliz-
abetlsAskers AlAen<s I : aaTes RI -
3" Do you, care for poetryf?'' I asked,
sas she started To turif the subject. a.
"I used to-" she answered.
" Now it you'll close your eyes and
try to sleep | want 70 repeatsom to you
/ know you'll Ike. She smiled SADLY
@but shut ltkenr and rested her cheek on
her other hand like a tired child. And
Ibegan: e. ,s % 40 .
Backward, turn backward, o time, in your
flight,
Make med child aeainsiust fer t6srghtss Z = >.
Mother. come back from the echoless shore,
rake me again % yoar heart as of yore.
Kiss from my forehead the fufrews Of care.
smooth the few silver threads out of my hair
over my ssiumber your ioEing watch keep. -