The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1883-07-05
AN ADOPTED GRANDMOTHER.

Mother, can't we adopt baby?'"
Mrs. Walters looked up in astonish-
ment at the questio Little six-year
old Anne stood there, her blue eyes
dancing, her brown hair blown about her
rosy cheeks by the wind. 81 -
AS there was q small boy in froeks,
nearly two years younger than. Anne,
| and pair of sixteen months twins in
the cradle, the question did seem need
less. Ii q gss5g afs aHasfeff t,sih &
adopt a baby! Why, my dear,
people only do that when God has not
given them one, said her mother. Il
could not possibly take care of another
baby.n @ila @4' iiAs i1ss7i !
sBut could, mamma I'd just do
everything. Mary Lowell's mother has
adopted one, and Mary says it's the cum
ningest little thingin ,ft5s4
4 ''But we don't need it, for we have
more than other people-two dear little
babiesi1iI said her mother, kindly. seeing
| how much in earnest she was.
"Well, l know that, but can't we
adopt somethingp" asked the child,
anxiously.
sob, yes;i find some poor little moth
/ ~ W
best, cause yellow kittens are mostly
drowned This was Bob's advice. Bob
was nine years old, and a great tease.
Don want that. / can get heaps
of cats without adopting them, said the
| child. - e as.
'EWell, a hen Or a goose, then; being
something of a goose yourself, you viii
| know what to do with it, tr
! =" But want something that thinks,'
said Anne, after a moments thought. y
That's not a thinking thing the
Lowells have got, said Bob, pausing
in the midst of his whiting sit looks
like a roll of cottonwood dressed up
and laid in a crib. >" = VIZ
- Butit ISN'T, 1t can just sorean1ll1'
said Anne, earnestly.
'"Then I'm buy you dear little pig,
that can squeal beautifully said Bob.
Make him stop, mamma" cried
Anne, her eyes full of tears. Hes
teasing me- and 1 do want to adopt
something"
adopt me, . said Bob. aid make
you nice. big SON. #G!. sYe ie ~
!" / don't want you. I've got you al
ready" said Anne. kliis.it9 9i'ssfs}5-ii 8
"Why, my dear, whom could Won
adopt?'' asked her, mother, kindly.
You already have a father a mother,
sisters and brothers, uncles and
f''Oh, know nowr cried Anne. sWe
haven't any grandmother! Why can't
we adopt one of them?n
''Well, we might. if we could find a
u Lad 4
for some one to adopt her, said her
mother, laughing, while Bob fairly
danced with fun at the idea. Is, as4fF,,.
g It's not such a bad thought, said
Anne's mother, when she had got over
laughing. "Perhaps Aunt Betsy will
consent to be adopted for few
months.n Gt faaa2
"Splendidr' calculated Anne. .sCan't
we go for her right away? 1t will be
so nicetoi have al grandmother in the
house ;, - ~ ,4 ,,.,,.,,a,.
$50 it will, and perhaps papa will
drive over to Lexington tomorrow, and
see. what she thinks about it, her
mother replied.
Aunt Betsy was the ,children's great
aunt, and, as. Anne expressed it, plenty
old enough to be grandmother. She
lived with steP-daughter, and her son
had borrowed what little money she
had, on interest. PIG 9s ~ 9''istE 20
The son s wife was not an agreeable
woman, and considered her mother-in-
law a great burden. There was one
other son, whom people called wild and
a 'good-for-naught,'' Wanderer- in
California. H'1sH soat3.
.Anne's mother knew that iherOdear.
old aunt was unhappy, and had long
been thinking of asking her to the house
for o. visit. laasEl tifsI --
Anne's idea of adopting a grand
mother gave rise to other thoughts, and
her mother resolved tor offer the old
lady a home, No objection was made
to this plan; her son made his mind
easy about the money he owed, bv pay-r
ing interest, and troubling himself no
further. 800 tsA 8F7s - & 5Nf3
9 1t was, indeed, delightful to feel that
she had home where everybody was
kind and attentive, a pleasant room
with her books, her knitting4work, her
stocking basket close to her hand, while
flowers and vines and pictures made
the walls beautiful. And then to feel
that she was the adopted grandmother of
adear, lovable, laughing little child.
Everybody but Anne called her Aunt
Betsy; to Anne alone she was grand
ma, 7 and the old lady enjoyed the dis
tinction. Ht...s...+
Anne took her under her own. special
protection-she gathered flowers for
her, threaded her needle, took her hand
as they went to church, and sat close by
her in the pew. taking pains to Let
everybody know that. she was her adopt
ed grandma, feeling rather exultant
over the fact that she herself had pro-
vided this luxury for the family.
Aunt Betsy repaid her fondness with
interest. She. dressed dolls, and cut
whole, though rather hideous, families
out of paper. She knit bright little
stockings and nittens, and kept a,store
OF sugar-plums to which Anne had free
access. ~
Fer granddaughterss little rocking
chair sat on the other side of the fire.
place; SO close was the companionship
that Bob called them "our grand
mothers -