The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1884-06-12

way.
And Aunt Nancy would cry and the
children howl, and there would be some
added delicacy at the sufferers plate |
for the next meal.
There's only dozen eggs in the
house" that sanity woman would OBJ
serve. ''Now, children, Tn going to |
cook those for your poor father-don't |
one of you ask for eggs.
But when he reached the last egg one
of the tempted children would pluck |
up courage to hint for it. Uncle 'Lisha |
would look at that child with counte-
nance of meek reproach and say:
''Yes. take it, take it, and let your
poor, sick father starve.
There was no chance for Aunt Nancy
to have any pet ailments. If she was
sick and complained, Uncle 'Lisha
would say;
1--we felt just so, MOTHER and that
settled it. If he was going anywhere
he would put in the saving clause:
"If live, and Nancy well. p"
Her headaches were mere chimeras
of the imagination.
'sI've suffered worse and never men
toned it-sullered like wintergreen,
he would add, as if that were tho ne
plus ultra of misery.
Every year or two he made new
viii, and every dav he advised Aunt
Nancv what to do when he was gone.
In their early married life, when the
children were small, he had dreaded
that she would marry again, but in
later years this fear had no place in his
thoughts The children themselves
| ,,ya,.a ~ ,.s;oI opI oropa an1 Amt
Nancy was an old woman with a white,
hair--not really old, but worn out-her
life had been such perpetual echo of
Uncle 'Lisha. He didn't like company,
so she didn't have any. He never
wanted to go anywhere, SO she stayed
at home. If she ever went to church
; she had to 60 alone, and that was SO
dreary and she had so many inquiries
: to answer about his health that she sell
: dom went.
"You'll miss me when I'm gone," he
: would say cheerfully, and SO she would.
l And she would have missed the old
clock in the corner, too, If it had sud-
denly disappeared.
I "What does the doctor say about
meP" he asked her one day when the
village physician had gone out, first
. calling her to one side. Perhaps Aunt
4 Nancy was little worn out that day,
$ or believed in heroic treatment, but she
deliberately answered:
! ssHe thinks YOU haven't disease in
: , the world, Elisha, and that if you would
: take more exercise it would be better
for you.
: He was wounded to the quick, and did
not speak to her for twentY-four hours,
and he discharged the impolitic physi-
clan the next day.
Uncle 'Lisha was fond of lachrymose
hymns, and when not singing
"Hark from the tombs a doleful sound"
He would tip back in his chair-the easi
est in the ehouse-close his eyes and chant
by the hour:
"I'm going home
No more to roam,
No more to sin and sorrow,
No more to bear
The brow of care,
Is I'm going home Tomorrow.
e But -morrows came and went anC
e Uncle Lisha did not GO home.
G There was shelf in the closet which
= was especially devoted to his medicines
n In his early DAYS he had dosed mildly
d auinine became the fashion and he dis
e sipated on that. Liniments for rheu
n matism, patent nostrums and alteratly'
it pills, completed the list, except tina
1t there was no end to the domestic RENE
$, dies, such as mustard and ginger, ant
s other alleyiating agents.
le when | am gone,' he would sa
$; mournfully, '.give my medicines t
ID some deserving poor person. There ]
he never be another such sufferer in th
ID family as have been"
+" But there came q day when eve
Uncle 'Lisha's ailments were of littl
l. account Aunt Nancy was sick, yer
sick. She had been breaking down a
y summer. but no one had been cor
cerned, least of all her husband, VIII
had developed new symptoms. tha
were very alarming-to himself. FINAL
she went to her bed and sent for he
- ~ children. They at once called in a dot
"a tor, who on his first visit looked e,
ceedingly grave. Upon the second h
= asked for private interview wit
,k y Uncle 'Lisha.
~ "Your wife is very sick woman,
- he said, abruptly.
90 ''She does seem alllng, said Uncl
- - 'Lisha. rubbing his lame knee, and fol
:, getting at the moment which one
=, was; s.but, bless you, I've had the sam
- = symptoms so long I'm used to then
- doctor. She's well, compared to mt
"a actually well. "
40 The doctor looked at the old man wit
#. some contempt.
at Threatened lives last long" h
90 said, bluntly. ''But have it your ow
ID way. I've tried to prepare you-that
IN all.
le The doctor took leave, and Uncl
ot 'Lisha went into the sick room. A
ut was calm and serene. Most of al
m that pale, still face on the pillow. Th
10 patient eyes held the same kindly ligt
M in them that had been there for thiri
rs years when they met his. The pinchet
a white cheeks were only more sunke
A and withered.
en- Having q kind of spell, amt yol
er Nancye" said Uncle 'Lisha- "No
al don r OFT diseoi1raoed We felt 5a.