The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1884-03-27
I'll never get such another, Cor


TO her mothers, her usual course when
she fell out with grandma.
Three days passed. At the end of
the third Piety Pratt stepped in at Mrs.
Rashleigh' young Mrs. Rashleigh, as
they called her, though she was nearly
fifty, for grandma was old Mrs. Rash
leigh.
81 expect you'll feel upset when / tell
you the news, Cornelia,n said she.
you've been too cruel this time-he,
he, he! Orville Spear ha'n't been
heard OF since he was at your house.
His mother says he went over to ex-
plain and make up, and he never came
back-he, he! She thought maybe he'd
stepped over to his brothers, but he
hadn the, he! reckon he's drowned
himselfr'
Il don't know why the whole town
should talk over my affairs and every
meddling old maid giggle about them!''
cried Cornelia.
Piety jumped to her feet, seized her
parasol and turned towards the door.
''Good afternoon, Miss Cornelia and
Mrs. Rashleigh,' 7 she said, with con-
temptuoas courtesy. ''I'll remember
my manners, if other folks forget theirs.
Only there's other folks as likely to be
old maids as me, and | fancy it's Mrs.
Spears affair now if anything has
happened to her boy!n
Away founced Miss Pratt.
You've put Piety in rage, Corne-
lia,' said Mrs. Rashleigh. That's a
pity; she has a long tongue" "
But Cornelia was crying.
80, mother, DEAR" she sobbed, sit
isn't true, is it? Orville did feel dread
fully. Won't you see, mother?n
But at this moment Sally, the little
servant girl from Grandma Rashleigh' 8,
came flying into the room, without any
more warning than if she had been
shot from gun.
''The old missus says you are to come
over at once, both you ladies!n she
cried. standing before Mrs. Rashleigh,
and repeating her lesson like parrot
There's something of Importance, and
you're needed at wonst.n
"Get your bonnet, Cornelia," said
her mother. ''I'll just put on this SUM-
hat. What is it, Sally; do you know?"
Il know it's something dreadful.
Missus is almost wild, and there's lots
of folks there. Something about Mr..
Spear
The two ladies said no more They
hurried away together, and, entering
grandua's parlor, found there assem-
bled more of the members of the Spear
family. and friend or two besides.
Orville had, indeed. disappeared. He
had never been home since his visit to
Cornelia, and now the alarmed rela-
tives were anxious to get all the infor.
nation they could regarding the inter.
view between Orville and Cornelia.
II had reason to be angry, Mrs
Spear" said Cornelia, proudly; ''good
reason, and took off my ring and gave
it back and went out of the room. THAI
is all / know. | don't know when he
went or where. IL thought ht
wouldn't mind so much believed ht
had stopped caring about me-
HE ought to how, at all events, ;
said grandma.
my boy is dead. I'm sure. / shal
have the pond dragged!' said Mrs
Spear, amidst her tears. .'He left al
his money at home. Hewouldn't have
gone travelling without o change O
clothes O, you wicked girl"
II hope,n cried the eldest Miss Spear
''that he'll haunt your
Il could kill you, you hateful thingr
cried the youngest Miss Spear.
Cornelia had kept up bravely unit
now: but when her two friends turned
upon her thus, she gave little scream
and fell over on the sofa. She was il
dead swoon, and the water the,
sprinkled in her face did not bring
. her to.
Grandma grew frightened.
81 hope It isn't an attack of hear
disease" she said. sPoor child! sh,
looks as if she were dead
80, don'tsay that, cried the mother
They gathered around Cornelia an,
did all they could for her, and soon sh,
recovered and sat up, but all her pride
was gone.
o, dear! O, dear!!n she sobbed. ..
wish I had died. / wish had neve
come to! O, Orville! OrTille! what ha
become of you?'
90! ohr' moaned the mother.
20! oh!'' moaned the sisters.
And Cornelia's head fell back again
Emma, get the lavender out Of tn
china-closet, said grandma to he
daughter. ''Quick! It's on the corne
shelf
Mrs. Rashleigh rushed to the closet
1T won't open" she cried wildly.
'1t's patent lock-" said grand
ma; clocks as it shuts. Here's tn
key"
Il And Mrs. Rashleigh few back t
the door, opened it and uttered
| shrek.
There on the floor, huddled up un
der the shelf, lay poor Oryille Spear.
He was white and limp.
Cornelia sat and stared at him in tn
most awful way. Shethought him dead
but the more experienced matron say
I that he was yet living.
Sally was sent post haste for the doc
, tor; and there, in Mrs. Rashleigh'
: drawing he found Cornelia an,
Orville lying quite unconscious, lik
|. Romeo and Juliet in the scene at tn
tomb, and the rest of the party in
state of bewilderment and terror pas
[ description.
: At last, however, both were consciou