The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1884-08-21


through his uncle's fertile acres, for
deacon Clutter was withal a farmer.
Farming, indeed, was his chief voca-
ton, soap-boiling being an accessory
venture growing out of sundry extern
sive experiments in the use of leached
ashes as a fertilizer 1t was one of
those tuneful mornings in early june
when all nature joins in glad doxolooy.
The newly arrived bobolinlss, tipsy with
glee. caroled in the meadows. The
orioles, hanging their hammoeks in the
elms, could scarcely work for singing.
Gay breezes whispered love to the grace
ful young clover, then danced away to
fiirt with the coy hillside birches. Every
where were life and motion irradiated
by the benignant sun. For Harvey
Vance's study-weakened eyes there was
too much glare, too much flutter. He
lost no time in putting on his blue Cog
giles.
"Who cares If they do make me look
like frogp" unused he, as he settled
them astride his aristocratic nose.
"Thanks to them, and to change of air,
my poor optics are undoubtedly impr5y-
ing. / shall be back to college by fall.
Ha! hal if the fellows could only see me
now!'7
And here, to the infinite surprise OF
staid Dobbin, his new master broke into
q rollicking class song--a song abruptly
ended as turn in the road revealed o
| near farmhouse.
!" If peddle soap, I'll peddle it with
due decorum, soiloquized the youth,
knocking upon the back door with the
handle of his whip
TO have seen the capable air with
which he measured ashes, bushel BY
bushel, giving in exchange money, or
| gallons of soap. according to the
customers desire, one would have pro
nounced him bred to the soap business.
| Since his months rustication at his
Aunt Chutter's he had made the &C.
qnaintance Of most of the farmers along
the river, and these expressed then
qualification at meeting ga Judges SOL
that wasn't afraid to work. but out.
side the parish limits his triumphal
march terminated He was stranger
in strange lard One man asked 1.-THE
had bought out the deacon; a second
hoped he wasn't proposing to run an
/ opposition team; and the loyal widow
Cleaves could hardly be persuaded tc
surrender her ashes, because, for
sooth, she preferred to trade with
Deacon Clutter.
Obedient to his uncle's instructions
at her cottage the young man took {
cross-road to Kendall's, a summer hotel
Familiarity styled THE Eyre
| you'll find it long three miles, '
had been Mrs. Cleaves parting remark
| "Three miles, and not a neighbor be
tween here and there; couldn' t. blame
the widow if she should want to change
her situation unused the deacon
deputy, scanning the western horizon
'sShouldn't wonder if that cloud yondeI
meant business. thought the sun wa
too bright this morning. Well, a littl,
heightened thunder viii drown this ever
lasting racket
Facing about to wedge in position al
empty soap barrel, he observed twt
ladies driving up the hill in baske
phaeton.
THAT looks like Kendall's team tina
gave auntie such panic this morning,
thought he. ssThose ladies are some O
his boarders. / suppose-Tom Cayen
der's mother and sister, for aught
know. / have heard they were stop
ping at the Eyre. Goodnessi wouldn'
it be good joke if should fall in wit
/ them to-day!''
Meanwhile the younger lady in tn
carriage was merrily commenting o.
the quasi soap-man's active figure con
spicuously and amply clad in the dea
cans canvas frock and overalls.
81 hope he isn't q perambulatin,
maniac, mamma"
"It's the very cart that frightened tn
ponyp' was the terrified response. sd
J let me go out, Lila! Oh! oht''
) But already the horse was backin
: down the hill. Harvey sprang from tn
D cart, and grasped the refractory anims
. by the bride just in season to prevent th
: carriage from overturning in the ditcf
"Thank you, sir-thank you yer
t much" said the girlish driver, the cole
rushing back to her face. Now
g you'll be kind enough to lead our pom
past your cart we shall yet be NOR
: obliged"
"a pretty girl-stylish, too, br
5 abominably patronizing,' thought til
g young Sophomore, stalking resentfun
at the pony's head.
: I" There, now your cart is behind u
+ we shall have no further trouble. II
: sorry to have detained you, sir. hi
l. nitely obliged. y
In leaving the ladies Harvey mecha1
n icaliy raised his hat, the deacon's hat
alas! yellowed and frayed by farm ser
J, ice. The touch set flying the ashes upo
e it's brim, giving our receding hero til
d effect of being caught away in clout
A little blinded, but laughing behind b
y goggles, be went back to old Dobbil
and waited for the ladies to go on in a,
:. vance.
o But what allied that surprising pony
" The young lady chirruped to him;
r would not bulge. She snapped IL
b whip; he stood as stiff as the woode
g horse of the Trojans.
"Oh, daughter, daughter, he's ball
!, mgr cried the elder lady, who a
peared to be an invalid. IF there
!. anything I'm afraid Of, it's balkir
!, horse.
"Allow me, madam said Harve
4 again advancing.
i He twisted the animals ear a M