The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1884-10-23
A BRAVE LITTLE GIRL.

| OuHslIu0 NOOQs edI was one OF the
dearest and prettiest little girls that
ever gladdened the hearts of house
hold.
Her hair was of reddish-gold and it
crinkled all over her small round head.
Her eyes were as blue as a summer
days sky, and as sparkling as sum-
meningitis stars, and her cheeks, and
dimpled chin and wee, smiling mouth
were almost as red as the berries we
find on the wild rose bushes after the
pink flowers are gone.
But it was the lovely nature of the
child shining through her pretty face
that made the pet name her mother had
given her when she was a toddlinp
baby just the one above all others that
should have been chosen for her.
Sunshine had no brothers and only
| one sister-Luey-who was six wears
older than herself. Never were two
sters more unlike in appearance- for
Lucy's cheeks were bat family tinred
with pink, and her eyes were hazel and
her hair straight and brown-or more
alike IN disposition. And never did
two sisters love each other more dearly,
Lucy was ten and Sunshine four
when their dear mother left them. She
had been suffering many weeks, and
| the night she ceased to suffer she said
to Lucy, who sat by her bedside: 81
must leave you very soon. my darling,
and | want you to promise to be little
| mother to Sunshine when | am gone.
You have always been great blessing
and comfort to US all, but now YOU will
have to try to fill my place as we'll as
your own"
| A week or two after that sister of
| Mr.. Woodleafs came and took charge
OF the household affairs, and resigna-
tion-not forgetlulnesS coming 10 the
| sorrowing hearts, things began to 90 on
in much the usual way again. And
most faithfully did Lucy fulfill the
promise she had given her dying moth
er. She never left her little sister night
or day. Even when reel ing her lessons
to her govelness she kept the little one
| by her side. She bathed her, dressed
her, played with her, took her to walk.
taught her and heard her say her pray
ers.
Blu, in spite of all her devoted watch
fulness and care, Sunshine had scarcely
| reached her SIKH year when she fell
sick OF terrible fever and lay between
life and death for two long, long
| months Then came blessed DC ober
evening when she ceased tossing her
| head to and fro on her pillow, and sank
| into quiet sleep from which she awoke
with hec old smile on he pale lips.
And now" said the doctor, 'tnoU
is the time to tie more careful than
ever. The least excitement might
prove fatal
The next day, and the next, Sunshine
grew better and better, and on the
third night her father, who had
watched with her almost every nipht
since, she was first taken sick, went
away to his own room to try to get a
little of the rest of which. he was so
much in need (his room was in the Sc >
ond story just below Lucy's leaving
Lucy lying on the bed beside her Sleep
ing sister. And just before daylight
Sunshine awoke, and, to Lucy's great
surprise. said in weak little voice:
" Tell me a story, Lu."
"What kind OF a story shall it be?''
asked Lucy.
A little-girl story with q fairy
answered Sunshine, speaking yery
slowly. MAKE it out of your own
head, Lu. ! like your own head stories
BEST
And Lucy began at once: "Once
upon time there was little girl so
sweet that they named her Sweet-as-
sugar. She lived in tiny house near
wood, with her grandmother who was
very good old woman. Well. every
body loved Sweet-as-sugar but the
miller's daughter, who was so sour
they called her Sour-as- lemons, and she
not only did not love Sweet-as-supar.
but she actually hated her as most bad
children hate good ones, and she was
always watching chance to do her a
mischief
Lucy had got thus far in her story
when somebody tapped at the door and
slipping softly from the bed she went
to il, and opening it a little, she saw
her father standing in the entry. TAX
ing her hand and drawing her toward
him, he closed the door and said hur-
riedly: There is a smell of something
burning in the house. 1t comes from
down stairs, and | am going down to
see what it is. You had better dress
yourself. But don't be frightened,
dear. for if / find there is any real dan
ger will come for you at once. And
above all things don't let Sunshine be
frightened
Il won't if | can help it, papa said
Lucy, and returning to her room she
began to dress herself &C the same time
continuing her story: Sour lemons
was always trying to vex or hurt
Sweet-as sugar She followed her
when she went on errands for her
grandmother and threw stones at her.
and smiled disagreeable cream-of-
tartar smile when one struck her. But
Sweet-as-sugar never lost her temper.
It's wonderful how she kept it. but she
did. Well, one day Sweet as-sugar
was walking through the wood"
said Lucy, speaking a little louder and
faster as the sound of voices and the