The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1885-08-06

asked fanny. II m sure all the peo.
pie IN English story books do" 70
Boys and young men do, suppose ),
admitted Aunt Eunice, land Girls too
sometimes; but they don't do It withons
correction, as with us; and grown peo.
pie, as rule, talk more carefully tbsn
we do, and are far more particular as to
what expressions they use
''What bother it must be!'' said Ted
mo, Ted, it's just as easy to sneaL
good English as bad, if once Won form
the habit. Now will propose bar.
gain. The one of you who uses the
least slang for the next month shall
have Bayberty Lodge. and the Others
shall live with him or her. will keen
little notebook, with your names
and Whenever hear word that isn't
good English | VIII note il down. What
do you think of the plan?"
The children were doubtful as to what
they thought, but Aunt Eunfce was al
good as her word. She showed them
the notebook with Ted Tom u
Fanny" and 'Di'' written at the ton
of four different pages. And tbon0E
nothing was said on the subject, the
children were conscious every now and
then, as they sat chattering about her,
aunty produced her pencil and made an
entry in the book. They could not tell
against which name the entry was made.
and the uncertainty rendered them more
careful.
"Aunty only caught one of us to-
night, Fanny said to Di once after they
had gone upstairs to bed.
Eyes, and that was you," replied oh.
servant little Di; II saw her take ous
her pencil when you said 'hifalutin' thai
time.'
''Oh, bother! did I say thatP didn't
mean to-"
Gradually the four got into the habit
of discussing words beforehand, to make
sure if they were not slang, and liable
to be counted against them. And they
were somewhat surprised to find how
many phrases which they were in the
habit of using came under this objection.
able head.
Its perfectly mizziable," declared.
Tom. We're getting so pertikilar and
pernickitly that | feel like deacon in
a pew. j haven't said boss for three
days"
mo. but you did say bully yester.
day; you sad it twice and aunty wrote
it down, retorted Fanny.
''Oh, botheration twice over! This il
a vale OF tears and I'm sick of it." Ton
was just eleven.
However, his pride was reused and
he much desired to be master of Bay
berry Lodge. So he struggled on, and
did his BEST discovering, as all of us do
sooner or later, how much harder it is
to break off foolish habit than to form
a good one.
At last the end of the month came.
1t was beautiful, brilliant day in mid
July. Aunt Eunice had spent the
morning at Bayberry Lodge, mysteri-
ously busy, and the children had been
requested to play elsewhere till after
dinner.
About four she appeared and called
them, and when they reached the rock
house, they found it beautiied beyond
their hopes. A little crane with q tea
kettle hung above the fireplace, Chi
nese lanterns hung from the roof, four
rustic seats had been added to the fur
nlture; and on the platform, before the
entrance, appeared two long, narrow
boxes, planted with geraniums and CAV
nasturtlums which had very orna.
mental and pleasing effect.
cts ten times prettier than it ever
was before" declared Fanny.
Aunt Eunice sat down on a rock, and
.ook out her notebook. The children
seated themselves on the new seats, and
waited in breathless expectation for
what she had to say.
Thomas Whittemore," began Aunt
Eunice, solemnly, "between June 16
ind July is used slang words, or ex-
oressions not belonging to the English
language, two hundred and thirteen
lines.
"Auntyr' said Tom, in a Mortified
one.
FRANCIS Mary Whittemore, went
IN his aunt, ''in the same time used the
anne sort of expressions one hundred
Ind ninety-eight times"
"Aunty!" exclaimed Fanny, in the
anne horror struck tone as Tom.
Theodore James Whittemore, in the
anne time, two hundred and four
imes.''
You're more than l am, anyhow"
'ried Fanny. That's jolly''
Il now add one to Francis Mary
Nhittemore's count" remarked Aunt
Iunice, immovably, (which makes it
me hundred and ninety-nine !"
Fanny looked doubtful whether to
augh or cry, but she deemed it wise to
ay nothing.
Diana Rockwell Whittemore," pur-
ued Miss Eunice, during the same
ime, and under the same circumstances,
las used slang expressions one hum
lred and forty-six times Di, therefore,
the mistress of Bayberry Lodge
This decision was, on the whole,
'asier to bear than any other could
lave been. The older ones would have
ound it hard to yield the precedence to
me another, but little Di was the gem
'ral pet. She made a sweet little mis-
ress of the Lodge. and ruled h sub
ects wisely and we'll till the end Of the
ummer. Aunt Eunice gave them tea
PARTIES and all sorts of treats in the
playhouse; and although Ted persisted
a calling what he liked daisy" aid
fanny chung to her fayorite word
'golopt.ous, their aunt noticed. or
ancied that she noticed, that on the
Whole the children used loss SLAM than