The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1885-01-29

brought in her system from Michigan,
but l knew 'twa'n't anything o the
kind; twas homesickness, an one sight
more for her than pounds of quinine.
'Well, in contrast with those poor
people our lot didn't seem half so
hard, an began to see how selfish
I'd been, shuttn' myself up an pityin'
myself, an thinkin' o. home, when peo-
pie like this Mis- Peters was sufferin'
for a little friendly aid. | didn't feel
very sorry for Mr.. Peters; he was lazy,
l thought, an shiftless. but Reuben
talked to him good deal, an | see
that his place gan to look little more
ship-shape, and better yictuals come
into the house, an sometimes some
thin for her; but | never dreamed Reu-
ben had anything to do with it,
more'n to advise and encourage him.
One day when was gettin' ready to
go the Peterses Reuben pointed to our
motto an says: Hadn't you better take
it to the Peterses and let them keep it a
spell?' -
81 knew he wanted it to be the com.
fort to them that it hadn't been to me;
so | took it, but that Mis- Peters would
n t have it where she could see it, an
so there it stood with its face. to her
wall, instead O. mine. 1t put me out,
too, because Reuben wanted me to take
it to her.
Towards fall Mis- Peters began to
pick up consid rably; she'd had good
victuals an somebody to do friendly
60 L.
but still she was hard an cold an sui
len to everybody, an / didn't know
what to make of it. z...
'Wen, come last of August, an ia
| been thinkin' good deal about provin'
up on our claim, an gettin' the title to
it. 'Twould be six months middle O
September that we'd lived on it an
done all the plowin' an plantin' of
trees that the law requires, but Reuben
| never mentioned anything about proVin'
up. So ] suggested it to him one day,
an he says quiet an tender like:
Sarah, says he, wen have to wait
| another year to prove up. Pve-wen,
I've had to help the Peterses; the Lord
has helped us you know
''An' thatwaS where most of our two
hundred dollars had gone. | just laid
my head on Reuben's shoulder an
cried not that was sorry, either, but
was so proud O my noble, unselfsh
husband, an so sorry I'd grieved him.
We had a long talk about it all then,
an Reuben understood it all, an of
course he forgave me. The next day
when | went down to the Peterses, Mis-
| Peters met me at the door with her
| eyes full o tears, an all the hard,
4 hopeless look gone. %, Mis- Ross,
she says, to think of all you an Mr..
! Ross have done for us-strangers to
you!. You've Just brought us back to
the Lord, an Wen never doubt Him
again. He has helped us.
- Reuben did it for that 1 said
! He did it for His sake an my own
eyes were full O. tears.
Yes she says, i know it now
| An there was that motto on the wall,
where you'd see it first thing when you
come in the door. We let her keep it,
| for Reuben an | had it in our hearts,
| every word of it, so we didn't need it
| before our eyes. We haven't been able
to prove up an get our title to the land
yet, but we wouldn't t ha' missed helpin'
the Peterses for the whole claim
| met Reuben as | left my CHEEKY
friend, and mounted my pony for the
homeward ride. He did not look like
a hero, but think that he and his
wife, Sarah, are written among
| Heavens nobility.
Come an see me again. called
''Mis' Ross" )" as l rode away. ''an' if
you ever need any help about your
claim or anything, let us know.
Reuben's great hand to help folks. -
| have told my friends story. have
been trying to settle in my own mind
whether her storyis most about Reuben,
or mis- Ross, or ''the Peterses," but
perhaps, after all, it doesn't matter
Mary G. Crocker, in Chicago Standard