The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1885-03-26
any how. for tbe ,s,y;lIb = n ~. hoon noaa ~

any how, Tor the mail has been gone
these three hotirs'' e L7a1ost 4 r.
Tomorrow repeated the little girl
in dismay. 20, sir, mother won't sleep
wink tonight if,she knows that: she
said a day might make it too late, and
that if you would read it, yous would
know it must go in haste" -, = ., 2
but that's all nonsense, child.ns
said Mr., Higgins, beginning to lose
PATIENCE There 8 no snch thing these
days; letters now an 90 one way and
in one time, and that's deal quicker
than, they once did. But you run home.
now, and if you like you needn't tell
your mother anything about the wait
ing, nor the eggs either ;In put a
stamp on for yQn and send it as soon as
Z can. > ffs& Ee s@ss q " :.
The little eyes beamed like stars
through the falling tears. so, sir, if
you would" she cried, 'sand when my
hen lays three more eggs / will be sure
to- bring them to you.n "a N 49,
She turned quickly to the door, but
pausing gsthere, asifswith7an unconquer-.
able impulse, she looked back, saying:
..tAnd d if you please. sir. do make it 90
fast. Tor that's What She safd-in haste.''
'"That child has got more heart than
head, j." thought Mr.. Higgins to himself
as he silently watched her depart with
out making further efforts to explain
mail regulations. He knew the little
customer quite wen as the child of
Widow Carson, who had come to the
neighborh hood just after the first. of those
terrible foods that had sent so MANY
homeless ones back from the banks of,
the treacherous Ohio. It was said that
her husband had perished in the waves
after placing his wife and child in
safety, and here she. had lived ever
since in alittle log cabin not far from
the stores where with her small patch
OF corn and potatoes she supported, as
best she could, herself and jess and the
little yellow dog. But only a few days
previous to this, Mr.. Higgins had felt
compelled to refuse her any ftlrther
credit till the bin, siowly lengthening on
his big book, was paid up, and it was
sdodbtfess because of this that she had
not sent to him at once to ask the ad-
vance OF a stamp for this all-important
letter. rsy aKFnE w@ az Las
MeditativelY he looked at the en-.
velope, with the address scrawled in SO
tremulous and Impractical hand that
he doubted much whether it would ever
reachsits destinasfon, and the words of
Jessie returned to his mind-''She said
if you would read it, you would know
it must goiu haste.oe Ia sE W .
1t seemed a-sufficient permission to
the kindstheugh ght IN his heart, and open
ing the awkwardly sealed covering, Mr..
Hqgggins with difficulty made out the
words written evidently by a. hand
tfemulous with emotion! : @7Hs~
az 81 have just heard YOU were seen in
Rockport yesterday, booking for Jess
and me; it seems too good and. wonder
ful to be true, but | write at once to
say that we are here. and God grant
my letteranay reachfsyoli in time. I will
write in haste on it. and | win pray
day and night that He will make it go
quickly, for Jess and | are in such need
that unless you come to us soon, I do
not know what viii become of us. We
have meurned forsyou SO long as dead
that I can scarcely write now for the
beating ofmy heart, at the thought of
seeing youagain. t-..-
Thpugh Mr.. .,Hugginss. was often
called rough, cold man, vet there was
certainly asstraHge moisture in his eyes
as he closed the letter. In moment
he had taken in the whole situation.
Jessie,s father, then, was not dead as
supposed, buthad beenseparated from
his wife and child ON thatterrible night,
and had lost sight of them.~ The. sorrow
ing woman had jast heard that he had
been seen seeking those who mourned
hinas but i Was eFidenbsthat he was not
long to remain at RocKport. What, if
this chance of reunion should be lost.
These words, 'sIswills apravs day and
night that God will make my 1etter 90
quickly and the wan, anxious face of
little j ess rose together before Mr..
Hueg,gins mind, eand with a sudden
movement he rose abruptly, saying half
aloud: S'And my name IS not Higgins if
lffien I &. gpaauiiaks liekeeraegeH than she
'strfding from the store and locking
the door behind. him, Mr. Huggins was
seen little latter riding rapidly to the
nearest railroad station.
FI want this telegfafn sent af fonce,"
hesafd, handing ST J Of paper to the
clerk, on which was written.
John Carson, Bostmasi Cavern, Rock
Jess and are here; come at once, and in
quire at the Elkton store for the house.
- A7N@41 "H% "MARY CARSON
Rockport was only hundred miles
aysags and Alr,: higgins cast snrsny an
expectant glance next day along the
road sieadlngs fr6nia tha station. And |
sure enough, about half an hour after
the three, o clock train had whistled, a
stranger with eager, anxious
face, came down thatTead and hurriedly
entered the store
q Gan anyone tell me where Mary,
Carson lives9' he asked nervously, Of |
Yes, my, friend, and l will lead you |
a part efathe>way myself" answered the
promptly, and without losing
aanoanaaat tt1eStwoasere sa6n.in sight Of |
the little log cabin. bag
Z itsThat's the house, said Mr.. Higgins,
isy0u can easily find the rast of tha yry.,gx,f |