The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1886-09-16
the step had come to reclaim

the step had come to reclaim
him.
"Well. can take my turn. and give
him up too,'' thought Rhetta, with
great hot tears springing to her eyes,
''Only can never drive after him and
bring him back in phaeton.
And at that she threw herself upon
the dewy grass and wept unrestrained-
ly. She was too young to be capable
of the terrible, fearless sorrow with
which an older woman may meet be-
reavement and heart-break. She only
knew that every thing had changed
since morning, that Ralph had gone
away, and she was very. very wretched,
and that no one must know of it, The
fire-fies flashed Id the grass, the flow
ers We're heavy with dew, the air was
full of the fragauce of mignonettes
heliotrope and roses, but Rhetta did
not heed them. She only felt that
night was kind to make such dark
ness and solitude in the garden that nd
one could see her or hear her, poor
miserable little Rhetta Wood, crying for
a lost happiness that had never really
been hers. And now it seemed to her
that Rose was cruel, from the midst Of
her wealth, her luxury, and her dozens
of lovers, to come swooping down
upon this one chance of bliss in life
time. For Rhetta was sure that in all
the years to come she should never,
never marry. That was all over from
this time forth.
The crickets hummed about her, the
nsghtmoths brushed by her unheeded;
the moon rose. but she did not know it.
She was thinking how she should live
all her life long in the little old house.
After . while her Aunt Dorcas would
die, and she would be left alone with her
father. Then after while he too would
die, and she would live on there, an
| old, lonely woman. From this reyefie
she was aroused by the stopping OF
wheels and cheerful voices at the gate.
"Rhetta! Rhettar' shouted some
body, in joyous, manly tones
| She rose to her feet in the moon
light, bewildered and uncertain. Wa.
she dreaming. or was 1t really RALPH
calling herF
'.Rhetta, Is that you under the plum
| tIcef SoHic i1ie ioi d iAonoHe ~ on'
gate"
4 Yes, that was Ralph calling her.
With girlsh celebrity she smoothed
back her disordered hair and ran te
the gate. There he stood, his arms
filled with flowers, which he Loaded
npon her, while Colonel Porter
coachman, who had brought him home
was almost staggering under the weigh
of an immense basket, full of bloom
and fragrance, which he made haste t,
deposit on the garden walk.
"Every thing is here, said Ralph
gayly-'the geraniums, the day-lilies
the tea-rose bushes and the double vio
lets. Roots, slips, cuttings, all yol
wanted, you have them now, and III
set them every one out for you.
20, how beautiful! how beautiful!
murmured Rhetta, very softly an
gently. She was wholly overcome b.
this strange ending Of her passionat
grief. S. .a
The coachman departed, leaving tn
two lovers alone in the moonlit gar
den. Lovers they were, for Ralp
drew Rhetta close to his heart, Will
he placed upon her finger the rim,
that had waited hidden in his pocket.
.You know what this means, dar
ing?" he said, fervently. "My way
clear before me now. Colonel Porte
has given me chance in his own bus
ness, beyond any thing dared to hops
You don't know how hard it has bee
} for me to wait till I had right to as
J you to be my own little Rhetta alway
-always!" @ 7 lsas-
Happy Rhetta! The moon ought I
have laughed right out to see how hi
face had changed, it was SO full no
of smiles and bushes. Aunt Dorca
hurrying home an hour later, eager
} explain how she had gone to sit awhi
/ with poor old Mrs. Davis, who ha
! sciatica, was taken all aback by hearin
merry voices under the plum-tree, an
finding Ralph and Rhetta there
work with trowels setting out roots an
| tying up plants.
"Rose Porter sent me all these!' e,
) claimed Rhetta, triumphantly-'.a
this great basketful of loveliness an
, luxury, and we must set them evel
one out tonight, hcc -.use night is Il
best time, an ley will get the dew.
..For the land sakesr' ejaculat'
! Aunt Dorcas. ''Don't We want tt
lanternp"
20, the moon is as bright as day
!. said Ralph, as he paused to choose
! place for fine blue SALIVA.
= "Well! wellr' the old lady exclaime
: and then, as if she dimly comprehend
!" that something in the glamour ofyou
and romance might make it thing ,
be desired to dig in gardens at unusu
hours, she said no more, but we
y quietly into the se.-Mary L.
u Branch, IN Harper's Basar.
( Once IN a while some man h
T. courage enough to marry q Vass
{, graduate; but as rule the girls dor
-, oA yayy wall Ont Of nearly