The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1886-05-13
IA FINANCIAL FEAT.
How q Simple Girl and a Lawyer
Accomplished It.

Efie Ford with tear-stained face sat
amid pile of formidable documents.
She was in deep mourning. Only one
week before, she had laid away the re-
mains of her only surviving relative, in
the shadow of the cross-crownedc church
over the hill. 1t was dismal prospect
for girl of seventeen, and one who was
absolutely ignorant of business. The
Fortis had always lived in luxury. But
on his death-bed, Mr.. Ford called Effie
to him; his articulation was imperfect,
but she caught: .'Bad investments,
mortgage bonds. Poor! Poor =
Barker will tell YOU A few gasps and
it was over.
All day she had tried to bring order
out of chaos. At last with sigh she
tossed the golden fringes from her fore
bad, as if even their light weight was
Suoppression.
Sit is useless, she murmured, 81 can
make nothing of anything Then
suddenly she remembered: ssBarker will
tell you.a The memory came with a
sigh Of relief.
A servant answered the bell.
Take this to Mr.. Barker she or
dered, ''and wait for an answer"
It came in less than an hour.
aMr. Barker will wait upon Miss
Ford at fve." She glanced at the clock.
II lacked five minutes of the hour.
Barker was a lawyer in the same
town. She had always known him, and
she remembered that he had been with
her father frequently before she went
to school for the last time. As he en-
tered, Ellie started. She had thought
OF him as rather elderly, but the man
who stood before her was extremely
handsome, and perhaps double her sew
enteen years.
You are kind, Mr.. Barker, to re-
spond SO promptly. | did not know
What to do, to whom to turn I can
make nothing Of papa's papers, she
sighed weariedly.
Ut course. What can you know
sbout law3" and together they turned
70 the perplexing pile.
BARKER ran his eye over paper after
paper, and startled look came into
nus eyes, keen lawyers though they
we're.
Are these allp'' he asked.
I believe so. Papa kept his papers
= that secretary; and, Mr. Barker, l
Know from what he said, that there
S we're losses-that l shall not be very
veil of. / do not mind" she said
quickly, "other people are poor, why
Some losses! Not as well off as she
aad beenr' He regarded her queerly.
foor child! Did she know that house,
lands, even the costly furniture was
sosered with mortgagesP No, and he
qetermined she never should know. He
lad no living relatives, and why should
Y not 90 for this helpless girl what he
would have liked some one to do for
sster or wife of his?
There will be something left after
ne debts are paid, will there not?"
y ne pretty pathetic ewes looked
sausrely into his. He could not answer
NY chlld-woman with evasion. eff
u Ivy Will trust to me, Miss Ford, I will
y my best. Your father trusted me
sgon several occasions. (He did not
ad, Il that father had been guided by
as judgment his daughter would not
r1W pe penniless) land am confident
AnoW more of the business than anv
0ae else, ! He waited her reply.
Il NJ. yes. and thank you, Mr.. Baker"
1 ss1 9 childish, trustful motion, she
ped her hand in his. Barker's ex-
peflence with women was bounded by
fessive little widows, and soul-ter-
n.Ilng Sally Brasses', and there was a
Ssasf little flutter in his manner as he
~ peg good night.
nr. Ford's affairs were in hopeless
sagle- Ruin was inevitable. Such
y A bakers verdict after reperusal
4 a,. aae ,9, Ford papers. ..Poor little
sSs,R I ne whispered to himself; s.she
81. n. never know if can help it. J"
1e g those deeds and mortgages
Nau Nu % start the vision of home
6 IS @ q, where certain eyes looked into
Iass s.In bewildering love. Bah! What
NAV nv sentimental love-dreams in com
s'1a an austere lawyers Officer
ua1lad face appeared at the Office