The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1886-02-25
OLD PAUL.
The Mysterious Room, and What
It's Opening Revealed.


glutton and drunkard. and when he
died the world said good riddance from
poor rubbish. Still, Old Paul made a
most respectable appearance as he
passed through the village on his way
to the graveyard, the most respectable
be had made in it for twenty years.
For, instead of his broken. down horse,
in a harness tied together with strings,
Old Paul was drawn by stately white
horses in rich trappings, and instead of
his crazy old wagon, with rickety
wheels and splintered shafts, Old Paul's
carriage, though for some reason few
like TO ride in it, was in every way re-
spectacle. Nor was the poor old man
visible, with his slovenly dress and
bloodshot eyes and burning face, and
grizzled, shaggy beard, for Old Paul
had a driver, and rode inside, and in
stead of the crowd of rascally boys that
were wont to follow him, deeming it
rare sport to see humanity sunk so low,
Old Paul was followed by long, and
most respectable funeral traiu, for he
had many relations, though no friends,
and they were all most respectfully
dressed in mourning, though in all the
sable crowd that stood around the
open grave ] saw not one quivering lip
or falling tear as the first earth clods
fell upon the eoffin's lid.
Old Paufs wife left him near twenty
years ago, and the world excused her
for it, for how, said the world, could
any woman live with such brutep
But old Aunt Prudence shook her head
at this off-hand verdict of the world.
For she remembered that he was once
Young, dashing Paul, and Polly Jones,
proud and handsome as she was, met
him more than half way, as the gossips
said fifty years ago, for he was rich and
she was poor.
And if the truth must be known"
said Aunt Prudence, knocking the
ashes from her pipe and lowering her
Voice to a confidential tone, as if
afraid of being overheard by some ten
: ant OF the graveyard, "they du say,
forgetting that thes tongues once busy
with such gossip, all except her own,
had long been silent, in the grave,
"they du say that PaSl married for
beauty and Polly for money, and you
know. as old Billy Balm down at the
peorhouse says, life's wagon will 90
hard when there is no love to grease
the. Wheels w. bsf
Yes, gold had dazzled and blinded
The one and beauty had dazzled and
blinded the other, but they soon walked
up, the one to the fact that for gold
she had bound her life to coarse and
brutal nature, and the other to the fact
that beauty. like. frostwork glittering
" moonlight, may be brilliant and at
tne same time freezing cold.
How shocking1y they have abused
.henn pans, !" said Old Pauls wife the
uay after he was buried, on returning
70 the house Chat had been her home
lor more than thirty years, where her
chiidren had all been born and most of
them had died.
Old Paul was, indeed, a brute, and
ne was well mated with one who.
ueaer such circumstances, could think
OF such petty trash.
nqS three short weeks had passed
Wnen heard that Old Paul's wife was
sslsks the next day worse and the third
way dead, and she passed over the same
.oaa drawn by the same richly capari-
sohed horses in the same much dreaded
sssllage, to be laid by Old Pauls side.
me day | chanced to take a walk
aoWn by Old sPaul's house. The spring
@ N Its glory. The forests were
s.au IN richest verdure. The apple
sss We're in full bloom and filed the
~ with fragrance, while the bees
.ssalng upon their blossoms filed it
waea dreamy murmur The corn
= last .peeping from the ground and
,ne .ye flelds began to wave in the
r ss,ng ofeezes. The meadows were
tne ooool.nk's clear thrilling strain
~. of liquid sweet .T.@
has ny ground birds were singing in the
as ases and the robins from the trees
s oserhurg the road.
No. approached the house noticed
maa ~, ses ned 20 the posts and groups of
hssa sn sanding about the doors. and
ana h 9; gig furniture scattered here
va ana .sae, which reminded me that it
+ + auction day. - 'na' =
hoa.s aas large, old-fashoned so,iare
hsforss, y "l1n two ancient elms GROWING
- iVse .ea = Spreading their giant branches