The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1886-02-11

q mortgage on this COLT And he
clapped his hand ON the head of one of
the half dozen lads who called Robert
Wallace father.
With true Scotch humor the mort
gage was executed and recorded, and
Robert Wallace. with his household,
started for distant Illinois.
Like all emigrants to new country,
he had his troubles, but in the end
prospered. He owned broad acres, and
cattle and horses in abundance; and,
after eight years On the prairie, he said
to his wife:
''When the crops are secured, we
will 60 back to old Ryegate, and take
look once more at the green hillocks of
Vermont
''And mind you cancel that mortgage
and make me free man." said John
Wallace, now young lawyer in Peoria.
"I'm thinking the lad intends to
marry, and wants to show clean
record" said his mother, laughing.
But Robert Wallace and his wife
never saw their Scotch friends in old
Reygate, nor the green hills of Ver-
mont. Before the crops were gathered
man and wife were cut down by the
harvester Death, and their neighbors
laid them side by side under the trees
their own hands had planted.
John Wallace, the son, with whom
this story has to do, with that restless
ness common in Western life, had gone
still further west, and finally located in
Denver; and there he prospered slowly,
as young lawyers in new places gen.
orally do.
Annie Harvey was ailing.
"a breath of sea air might do her
good, said old DIR. Goodwillie; and to
the seashore she went.
The little steamer Rose Standish
carried her load of passengers safely
through all the windings of that
crooked channel which leads to the
dock of ancient bingham.
Mrs. Helen Sake and her invalid
charge. Annie Harvey, were glad to
accept the offered aid of gentleman
ow-passenger, who placed them in
carriage, which conveyed them over
the beach to Nantasket.
The sea air wrought wonders in An
ME Harvey. Before three days had
passed she was flirting outrageously
with young Perkins, of Boston, whose
mother had learned from Mrs. Sackie
by sharp cross-questions the undoubted
responsibility Gid est, in dollars and
cents) of her charge.
Miss Harvey had also condescended
to smile graciously upon her fellow
passenger in the Rose Standish, Mr..
Wallace, of Denver But when that
gentleman invited her to ride, she was
engaged for the same pleasure with
young Perkins and his mother. Let
| him make what advances he would,
Perkins was continually in the way;
and vet Perkins was, to use the plain
but expressive language of John Wal
| lace. "an Internal fool" still none the
less troublesome for that.
| But John Wallace was in love for the
first time in his life, and he was not
a man to let trifles or simpletons stand
long in his way if he could help it. So
he persevered in his wooing. and at
last thought he might venture to pro-
pose to that most tickle lady, Annie
| Harvey.
Moreover, his business demanded his
speedy return, for he was yet too poor
to afford any long vacation. He found
Miss Harvey on the veranda, busy with
crochet or some other feminine EN-.
ployment. He invited her to ride; but
Mrs. Perkins reminded her of prior
engagement. Mr.. Wallace expressed
his regret. for it was his last day at the
Beach. That information seemed te
startle Miss Harvey, for she at once
laid aside her work, and, saying she
would be happy to ride with Mr.. Wal
lace, went to her room to dress.
Ancient Hull has, or had, nineteer
lawful voters. Rotation in office would
| permit each voter to represent his dis
tinguished constituents in the Genera
Court of the Commonwealth of Massa
chusetts at least once in his lifetime.
The wise politicians of Hull weighed
carefully the probabilities and possibil
| tiles of politics, and so skillful did the,
become that Boston, the concentrated
center of all wisdom, looked anxiousl,
for the returns from the elections il
Hull, saying, resignedly: Gas Hui
goes, so goes the State.
John Wallace and Annie Harve,
rode over the long stretch of firm
sandy beach from Nantasket to Hull
They talked of the sea, of the oil
wrecks, of Minot's lighthouse, and tn,
white waves forever dashing agains
its sides; and John Wallace describes
his home in far-away Denver, the littl
city surrounded by its giant peaks
which. in the clear mountain air
seemed so near, yet were many mile
away. The lady was silent, thought
1 full, reserved, almost demure. So is
certain domestic animal when ap
preaching cream.
| John Wallace told his story as al
others have told it, and it fell on will
ing ears.
| "But," said he, tomorrow at thi
time must be on my way to Vernon
to pay debt of my fathers. / an
mortgaged, and have been since m
childhood When that is cancelled,
can with honesty offer you my han
and heart"
| A little laugh followed. Ringing ou
sweet and clear across the beach cam
the bells of Hull, telling the little worl
around that it was twelve o'clock.
1 ssThar, corpd EEa noddiu n halls