The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1886-06-24
THE PRODIGAI4 SON.
Feuiing Upon the Husks Of Life
in Australia.

Fe4uuR OpOu t1l0 duSkS OI Lille
in Australia.
"Yes," said Ernest, thoughtfully
stroking his big mustache, II Ihave been
Prodigal Son. l know the whole
story. It wasn't a bit funny. If you
doubt my words, just try it for your
self; but pray don't blame me if YOU
find that it hurts worse than ruler on
wet hand.
1t is only fair to say that I was just
an everyday bad boy, of very COM
mon New York kind. You wouldn't
hsye to go far, my dear. to find plenty
Of fellows who were worse and plenty
more who were better than L. So, YOU
see, ! was not so bad as bad could be;
oh, dear, no! Indeed, l had a kind
heart, am sure, and I just adored my
little mother. had heaps and heaps
ofgood intentions, and when mamma
cried and begged me not to be so wild
and mischieyous,, why bless me, I,would
cry half the night with the realest kind
Of remorse, and promise-oh, so earn
estly that / would turn over a new leaf
and keep it turned over. 1 never knew
aboy who could do more hard and
bitter repenting in the course of single
night, But then daylight would come
and | would forget-and, well, YOU
hlow the rest, if you are not boy of
the Sunday-school book variety.
"My father-what shall l say about
himP | really suppose he ought to
have been gadded himself, if people
got what they deserved. But he had a
lot ofmoney to take care of, and he was
aWfuly busy getting a lot more-P m
sure don't know why, for he had
moreth than we could ever spend. So it
WAS only once in while that he could
stop long enough to weep over his har-
umsearum son.. When he did stop, he
used TO say that there was enough origi-
nal sin in my small body to keep a
mischief-mill running day and night.
Then he would rawhide me till the
welts on my back were criss-erossed
like the shading on one of Mr.. Thomas
Nast's big cartoons, though I did not
have much time to think of pictures
then, assure you. He always ended
the performance with lecture, in
which was informed that l was wilder
and swickeder than q whole tribe of
western Indians, with squaws,
papooses, Big Medicine Men and dogs
thrown in. | never thought much of
THIS joke, but it always seemed to
cheer him up immensely. He would
then 60 back to making money, and
spoil me, just as he had done before,
with plenty of spending money and un-
limited liberty to do as please Great
humbugs, these rich and generous
fathers, aren't theypg I
"Well, with such start, / don't
think it was strange that in the middle
OF my Freshman year at college was
suddenly sent home to stay. Somebody
had been playing pranks 1 was
pouneed upon. Lying not being one
OF my accomplishments, / admitted
having a hand in the mischief. /
wouldn' t peach on my companions, SO
was made scapegoat. NV father
sad his heart was broken. had dis
graeed the family. The only thing he
could do with me, he thought, was to
SEND me travelling. Perhaps / might
Pick up some common sense in foreign
,ahds. The next thing I knew T was on
ooard the American packet ship Lib
erty IN the midst of tumbling waves,
ana bound for Australia. There was
letter of. credit in my pocket and a
new pain in my heart-one, my dear,
una. hope you may never experience.
Did | cry? Now please don't ask
lmPertinent questions. Was / home-
aeS and miserable amid the wild waste
q watersP All, my dear boy, YOU do
~. Know how big and lonesome and
awiui the great sea makes this world
leel You never realize its size until
10y nave been going for days and days,
and days and days, and find the same
slcie OF water about you, with no ap-
parent end in front. You feel that the
issuance back to your beloved home
.ah never be measured. At the same
saa a,ae your memory becomes very active,
sia events OF year ago are brought
slvldiy before you. You can feel
malnma's last kiss like benediction
spon your brow; you can feel her soft
sa,a Sarm arm about you, just when she
My N.Y. you close and begged you, while
sears fell on your hair, to be good
ots' ny and come back very. very soon.
sna ~. oa' Oh! how good you would be if
,p spu could only have those dear arms
as eu. you now! But all the money in
now. S W '"Ao you pack
,,a aoo the big ship crept on, and on.
saa ON, across the summer sea nnt;i
a'5 aaa q this huge world lay between me
WAS hundred days older and felt
raaaas aanaIed years-when the Liberty
mac acned Melbourne. You don't know
ahca. s ABOUT Melbourne, do youp Nor
'aS Australiap o, yes; I'VE no doubt