St. Landry democrat., 1888-03-03

Elevator" "Dumb-Elevator," COM
pound noun, having its double root in
| dumb waiter and elevator, consisting
| in lowering a block attached to cord
| down into the lower hall, and then
pulling it up again. This apparently
simple game was occasionally exceed
1ngly exciting, Rosalie using the dumb
elevator as projectile to be lower upon
the heads of unwelcome visitors. Upon
occasions it had done deadly work.
Once in particular Resale, peeping
| through the banisters, had beheld the
enhancing vision of the crown of a
black gauze bonnet. The dumb-eleva-
tor was moved into position, and as
the bonnet passed beneath it suddenly
descended, bestowing welcome too
sharp and sudden, too deficient in that
elegant ease which marks the cultured
society of the effete East. The lady
recovered of the blow-Rosalie and the
bonnet suffered.
But Rosalie is very pretty-a little,
fine, well-fnished, dainty creature, with
hair like spun silver, an ivory skin, a
trick of gesticulating, and bewitching
habit of tossing her head when she sees
any one looking at her. Resale, even
at this early age, has developed some
talent. If I mistake not, Beatrice Es-
mond at twelve had begun to try her
chances on the groom. What then,
may one not expect from Rosalie, who
has already tested her power, from the
underground of the stair-landing, on
occasional messenger boys waiting in
! the hall!
Rosalie's and Bertie's little games of
play in the evening are sources of
amusement only to Rosalie and BERTHE.
First they play the Huntsman and the
Little Hare Rosalie is the Little Hare,
and presently she receives deadly
wound, the poker miraculously dis
charging volley of buck-shot. The
corpse Of the Little Hare lies on the
carpet for a space, gasping as loudly as
did the mortal remains of Julius Caesar,
as recently portrayed by a dramatic
luminary. Then suddenly it rises on
all tours, and peeping at the Huntsman
with its enchanting pink face shining
under the table, says in an engaging
and sprightly tone:
'Now, Bert, the Little Hare's come
to life again, but he's grown up. He's
an Old Hare. Last time he was quite
young. You know, you've got to
chase him. raising her eyebrows and
shaking her blonde locks, as she peers
at the Huntsman between the table
legs.
Father reused by this, says hope
fully: 'sOld Hares are not as lively as
young ones-they can't run about so
much because they're stiff, or make so
much noise.
The game begins, and presently the
Huntsman becomes discouraged at the
agility of the Old Hare, which, despite
fathers logical deductions on the SUBJ
DUNG influences of age, leaps with
shrieks of joy under and over the
chairs, evincing singular vitality for
an antiquated quadruped.
At last father says despondently
from the depths of the evening paper:
isn't that aged rodent almost old
enough to die?'
''Oh, no, father" cries the Old Hare,
in her fresh, gay voice, mot for ages
yet. Berries got to catch me and skin
me first
This bloodthirsty termination seems
to appal the Huntsman.
Don't let's play this any moreP" he
says, subsiding on to his heels and
viewing the flushed and disheveled
Hare, 'let's play Robber Chief. :"
Aunt Loo pricks the attentive ear.
An uneasy look comes into her eyes,
and she says: "Was it Robber Chief
you were playing in my room yester-
day?'
eyes, yes; oh, it was splendid''
cry the Huntsman and the Hare, in ex-
cited chorus.
"Oh, them" says Aunt Loo, hastily,
II advise you to stick to the Hare.
It's so-so-much easier to play"
When mamma enters, five minutes
later, the hunt is at its height. The
Old Hare, close pressed, has to ''run
home," under fathers chair, where it
lies on its face, hammering its toes on
the foorin a breathless ecstasy. Father
and Aunt Loo, with set look about
their mouths, were sitting in silence
with their hand folded and their eyes
closed.
BERTHE stays up half an hour later
than Rosalie. This sacred half hour is
generally dedicated to the improve.
ment of the mind. For BERTHE has
mind to improve. He is young man
of parts. His favorite poem is 1.-The
Ancient Mariner illustrated by Dore.
He is also fond of Come Into the
Garden, Maud" though q little dazed
by the power of speech exhibited by
the enamored vegetables in Maud's
| garden. But the Bible is his particular
| favorite. From it he has culled some
| of his greatest heroes, having some
time ago matriculated from the story
| of Little Samuel into the stirring adj
ventures of the King of Judea. He has