The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1888-01-12


l have been into town on some house
hold errand.
About my ring. must hide it; but
can not take it off. hurry up into my
room. and hurriedly turn over the con-
tents of an old musty dressing-case
that had been my fathers. Where can
it be? That old garnet ring with the
queer under-groove in it that l feel sure
will let this thin wedding ring slip into
it and SO keep my secret from prying
eyes.
Ah! with hot, trembling fingers find
it. 1t does exactly as l thought it
would do. . ...'
With that broad cd ring always on, l
need fear no discovery. None but my
self would know that under it lay
another. the tiny circ.et of gold bind
ing me stronger than iron bands could
do to my ''dear love-"
During the day my old uncle is taken
much worse and he will let no one be
near him but me. William comes in
and out of the room, but am tied to
it nearly all the day, till towards even
ing my uncle falls into deep sleep
and can safely leave him with his
nurse. 1t was a rambling old house.
Norlington Farm, and it had been my
only home now for nearly seven years.
all of which time William Mapleson
had lived as my uncle's steward and
helper under the same roof.
1t has been hard. self-denying life
for him, perhaps; but for me-or rather
for his love for me-he would never
have borne it. Till latterly the hard old
man had never discovered our love;
and when he had there was no more
peace for us under his roof.
He had ragged and stormed, declaring
that no niece of his should marry Will
lam Mapleson, on pain of disinherit-
ance.
Mine was always a weak, tinid ma
ture. Perhaps some women q was no
longer young girl; my thirtieth birth
day had come and gone) would have
actively resented his tyranny and as
serted their individual rights; I could
not. was in his power; for when my
parents died he had taken me in, a
penniless girl. and had from that time
given me. in his particular hard way,
all that needed to live-not but some
would have felt they fully earned such
keep.
scarcely ever looked at it in that
way.
had been weak and helpless, alone
in the world, not very strong in health,
when he had come to my father s
funeral; and after paying all expenses,
had simply said: ''Now go and pack
up your kit. You must come with me
to Norlington Farm. Can't say, I'm
sure, what old Betty will say; but there
nothing else, us see, to be done. Re.
member, my girl. tits not lady's life
am offering you; but 1 suppose you are
not too fine lady to know what work
means?"
..lf had been then, all was corrected
by now. During these seven years
have worked hard and lived hard.
Yet there are those who say that ole
Peter Glennie is worth half million O.
money.
My golden week of happiness is gone
but although William is gone, I an
strangely content.
l do not regret the step have taken
Since the morning after my marriage
my uncle had been better and quieter
Old Mr.. Baines, the lawyer, had beer
with him a full hour that morning, ant
old Jenkyns had been called into hi
room to sign his name to some docu
ment. together with the hired nurse.
He is a miserable old man." sh
said to me the other day. II suppos
it's his will we signed. What a grudg
he seems to have against marriage
He growls continually, even in his sleep
about fools getting married."
'Ahr' I said: che has never mar
ried."
No." she laughed. 81 should no
say any one was the loser by that
either"
He had called her at this moment
and l was left alone to overhear cor
versation between old Jenkyns an
Betty, who, being both deaf, were talk
ing over the same matter in the kitchen
"Ah, we'll. Betty, it's hard day fo
the farm when Mr.. William goes away
and how'll the old master do Wi a nev
steward at his tonne O life. wonder?
HE knows what he's about, neve
, you fear. Do'ee think for a momen
as how he don't know a letting him g
is the only way O preventin' a maj
riage between he and Miss Norah? H;
ha! ha!''
AS hear her cunning old laugh {
{ my expense sit hugging my love
) my heart.
Old Betty always owed me grudg
for coming to Norlington Farm
although she had been compelled
show mo ordinary civility.
How little she knew we were ma
ried ONLY Yesterday, under her yer