The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1889-07-18

'DO ho'A my uOB Onlp bl0Q one
night when l went down home, because
there wasn't any sap that day, and [
had nothing to boil. When l came
back in the morning, there was
the chain, but no Snip. Well,
along the very day of the spellin'
match was to come off I had a
sort OF gatherin' to put in over near
the school house. The sun was shinin'
and We had lot of new tin buckets,
and they cleaned from the trees so
that they made the hillside look like a
great silver mine. [ felt pretty good.
My heart was as light as feather, be-
cause l knew l had the girls heart.
She got on the OK sled with me, and
rode round a few turns. We talked
about the spellin' match, and | was
sorry | could not come in, because L
wanted to see her school whip that
other deestrict, and / knew it would. [
tell ye, my sap yoke was nothin' on my
shoulders that afternoon. We fetched
up round here at the shanty, and
sugared off a bit that had intended to
make into cakes for her; and she ate
it, lookin' her pretty self sweetern n
the sugar.
THAT top spoon, up there, is the
very one she used, I will guarantee"
said, as pointed to a whitfield shin
gle, hung up high on the side of the
shanty, with bit of yellow worsted
raVelled out of his tippet tied around
its shank, and underneath it was
scrawled in charcoal: EAST day, 1886"
The big fellow would have blushed,
but that the bronze face painted by the
March winds, made his honest, hearty
features incapable of deeper hues.
well, l could not get over to the
spellin' match, as it was such good sap
weather, after she went back, and
sugar was twenty-five cents a pound
that season, kept thinkin' [ would go
about breakin' up time; but if didn't
forget myself for business. l Is'pose 1
amt the first man that has let his wish
to save some pesky property get be-
tween him and his lady love. kept
thinking l would get the syrup down
SO as | could leave it long enough to
run over just about the time they got
through which was about midnight y
81 suppose that other fellow, South
worth, was there with his colt and
sleigh to take your Dulcinea home" |
put in.
You hit it exactly! And was a
fool too. s'posed actually that she
would rather walk home with me than
to drive home with him. That's the
conceit of lover, but as was hard
worker and he was lazy fellow livin'
on his old father and lettin' him work
his sugar orchard all that season, l
thought she would see through things.
Hadn't girl ought to consider such
things as thatP"
eyes, but girls like attention, you
know. You can not win a fair lady
without putting yourself out some,"
replied.
You are right. But, howsome-
ever, | got over just as they were
breaking up, and was all in my work
ing clothes. too, and had on my long
woolen frock, for it was rather frosty,
and my pant legs were tucked in my
boots. l thought she would consider
that, and not be ashamed of me-"
'But ayoung man must pay his lady
love some little compliment by slick
ing up when he goes to see her."
'Now, you be still" he said, biting
his lip. ''Of course l got to the school
house just as Joe Southworth drove up.
His colt was dancin' and standin'
straight on his hind legs, and he looked |
mighty pretty. The boys were just |
pourin' out and hurrahin', for we had |
got the victory. just strobe up by
oouthworth, scowlin' at him as went
by, and walked right up to Miss Brown
lust as she came out of the sehool-house
loor. o, wasn't she pretty, all flushed
With the trouncin' she'd give Knobb's |
Hall. Good evening, Miss Brown.
hall walk home with youP said |.
She beamed on me as she always
beams on every body to this day, and
hen she says: why Elisha, Mr. South
worth has invited me to ride home
With him. said not another word.
tut just tumbled back over the snow,
md threw my leg over that rail fence,
nd just legged it towards this ere
ugar camp. l heard Southworth's
'ells iingling down the highway and
vent on my lonely journey. L was
Mighty mad. sat down here on this
cry seat, had not been in the camp
aore than three minutes when heard
ne VOW of catamount. 1 just wished
he creeter would eat me. I felt so
esky mean, and / knew I would
our on a stomach of a cata-
1ount Well, as the yow-yow con-
Inued, / took the rife out of the
tock up there and put off out through
he woods determined to shoot myself
r the animal. And, zoundsi if did
OF see down there at the turn of the
Dad Southworth's sleigh all smashed
} smithereens! And the next minute
saw the catamount right up there
gin a hemlock tree all crouching
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