The Bossier banner., 1890-01-30
THAT DREADFUL TRAMP.
How Miss Penn Tried to Put Him
on the Right Pathway.

When Laura Penn found herself friend
less in the world, all her possessions
bounded by the four sides of Saratoga
trunk, and with purse in her pocket
holding exactly nineteen dollars and
twenty-five cents, she felt it necessary
to think of something besides her
troubles, unless she desired to become
dependent on charity. She was now
paving visit to friend, but she was
aware that visits should never be too
long.
The details of the causes that had
combined to throw her on her own re-
sources at nineteen years of age are not
necessary. Death, as you may suppose,
had been very busy, and there had been
the old story of name signed for a
friend, bankruptcy, home sold at auc-
ton, and broken heart.
Laura had nothing to do with all this
but to look on and wonder; to weep first
for her mother, and then for her father,
and to find herself dressed in black and
quite alone on earth.
One thing she had, however, that the
auetioneers hammer could not rob her
Ola good education. She could GER
tainly teach. The thought came into
her mind one morning as she opened her
eyes, and with it the question: ''How
shall get class or a school?" Adver-
tisement seemed to be the usual way, so
the girl advertised. If she had not
been very ignorant of the ways of the
world, she would certainly have given
initials or the number of post-office
box; but as she was a mere baby in all
that pertained to the working world,
the advertisement ended with: cad
dress Miss Laura Penn, No.
street."
Happily her friends did not read the
advertisements, SO she was spared advice
and lecture and information as to the
impropriety of her conduct; and the ad-
Yertisement resulted in a single call.
About nine o'clock the bell rang. A
portly matron inquired for Miss Laura
Penn, and the girl hurried down stairs,
expecting to see the principal of very
important seminary for young girls
anxious to secure her services. In the
shadow of the curtained parlor she
could see only a figure of large dimen-
sions, which arose and advanced toward
her.
You don't know me-" said a soft,
kindly old woman's voice, shut I've
knowed you from babe. served your
pa and ma with milk when you took it
rom bottle. I used to ride in
with my old man when first we
we're married; later, when / was
widow, served myself; now my
ooy serves. But all along I've seen you
frequent, and if your pa failed, he paid
up noble. And when l see that YOU
needed to teach, and wanted a school, I
said, The poor childp here the old
lazy was forced to hunt for her hand
Aerchief to wipe away her tears" The
poor child! when she'd been brought up,
% 70 speak, on cream, to come to earn
ing her own bread. But since she's in
want Of school to teach, thank fortune
lVs got one to give her, if she'll take
:. Y, remember you very well now,
alfs' Cliff, said Laura, who was in tears
nerseh. "And the milk was always so
coca, and how kind of you to tell me
A9Oat a school. I suppose you serve it
no, Miss Penn, I DON'T" said Mrs.
sain. TITS only day school, but
v Doaro the teacher and l make her drink
n she can, for I believe milk to be
wholesome, and the way some of 'em
laseen up is astonishing. don't say it
ss1ause \ | have dairy, but the truth is
lae truth. It's the district school at our
'lace' and Miss Chester, who taught last
ssar' !. Is married, and I can get it for you
! you like. Twenty-Five dollars month
alS board in. I'll arrange it shall be
sa'n me, as | did last year. There's no
slsae distance to walk and my family is
NY me and my boy and my husbands
=, 'sssaf, and you'll be quite quiet, as folks
- -. 70 be after affection. know that
. country scnool. Hove the country
y '.,s much; shall be very glad, indeed, $
~. ~ laura. laura, And I am 50 much obliged,
Az y = was settled, and after certain
s ~ y ana curious ceremony, supposed
ts.aS 49, strict examination of the new
fonss f.ss,' mad beenduly performed, Laura
fsssa fssss herself and her trunk in Mrs.
~. ss.a aront, upstairs bedroom and mis-
~ - 49, y : little baTn-liks school-house in
~ niaat q ths woods,
- asaelaFa we're I'll seang Aaa there |