The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1890-06-12
HOT COFFEE HERE

her face close to the window pane and
eager eyes brilliant as stars.
She was shrewd little girl, as have
already limited, and knew that the house
she and her mother lived in was a good
hungry distance from town; and she
felt that, did any traveller to and from
the city chance to read her modest little
announcement, they would only too
gladly avail themselves of the nectar
she had been taught to make so well.
Away along the smooth. white road
black spot suddenly showed itself. 1t
grew in size as time passed, and, as its
bulk increased, silvery bells, in high
and merry trebles, sent sound waves
ahead of it.
With beating heart Kate watched the
approach-with sinking heart she
watched the dash past of two mettle-
some bays, smart with silver-gilt har-
ness and many girths of musical bells,
hitched to two-seated sleigh, wherein
sat, under beautiful soft robes, two
young and two elderly folks, all laugh
ing and in the merriest of moods.
"Why did you sigh, my daughter?"
asked Mrs. Keene, anxiously, ''are you
-
so, I'm all right. motherl Did I sigh?
thought only breGthed-Oh-''
''What is it, Kate?"
But Katie was out at the gate before
her name was uttered, replying to ques-
tions asked by an old army-overcoated
farmer, who sat upon a cushioned seat
in high, big, springless wood-wagon.
"I'll give ye a nickel fur cup, gal, eff
it's steamin' hot-I'n nigh about fruz
stiff"
AS if these words were magic that set
the heels of her heavy little shoes in
motion, Katie flew into the kitchen,
carefully poured out enough of the
steaming amber to fill big cup, and
with little tray upon which rested a
tiny bowl of sugar and toy pitcher of
milk, she went swiftly out to the old
gentleman in the wood-wagon.
Five cents alreadyl The success of
her venture was too grand secret to be
longer kept, and she told her mother all
about it, when, the wood wagon fairly on
its snail-like way. she brought the small
salver indoors and put the nickel in her
mothers hand. Mrs. Keene, when she
heard her daughters wonderful plan,
covered her white face with her slender
| hands and was very silent; but, though
the tears rolled down softly into her lap,
Katie knew that she was not at all dis
pleased, but was in some way very, very
happy,
| Suddenly Katie heard again the warn
ing of the same silvery bells she had
heard before. Eagerly she listened,
this time not going to the window to
watch the return of the gay city people.
On came the iangle of sweet sounds,
nearer, still nearer, until-could it be-
surely it must-yes, they have stopped!
With little gasp of joy Katie was
| out of doors again, and, sooner almost
than it takes to tell it, was back in the
kitchen pouring out four cups of hot cof-
fee. A large waiter was quickly covered
with aclean square of linen, and larger
bowl of sugar and bigger pitcher OF
milk was placed in the center between
the four steaming cups. Then, her very
| gladness dancing in her starry eyes,
Katie made her way to the sleigh.
ST never enjoyed cup of coffee more
in all my life. little girl-who made it,?
81 did, SIR" said Katie, pink with
pleasure.
Father said another voice, "hfty
cents isn't particle too much for this
delicious treat; is it mammal"
"No, indeed" said the first speaker
who wasn't mamma at all. "And we
must head our horses this way as long
as the snow lasts. Goodbye, little girl
till we see you again"
Fifty-fve cents! I'm afraid the mists
that swell up in folks eyes at joy as
at sorrow must have blurred Katie's
own Just then, for, without her being in
| the least aware of it, DR.. Saltus hac
driven his big black horse close beside
her, and was himself looking curiously a
her from under the hood of his buggy
top.
asked softly; but even at this gentle
question Katie started.
"What, sir? Oh, it is you, doctor?"
sPm inclined to believe so. Why tina
sign and all this coffee drinking?"
Katie told him. And somehow Will,
she was speaking something got int
his eye-an object that seemed to re
quire good deal of brushing out witt
the folds of his pretty, pale-blue, sill
handkerchief. And, when Katie hat
finished, he said in voice rather dit
ferent from his usual tones, ''bring M
bowlful-good measure, min6-In
your first regular customer, you know.
It seemed that tsbowlfu1s'' were to tn
little caterer very profitable things
This first one netted her quarter of
dollar, and the doctor said that sh
needn't be bit surprised if good man
city folks took to driving out this way
for he meant to tell his numerous &C
ouaintances what splendid road it wa
for sleighing.
The twilight of that happy day deep
ened upon joyful couple-a mother t