The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1890-05-01
DIRE PROPHECIES.
How the Town Fool Turned Out to
Be the Town Blessing.

Itnot infreauently happens that there
Is in small towns and villages some boy
or girl unlike the other boys and girls
in tie town. Sometimes this popularity
is of such nature that the person
manifesting it earns for himself the un-
enyiable distinction of being somewhat
lacking in the upper story" as the
villagers often express it.
He is spoken of as being "kind of
queer or openly called the ''town
feol," when his supposed mental weak
ness may consist of nothing more seri-
Gus than his thinking and talking and
acting in an original sort of way.
The town of Wendom, in an Eastern
State, had within its limits fool of this
kipd. His name was Hiram Curry. He
vas friendless and homeless boy, who
lived first with one villager and then
with another who could find enough for
him to do to earn his food and second
hand clothing, and he earned all he ever
received, although some of the penuri-
Gus old farmers near Wendom gave
themselves credit for great deal of
generosity for allowing Hiram to. go to
school for few months in the winter
season in return for such trif1ing serv-
ices as feeding and milking six or eight
COWS, chopping and carrying in all the
wood used in the house, feeding forty or
Gfty head of hogs, building all the fires,
and putting in his ''spare time" before
and after school in shelling corn for the
mill, churning, washing dishes and
scrubbing kitchen floors.
Perhaps it was because he had lived
With 50 many different people and be-
cause no attention had ever been given
% his manners that poor Hiram was not
Just like other boys.
He's been knocked round from pillar
sopost all his born days until I RELY
wonder that he's got any sense at all,
said old Grandmother Crewe, sympathiz-
ingly. His pa was real smart man,
and might have amounted to good deal
u ned only let Ticker alone; but he
wouldn't, and when he was run over and
KILLED by the cars one dark night and
tha shock of it killed his mother ten
Gays later, little Hiram began to be
tossed round from one family to another
n way that want likely to make him
IKE other boys, poor little feller!'
Unfailing cheerfulness was one of
Hlrams peculiarities OF character.
amid all the sorrows of his hard life he
presented to the world smiling face,
although there must have been times
Rnen his heart was hoavy.
de amt sense enough to reelize his
own mis'ry," was what some of the vii
agers said about Hiram's cheerfulness.
and indeed he had an odd way of
laughing and joking about every thing
: though human misery was something
ae had not yet heard of.
nus odds and ends of cast-off clothing
pOaia not but give him singular ap-
peafance. His coat was usually too
lafge his trousers too short, and some-
alaes his boots were not mates; but he
you'd even turn this mortifying fact
INTO joke.
i. II fellow can't have what he wants
y good idea to be satisfied with what
asean get" was one of Hiram's fayorite
ne was boy of fourteen when he first
assso the words, 'stown fool" applied
ne mad gone down to one of the vii
- stores one evening to get pound
ssoaa Tor Farmer Gerrish's wife, with
e1sn ne was staying that winter.
sae soda had been given him, and he
- started to leave the store, but had
tipped near the door to look at the
alligs IN the showcase when he heard
sefanger at the other end of the store
g N low tone to the village mer-
vel, it's pity that boy couldn't
n n 2 the variety of his clothes. Does
Nv - 'OWn hire him to wear out its old
saa - and who is he, anyhow?''
hlnn?" Hiram heard the village
= s.saant say, sneeringly. Hes sort
soWn fool; his names Curry-Hi
e..y' ne works round for his keep. I
sssss ne amt got any more sense than
'1s law allows him.
- any one met Hiram hurrvinc
~" l.o with bowed head, few moments
sss' M ne might not have greeted them
IS =. rs usual smile and CHEEKY words,
loas - lace wore a fierce, determined
n,-s., sno his cheeks were wet with
sssssaang that was not melted fakes
asins snow falling on his hot face !