The Bossier banner., 1892-04-14
fILIE BELTON'S RUsE'
c,rs,, Her Father of His Inn
aginary Diseases

~ - Creg Her oOAA
e aginary Diseases
~ ,usb Nelly!" said Mrs. Bel.
%. 'Baa Bts,Sinr n up a warning finger, as
ea nO i.asbter sprang up the steps with
fdaah "Your father is suffering
n pI asS ,as this afternoon, and is trying
% Ne Is in the sitting room on
e ssm '.ance. where / made him CO. as II
8 8 .aeh cooler there
g g %sst,s % the matter now?' SAID Mel
~ " bsr pretty face curiously un-
Is N"l ~ the news of her fathers in
X inst one of his nervous spells!
\. W. tbinx he said he had a head
/. 80 broiled him bird, and he
: Vi 10 relish that. and drank some
i. .nsm;lk - of the morning. churning."
e aw.,I then. if he can eat and enjoy
j a.rnilk remarked the girl, with "a
Il .I.uoh. .she is not SO very bad off.
IL s.,ast: now, mother; do you believe
n ~ in fathers ailments? No, no;
i. w. rou frown, but tell me the truth!
q. MI his appetite and looks too good
4 .s.rs tn be much the matter with
d .,l declare / have caught DR. Les
b. smiling broadly several times when
" IN i.s been here to see father, and 1T
' y .ll he could do to keep from laugh
4 n, right in his face. :"
2 Mrs. Belton's kindly face wore
:. 3..Namused, half-frightened express
Iinas she listened to her daughter, but
i ae answered, demurely:
flow can you talk so, Nelly? Oh
suse, your father is i'll, or why should
7 8kie,gn to be SOP"
: 4He likes petting and coddling just
: m, baby; and, mother, really be
J. ar,ve Won know it is mainly his imagin
,nu that is at work, but you have go
n the habit of waiting on him ant
!. 4 ssnmoring his fancies until you do it a
a,mattef of course Now own up. d.
7rm believe in his sickness to-day?"
The mother evaded the clear, truth
a~muelling eyes turned up to her own
I'm she laughed and whispered back
7 8aEell he did eat about six biscuit
; With that bird and drink three glasse
9 IN buttermilk and dispose of nearly
, 3ard of glass of my strawb berry PIE
3Rres"
Nelly caught her mother in her arm
q With a shout of delight. 'Brav'
] abaro! You have owned it, and that
/ Ahalf the battle. Mother, | know i'll tt
[ q bottom of your heart, tender and kin
!, Swit is you are tired of fathers morb
! II Ahneies, and of ministering to his in
sginary ailments. And it is time som
Thing was done to arouse him or he wi
become confirmed hypochondriac, Il
4 he Is nearly that now. l believe | cou
j break him."
NO, you couldn't, child. used
I Try and get him to shake off his dc
y pndency and not to think SO much
bis little aches and pains, but | on
i got called unfeeling for my exertio1s
well, l would approach him d
tsrently. Listen, mother, l have
pan"
And the two heads, one still brow
md handsome in spite OF the fine lin
cfsilver over the temples and the 9th
alright chestnut, drew close togetht
ndin the golden sunshine of the bes
Hiul September day dark plot W
iormed, and when Rob Harper cal
sirolling in with the most purposel'
air that ever conceived a purpose
same was impaired to him under 81
oi secresy. Then when Nelly chane
walk as far as the turn of the re
as Rob took his way home, the doct
driving past, was halted and made
I partner likewise in the mysterious b
mess.
! The afternoon slipped away and
Gay had given place to the purple t
light when Hiram Bel ton awoke fir
bis pleasant nap and stretched out
hand for the pitcher of ice water u
ally placed right by his side on 81
occasions by his devoted wife, but
time he felt in vain. He pressed
hand on his forehead and groa
twice, thrice, very heavily, but tn
was no one who came tip-toeing
sae room to bend.over him and beg