The Bossier banner., 1894-09-20

could lind space on mountain tally
no, just present the problem and the
coach to a party of that size, on fine
summer morning, and they will speed
lily prove the truth of my statement.
Two smiling young men, in summer
fannels, and cheeks reddened by |
the brisk drive, were on the ground |
before the coach had time to stop, and |
were making their salutations to the |
ladies and their request to Mrs. Dex-
ter. They were going to Eagle Cliff |
for a days outing; party well chap |
eroned, horses and driver absolutely |
reliable. Could the young ladies join
them? And a chorus of girlish voices
added their entreaties, while the boy
bugler blew a delicately suggestive
little songlet out into the air by way
of flattering invitation.
Aunt Hetty's old eyes filled with
tears of disappointment but she brave
ly winked them back before anyone
could see them-so she thought
"Got up at five o'clock, did all the
work, tramped over to Zene Lucas to
catch a ride on his milk-cart, and then
walked three miles more from the
mills in the hot sun, and all for moth
ing" she was thinking. "But, dear
me! l was pretty girl once myself,
and had my good times, too" So it
CHANGED that what she said, in all sim
cerity and earnestness, was almost
convincing. "Do go right along, Bet
ty. l shall be over again in few
days, mebbe, and this will give me
nice chance to visit with your ma"
And by avoiding Betty's eye the old
lady considered that she had made
| very neat thing of her hard task.
| Rose turned eagerly to Mrs. Dexter
and waited; but Betty took the old,
| withered hands that were nervously
clasping and unclasping in excitement,
and without a shadow of regret on lips
or in her heart, said:
81 am so much obliged to you, Tom,
but | have other pleasures on hand for
! to-day. But Miss Houston will go,
think. You have never seen Eagle
Cliff, dear" she continued, turning to
her friend, land it is glorious up there
in the darkness of the pines"
But the sunny face of the heiress
|
to hide that look from Aunt Hetty's
sharp eyes, Betty drew her friend
quietly away to the house to prepare
for the drive.
"'Tain't no matter about me at all, y
said Aunt Hetty. Betty won't stay
at home on my account, will she?'
asked the wavering old voice.
''She said that she had some pleasant
plans for to-day" answered the moth
er, with a loving glance down the
walk where her daughter was waving
her hand to the departing coachers.
You may think the girl was practic-
ing self-denial; but her mother de-
tected no trace of regret or disappoint-
ment in the dear face, and Aunt Hetty
had one of the happiest days in her
whole life-a day remembered with
deepest gratitude to the last of her
soon-closing life.
Looking over photographs is com
monplace amusement to most of us
but when ones eyes have seen just
about the same sights year after year
for over fifty years, until the world
seems made up of little brown farm
houses and barns and sheds, and the
church and store once week, then {
glimpse of handsome buildings, broad
lawns diversified with picturesque cot
tages and groups of pretty girls seat
tered about under the trees, of ar
treasures cleaning in marble white
ness, of smooth waters covered with
dancing boats rowed by girlisn oars
men, of study parlors decorated ant
cushioned in the last and daintles
fashion of college girls-then, say
, looking over photographs ceases to b'
commonplace.
Betty had no end of pleasant storie
, to tell of the college life; OF its goo'
times and disappointments; of the day
, when she visited the great city ant
! walked through the busy streets whicl
Aunt Hetty had never seen; of tn
! concert when Betty had been show
= cred with roses by her enthusiast
!, | classmates, and how some of the rose
were as large across as a saucer, an
| so sweet; of the days when she worke'
!, so busily to refashion the three seq
a sons old hats or gowns into daint
| COu1eCblOilS III ~ cC WI II W WV HN>>
I of the gay headgear of her compan
p ions. She lived over again all he
pleasant college days, her freshma
$ hopes, sophomore ambitions an
junior triumphs. She brought on
: Roses banjo and made Aunt Hetty
! face shine with youthful delight a
= she sang the lively boating songs an
= rollicking tunes beloved of colleg
a girls and men. For Aunt Hetty ha
/ been lively girl, too, in her day, an
i loved merry times. She would alway
a be little gayer in spirit, little les
;. likely to sit down in her old brown
4 worn room and think of her bereave
q ments, than she had been; and one
;, in awhile, out in the little orchar
a where not even the hired man coul
hear her, or by the winter heart
o. when the wise cat was asleep, sh
q would hum to herself, with great So
o isfaction, some of these college airs.
! They had pretty luncheon of bout
, lon. lettuce sandwiches, fresh egg
- berries, and a great golden custar
- k,,+ Hat+r,c Spaaia1 dn1iUbt The