The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1895-08-22
he never once mentioned marriage

passed. She was 1Orty-twO. he was
forty-five He was stouter, more stolid.
She had some wrinkles, gold filings
in her teeth, a reputation for irascibil-
ity-also a comfortable bank account.
The two continued to drive across
the majestic prairies in all kinds of
marvellous nights and days But the
prose of life had SO eaten into their
hearts they saw nothing of the beauty
| surrounding them, heard none OF ma
| lures music. For them there was no
| charm in the blossoming miracle of
dawn, the yellow sweep of the ripe
| corn, the translucence of the moon
| light, the blue infnity of space, the
meadowlark's gay vest, the fugitive
radiance on the bluffs, the restless
shiver of the cottonwOods, the ocean
shadows of the wheat, the swiftness
of the gopher, the snow of wild plum
blooms by the creek, the rank and file
of goldenrod flanking the dusty roads.
Aud they never heard the pattering
fight of the quail, nor the swallows
swervng wing, nor the scurry of the
ra bbit, nor the murmur of the naples,
nor the rustic of the sunflowers, nor
the first crackle of the frost, nor the
breaking of the ice, nor the gossip of
the wild grass, never-never.
Theirs were the years the majority
of prairie people know. Always
vague, unrestful, apprehensive, mate
rial Never gay, never educational.
If hopeful, elated; if despairing, sullen;
if contented, bovine. 1t is rather hard
to be philosophical in a country the
conditions of which one day promise
prosperity and leisure, and after the
next hail or windstorm express starva-
ton.
One day Ira brought Andulasia let
ter. 1t was from her mothers brother
who lived in Iowa. He was dying. He
wished to see her She handed Ira the
letter.
"Shall l go?" she asked.
Harris deliberated. Has he money!
he questioned.
YES
"Then 60"
He saw her off the next day. She
wore new dress that didn't fit in the
back. The skirt was too short at the
Sides Her shoes were dusty. The
heat had taken the curl out of hel
bangs. She had forgotten to bring the
piece of chamois skin with the powder
on it, which she was in the habit o1
using surreptitiously. Her nose shone
as if polished. She wore kid glove:
which were too large.
The train was late. AS they walked
up and down the platform she talked
to Ira steadily and monotonously. Sh'
warned him about the brindle COW
and advised him concerning piece O
his fence which needed repairing.
He heard her, but all the time HI
was watching a girl who played will
, the agents children in green patel
1 near the station. She was a littl
blonde sprite who had come from
+ Omaha to visit the agents wife.
"Of course" he said.
= "And you won't forget about th
e chopped feed?"
t He gave her an intense glance. "Hov
: could I?''
s you'll see that Star gets wei
= watered?"
o "Tll attend to it."
1 you'll have Alvy Markham pull
: parsley for the young pigs?"
y II will"
d tAnd-O, yes! If mother seems t.
y feel another fit coming on you'll ge
o her a bottle of Indian relief cure at tn
drug store"
He assured her he would. And al
: the time he was thinking what wor
l. derful way her hair curled about he
S temples-not Andulasia's. And hoy
S slim her waist was-not Andulasia's
/ And how pretty were the twinklin
y feet in the tan slippers-not Anduls
l. sia's. How fluffy and blue her gov
d was--and how deliciously merry he
laugh rang out. And neither gov
S nor laugh was Andulasia's.
r The train steamed in. Andulasi
went away. Ira did not kiss her. Sh
e was relieved-and disappointed. Th
:, conductor and the train boy Nigh
have laughed. But then he shoul
5, have cared enough to risk that.
, When the train had pulled out an
a was well around the bend, Harris, wh
l. had fingered on the platform, aske
IL the agent to introduce him to h
d visitor. The agent did so.
W Harris joined in the games of til
Ie children. He made himself clumsil
1T delightful. Soda water was unknow
S in that particular small town, but Ii
lie did the next best thing. He bougl
/, bananas and chocolate drops with
<, reckless iberality which would ha,
,r made the absent Andalusia doubt h
"a sanity could she but have been awal
er of his behavior.
b. He came to the depot the next da
ot the next and the next. The little visite
,e with the fax-fower eyes and yello
lie hair smiled divinely.
I'd THE children" she confided to tt
t. agents wife, "are having such goe
|" time. 1t is all great fun"
n She even thought it was great fl
* when she went buggy riding with M
at Harris.
Mt Take me past your farm" she cor
Id manded.
ie He grew red with ecstasy at the r
at quest He explained apologetical