The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1896-05-21

spite of his youth. Melancholy, re-
morse and misanthropy troubled him
necessarily, and he could not help re-
peat1ng to himself that his life had
been an utterly useless one. There
fore he had finally come to the delib-
crate conclusion to end his worthless
existence in the waters of the river
Thames.
The laborer was dumbfounded.
Never in his life had he listened to
such queer tale.
''How incomprehensible! - he ex-
claimed. "My life tells exactly the
oppol tc story. am very poor, have
an ailiny wife and seven children, and,
alas, no food for them; thus far I
have honestly and tirelessly tried to
make the two ends meet-in manner
by hard work, but few days ago
lost my place in the factory on ac-
count of the dull times. Icannot wit
ness the misery at home any longer:
it tears my heart to look at nv starv-
ing loved ones: and though my poor,
suffering wife tries hard to console
me and to give me courage, bidding
me not to despair, I see no escape. l
have no hope left and am resolved to
put an end to my miserable existence.
May God in His infinite mercy have
pity on my family!"
''Poor fellow!" The rich young
man s countenance was full of deep
felt pity and unbidden tears gathered
Ill his eyes. Such q tale he had never
heard, never dreamt of amid the aff1u-
ence of his surroundings.
"Now know that there are people
in this world who are a great deal
more unhappy than I considered my
self to be, fool that I was," he re-
fected.
"But cheer up, man, there is help
in case like yours. Come, lead the
way, take me to your house. [ guess
| can end your troubles, and as far as
the-the-jumping into the Thames
is concerned, I think there is no
special hurry about it, do you? "
A cab soon brought the two former
candidates for self-destruction to the
dirty narrow lanes of the working
mems quarter in Southwark, where it
| stopped in front of a tumble down
| cottage. Poverty and want stared at
| them from every nook and corner as
the master of the house and his young
companion entered small but tidy
and scrupulously clean room. A group
of children of pronounced blonde
type had hardly recognized the ir
father when they ran up to them and
pitifully begged for bread. Her eyes,
red and swollen from crying, her body
emaciated from want and sickness,
the mother painfully tried to rise from
her work, as soon as she beheld the
ar1stocratic looking stranger, aided by
her 17-year-old daughter Mary.
The young man was shocked when
he beheld this scene of what appeared
to be unmerited but great misery.
But when his sympathetic and aston
ished gaze full of pity, had fastened
itself upon the face and figure of the
beautiful blue eyed, slender blonde
girl he gave start of genuine sur.
prise. Full of q generous impulse
and quickly resolved, he grabbed the
laborer by the hand, exclaiming:
"Cheer up, 1 shall be back in an
hour" he explained, and left before
the family had time to recover from
their astonishment over the unexpect,
ed visitor.
All the father was able to do in re
ply to the many questions of his wife
and children was to console and cheer
them in a half-hearted manner. Bu
he said nothing about his suicidal in
tentions or about the strange meeting
that had prevented their consumma
ton.
Suddenly the door opened ono,
more to admit the man who was upper
most in their thoughts. Behind hin
appeared two servants carrying bas
kets filled with choice eatables, which
they deposited upon the table and a
once withdrew.
The young man walked up to th'
astonished and speechless laborer
saying in tremulous tones:
my friend, tonight you have savet
my life. Let me offer you and your
| al NS n