The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1896-05-21
NEVER DESPAIR,

Who has not heard or read about
London bridge, that famous thorough
faro of England's busiest centre of
traffic, of its endless stream of human
ity passing to and fro in their daily
pursuits. of innumerable tales OF
woe, of lives lost, misspent and for
lorn, of tragedies, occurring only to
be at once forgotten and followed by
more startling crimes, the inevitable
result and outcome of everyday life
in the English metropolis-the seat of
untold wealth and untold misery
that unrolls before us the depths of
human nature, only too often in their
most revolving form?
1t was dark and foggy evening.
The hour when the tired toilers seek
the comfort of their tireside, when
everybody goes to his home-provided
he has a home-has come and gone.
Suddenly two pedestrians approaching
from opposite directions came to
sudden and rather unpleasant collision
on the bridge. One of them, young,
and dressed in the height of fashion,
had come from the arlstocratic re-
gions of the West End while the
other, who had approached from the
laboring districts of Southwark was
much older and was poorly clad.
"Zounds, SIR" exclaimed the
younger of the two, "your Uranium is
not exactly bolstered up with springs,
I assure you. Why could you not
get out of the way when you saw me
approach?"
The other, evidently a laborer,
shrugged his shoulders and threw a
longing look across the railing to the
dark waters of the Thames below.
'Where were you going post haste?"
continued the first speaker, noticing
the mans detected attitude.
''There!' came the hoarse answer,
pointing down to the river.
"There? Well, my man, our road
is the same. Take me with you!'
The poor laborer cast surprised
look at the well-dressed young man.
"You?" he said. "You to go down
there? Impossible! What has put
such a dreadful thought into your
head? You are surely not suffering
from want; you cannot possibly know
the sorrow and the misery that is the
poor mans portion? You look like a
rich man, you have youth besides
consequently you are happy and to be
envied! !"
"Wrong, my friend, altogether
wrong. Wealth is not always akin to
happiness" responded the young
man. "Come, rouse yourself, 1 can
see things also have gone wrong with
you; walk with me short distance
and let me explain
Strange! Here were two persons
who had not even known of each
others existence five minutes before,
but withal, they found themselves
drawn toward one another by that
sympathetic flash which so often inhu-
ences our destinies.
Peaceably and contentedly they
walked side by side, while the rich
man poured his heart out to his poor
companion, telling him with impul-
sive words that he led anything but a
happy life, although possessing every
thing that usually goes to make life
worth living. He was bachelor who
had inherited great wealth from his
uncle. He had drained the pleasure
cup of all kinds of amusements, had
kept servants, horses and carriages
numberless friends had congregated
at his splendidly furnished apartments
and in his country residences; he had
even widely speculated without rhyme
or reason in Lombard street, but wor
in spite of his folly; he had travelled,
ne had celebrated orgies, he had livel
like sybarite and thrown away hi.
money with both hands and now b.
Was tired of life, satlated and blase in