The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1900-08-23

Il remember the ridiculous name,"
answered Hugh Ramsey, lying at ease
IN lounge in his sisters room, land |
The woman, and, best of all, the din
ncr; but l can't say that I remember
much about the girl. A thin, colorless
little thing, wasn't she?"
Mrs. Morrison laughed and, drawing
her low chair nearer, ran her fingers
through his curly locks.
'You were hungry, not to notice
such pretty girl! She is rather thin
beauty one of these days, promise
you. I was hungry, too, but there was
SO sweet about her, and
what her mother said about her desire
to learn haunted me so that I went up
there one day and arranged for Lena
4 won't call her by that dreadful
name-to enter st. Mary's, at Omaha,
for two years. Her mother, who is an
old-fashioned Methodist, objected at
first. She was afraid them Catholics
would 'prosserlite' the child; but Mr..
Holten, a gentle, really refined sort of
man, was very grateful for the op-
portunity offered his daughter, and
spoke up with, judging by his wife's
look of astonishment, unusual firm
ness, and she gave in. Jerry-a blond
giant, a combination of his energetic
mother and easy-going father-was on
our side, and there Lena is, at St.
Mary's, studying like everything, and
happy as the day is long. I am only
afraid of her working too hard; she is
SO anxious to improve every moment"
''Dear old Zadah, you are always do
ing good to someone" murmured her
brother, pressing her white hand to his
lips.
Hugh Ramsey was tall, exceedingly
goodtlooking young fellow-about 25-
with dark hair and mustache and dark
eyes, which, ofttimes, did more execu-
tion than their possessor realized or
intended. His sister, some eight or ten
years older, had the same dark eyes
and curly dark hair, but was much
shorter and inclined to be rather stout
A childless widow with ample means
she was devoted to Hugh, andvery fond
of doing nice things for others. Hugh
was also comfortably well off, and not
at all dependent upon the profession
he had chosen.
Two years after this conversation
Hugh, on another visit to the west
had stopped to look after his sisters
property, and to see how her proteg'
was getting along. Six months befor'
this, Mrs. Holten had been stricken
with paralysis, and Lena had returned
home to care for her and the httl
household, so helpless with the chic
worker laid low. The family resource
were small, and, when Lena had tn
chance of teaching the neighborhoo'
school for the summer months, sh
gladly took it. She wrote brightly am
hopefully to her friend, but Mrs. Nor
rison feared that the girl was overdc
ing, and was greatly worried abou
her. She had looked forward to takin
Lena abroad, another year, to cultivat
her voice, and was loath to give up he
plans, even for time.
| Hugh Ramsey came, saw, and--wa
conquered, that little busyb bod.
Cupid, winging an entirely unlooket
for shaft straight at his heart at nj
first meeting with the girl. She was, q
Mrs. Morrison had predicted, beaut
indeed, with her soulful deep-blue eye
) long, dark lashes, finely penciled dar
, brows, roseleaf complexion, and hal
of that rare golden shade rarely see
beyond early childhood-coiled on I'll
, top of her shapely little head and fal
ing, in soft, feathery rings. on HI
white forehead. She was as charmln
in mind and manner as she was in pc
SON, and the young mans subJugatlo
was complete.
Hugh had made many visits to II
little schoolhouse, and had ridden ov'
one afternoon from his sisters place
E plead his cause once more. The hit
frame schoolhouse stood by the roa
side. at the foot of thinly wood'
! hillside. From the doorway a CHAIR
ing view was had over broad, farI
: dotted valley, bordered with frini
of trees and vivified by windal
8 river.
:, School was out, and the children HI
e gone their several ways. The day d
e been very sultry. with sudden dash
; of rain and frequent gusts OF wind. al
i Lena-looking a picture in her simI
e blue muslin gown-said, as she beg
to put the things in order on her des
k "You should not have come out
: this heat, Mr.. Ramsey, and you mt
!, go back before it storms.
'"Never mind about the storm, Len'
l. he said, earnestly, leaning over t
n desk, trying to capture one OF the bu
k little hands. Listen to me. l must
a away very soon, and cannot bear
d 70 until you have promised to be
It wife. Can't you care for me htt
N when love you so much? Your Sch
ID closes tomorrow, and cannot endt