The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1901-01-31

ou stay III luc scum room IN give me
chance to slip somethin' more on
the table, but not her. Out she came
an set down where she could see every
hands turn. l went to the pantry
an fetched out crock of raspberry
preserves an begun putin some into
a dish.
'You still make as many preserves
as ever, Maria says Lucy; an if she'd
a sed: you're jest as wasteful as ever"
l wouldn't have understood her whit
better. But / didn't let on; l lest set
them on the table an says: "Oh yes,
it's cheaper to make them in the sum-
mer than to buy them at the store in
the winter" She didn't answer, fur
she didn't allow l knowed she bought
all her preserves an jams.
Then got out the meat I'd roasted
to do Caleb while l was gone, an we
set down to supper. Caleb cut the
meat an offered her a slice, an says
she: 'Is it cold, Caleb?" An says he:
"Seein' that it was roasted this morn
in before l went to town, allow it is"
Says she: I'll not have any then. l
don't think it's healthy to eat cold
meat"
Well, jest then Sister Meachem
opened the kitchen door an come in,
An says she: II thought I'd run over
an see what time you was a-goin' in
the mornin'" Then she sees Lucy:
she don't like Lucy bit better than
l do. an she amt her husbands sis
ter. So she didn't waste much sweet
ness on her.
I did hope Lucy hadn't noticed what
Sister Meachem said about me goin',
fur even if man isn't just as thought
full as he might be, body don't want
his folks to know it, but that woman
alwus did hear what you didn't want
her to, an alwus managed not to hear
when it didn't suit her to. So as soon
as Sister Meachem set down. she turns
to me an says she: "Wus you allowin'
to go anywheres tomorrow" An says
Sister Meachem, afore / could stop her:
"gaand, she's all ready to go to town;
she's allowin' to start airly in the
mcrnin'.'
Caleb looks at me that astonished,
an says he: "Who's ready to go?
Maria? Well, it's the first I've heard
of her goin' anywhere"
l jest looked at him, an says I:
"Why, Caleb Larrabee! I told you
all about it last week, an you sed
All right an you mailed the letter
to Maria Ann yourself"
II mind of mailin' letter." says
Caleb, "but it's the first I've heard of
you goin' to town.
Lucy smiled, oh! sech a sarcastic
smile! and says: HAS my comm he'd
anything to do with your sudden no.
ton of goin'?"
Well, if Sister Meachem he'd jest
KEEP quiet, or if she'd a-gone home
might ave smoothed things over, but
she he'd to hev her say. She's knowed
us all so long, she uon't care what she
says to us. An says she: "If l was
Maria Ann Larrabee, I'd give you two
a piece of my mind,"
If she'd a-bin my worst enemy, she
couldn't have done worse thing, an
Lucy wasn't slow at seein' it. She
jest looked over at Caleb, an says:
Caleb an mes took many a scoldin'
together, haven't we, Caleb?"
Says /: 81 mind lots of scoldin's
you got him into when we all went to
school together, an you generally
managed to slide out of blame an
leave it all for him."
Caleb jest jumps up, an says he:
II declare to goodness, I forgot all
about them horses; they haven't he'd
| a drop of water" An he went out
of the kitchen as if somethin' was
| after him.
An says I: "'Tisn't every man
your visit"
Says 1: IL can't GO any ways;
there's them peaches an plums."
well, of all the men that ever I
| knowed of" says Sister Meachem.
An, says, 1: "'Tisn't every man
that's as good as Caleb about provid-
| in"
| Lucy give the hatefuIlest little
laugh an says: 81 allow you'd a-bin
willin' to do without all he brought
you this evenin'.''
Says Sister Meachem: II do think
Maria has more to put up with than
any woman i'll the neighborhood. II
jeremiah Meachem was as fergitful as
Caleb Larrabee, I don't know what in
| this world I'd do"
You see, without meanin' it, she was
forcin' me to disagreein' with her be-
fore Lucy. An says 1: Caleb lit
tie fergitful at times"
But Lucy broke in; she hardly ever
waits till a body's through with what
they're sayin', an says: Il think I'll
go over to Cousin James in the morn
in, an give you chance to git at
your peaches"
| A hadn't counted on her helpin' me
-she never was one fur helpin' any.
body.-but Sister Meachem looked at
her kind of dazed. an says: "I'n
come over an help you tomorrow"
! Then she went home, an Lucy went
to bed, an / set there a-wonderin
what to say to Caleb, an jest come to
the conclusion I'd say nothin' till after
| Lucy's got away, an so / didn't.