The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1901-05-23

so abundantly as in former times,
and showed plainly the want of the
efforts of the master of the place.
Even the house, and the we'll kept
barns and stables began to look for
lorn and dilapidated, and the general
appearance of shabbiness extended to
the animals as well. With rough, un-
kempt coats, the once sleek horses
ambled along with downcast heads.
meekly giving up to the spirit of
gradual decline, which seemed to pre-
vail. When Maria demonstrated, call
ing her fathers attention to some
new evidence of neglect on the part
of the hired men, the squire would
say, merely:
There, there, Maria, I'll speak to
Joe about it. Don't go to fussin' over
nothin'. Things will come out straight
in the end"
But the result was that things be-
came crooked rather than straight
The fences sagged, posts leaned,
scraggly branches drooped-in fact,
everything seemed to have become
a
rest. This feeling likewise seized the
squire himself, and one day he, too,
sank into a peaceful slumber from
which he never woke.
People said that now Maria Fair
child would likely spunk up and
marry Jed Tompkins, whom the
squire had disliked for no apparent
reason than that Jed would deprive
him of his daughter who, to the best
of her ability, made her father COM
Portable. But Jed had left the town
some years before, and if he had
heard of the squire's death, he made
no sign.
Then the popular opinion was that
anyhow Maria would fix up the place,
but when it became known that there
really was no money, and that Maria
was, indeed, a poor woman, specula-
tions changed to expressions of won
derment as to what she would do,
anyway. Then came the announce
ment of the auction.
"Dear me, Sus!" exclaimed one
good soul. "Jest to think! Maria
amt more'n 35, If she's that, and to
think she's come to this!"
'Well,' said another, Il don't see
what on earth she's goin' to do when
she's sold her furniture. l should "a
thought she'd kept it and took sum-
mer boarders from the city. That
furniture's real good if it's old. My
land! Age amt nothin' ag'inst stuff
like that in the souire's house. That's
the kind that gifts better instead of
worse. Amt no imitation bout it,
neither! Every stick of it's the real
genuine wood!"
Maria worked industriously. Be
fore the afternoon had gone, several
handsome, oldfashioned pieces had
received shining coats of varnish, and
CLEANED anew with restored beauty.
Loretta Wilkinson arrived bright
and early on the eventful day, and if
she noticed the closed-up appearance
of certain portions of the house, she
said nothing, but had her thoughts.
"Why, Maria, where'd you git that
stove?' said she, as she caught sight
of peculiar object in the wood-shed.
THAT amt never your show-off par
lor stove, is it?"
"Yes, Loretty, it is" answered Ma
ria. I've got one in there, you know,
and this one amt nothin' but a relic,
you might say. I'm most in hopes
nobody'll buy it, for that's the one
thing l can't bear to part with; but
l amt thinkin' bout it any more'n
I can help"
1t was a curious article. On top
was mirror mounted like any chif-
fonier mirror, and at each side was
blue glass vase.
"Them held grasses most of the
time," explained Maria, land how
many times I've seen pa himself in
front of that glass, with his Shawn
cup set there to keep warm on the
side. But that was fore we had the
stove in the parlor; after the stove
was moved in the parlor we kept a
fire in it only on some occasions, and
ma used to joke me about my sparks;
but faint subject can talk about
to nobody"
"Yes, l know" said Loretta. "You
was thinkin' bout Jed. If was you,
I wouldn't sell it 'thout I'd got to-"
Maybe 1 can't let it go, Loretta,
but We'll see. There! There's some
folks come already, and Abe Fishers
leadin' the way to the barns"
The day was clear and cold. No
tees of the auction had been circu-
lated far and wide, and many farmers
and their wives had driven in from
the surrounding towns, bent on pro-
curing something from the squire's
place. The kitchen and sitting-room
were well filled during the greater
part of the day, and the steaming
coffee and the new doughnuts found
ready consumers. Curiosity had
brought many, no3 only to the
grounds, but into the house itself,
for the reputation of the squire's pos
sessions had led many to see for
themselves if the house was stripped
from cellar to garret, or whether, as
some affirmed, Miss Maria had loads
of much better stuff she wouldn't