The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1902-02-27
sail. Wouldn't Old Siouch join them?
Old Slcuch thought Of the SO cents and
guessed he'd better not

sail. Wouldn't Old siouch join them?
Old Slcuch thought Of the 36 cents and
guessed he'd better not.
"Oh, come on" coaxed Jake. TITS
fine day and Tim Monahan's going
and Sally Paterson, too. What's the
matter with you, anyhow" Had it
been anybody but Jake Old SLOUGH
would have had no compunctions about
borrowing, but he did not. care to bor-
row from Tilly's brother because
we'll, there were reasons.
At the mention of Tins name. how
ever, Old SLOUGH pricked up his ears.
He shrewdly suspected that Tim was
not far behind him in his appreciation
OF the good points of Jake's sister.
Moreover, he was quite sure he could
borrow from Tim certain coin of the
realm. At length he decided to go.
and Jake departed with an injunction
to be sure and meet the others at the
Long Island City station at ten o'clock.
One cent for a morning paper, five
cents for an elevated ticket, and three
cents for a ferry ticket landed Old
Slouch at Long Island City with 81
cents in his pocket. He had taken
good care not to be on hand first, in the
hope that somebody might buy his
ticket. Alas for that bright hope!
The first words that greeted him from
the radiant Sally were:
"Oh, here you are at last. Just time
to get your ticket. Hurry up, now.''
In vain he tried to catch Tins eve.
Tim was too busy trying to catch
Sally's. So he rushed hopelessly to the
ticket office and, turning his back to
the others, asked the man for a time
table, which he thrust hurriedly into
| his pocket and FASTENED after the rest,
who had started for the train.
They were all laughing and chatter
ing light-heartedly, the very embodi-
ment of good spirits. Poor Old SLOUGH
felt ltvery much downca st as he followed
them through the gate. He thought of
Stimulating sudden illness, but he did
not want to frighten Tilly, and then
that scamp of a Tim was sticking so
| persistently to her side!
| So he ratified his 81 cents bravely in
his pocket and clambered doggedly
aboard the train. He even squandered
two precious nickels in the purchase
of peanuts, for, thought he, ''27 cents
are no more use to me than Z. Let me
therefore cultivate reputation for
liberality."
While the rest were cha tting with all
the enthusiasm of care-free youth Old
Slouch sat miserably trying to figure
out som plan of campaign. wicked
Bill had been in his shoes Old SLOUGH
could have saved him without turning
a hair. "At this critical juncture,'
he would have written, "Bill anxiously
thrust his hand into the pocket of his
coat. His index finger discovered a
hole in the lining, and at the bottom
of the aperture, he felt something fat
and hard. Breathlessly our hero drew
it forth. 1t was a twenty-dollar gold
piece!"
But fertile as Old Slouch was in re-
sources for the relief Of suffering BAN
dts and imprisoned and impoverished
heroes, he was absolutely barren of in
| vention in his own behalf. So dis
turbed was he that when the bright
eyed Tilly turned from the attentive
Tim and called to him across the aisle
he answered her so absent-mindedly
that she was piqued and turned again
to Tim before he could repair his error.
| "Tickets!" said the conductor,
| sharply. The dreaded summons had
come and found him still unprepared.
Old SLOUGH began to tumble through
his pockets. Everybody else had the
necessary pasteboards, but Old slouch
still fumbled, getting redder and red
der every moment. The conductor
| looked at him with increasing stern
ness.
| 'T-er-I'm afraid" murmured Old
Slouch, family, when his search had
obviously become farce, "I'm afraid
I've lost my ticket"
"Didn't you drop it on the f1oor?'
| MIcTAKES ON RAILROADS,