The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1902-02-13
The Testing Of
a Man
By WIhhIHM BAOSS,
5x;Attapppput
downright. 1901. by Authors syndicate.j

less wise-they are woefully tire
some these sawmakers - declared
that when woman will she will.
That's all very well, and perhaps
y is. for the better part, true;
Init there are slips between lips
and cups, pitchers often are brok-
n by making steady company of
.be well curb, and, in fact, one can't
always safely bet on sure tip. have
,;,t,a doubt that a woman will when
she will, if she can-but there's the
ruh as Shakespeare wrote. and was
most uncommonly abused by Critic
Goldsmith for being so disagreeably
vulgar, thereby proving that poet is
without honor in his own generation.
II she can. One must reckon with
,h;s essential s.if she can" 1t was be-
cause of this lack of reckoning that
Medora Folsom--something very dear
to woman, her pride, entered into
the shackles of matrimony with
1 rude and husky male person
who had big feet and coarse hands,
which is quite contrary to all the con-
wntions of maidenly expectancy,
when maidenly expectancy is delight
fully dwelling upon the prospect OF
marriage. All properly constituted
maidenly expectancies do that, and
Medora Folsom was altogether most
properlyconstituted girl, and had been
we'll taught, having a good mother.
In itself this last is a full marriage
portion for any young woman who is
not looking for coronets.
Medora lived on the North side, up
near Lincoln park, in one of those
pretty by streets running lakeward,
which are by no means aristocratic
and by no means plebeian, but just
good, comfortable, respectable, we'll
to-do American-which is fine enough
for anybody, even a crown prince or
the rajah of Singapore.
And Medora, who was 90 years old
and as sweet girl as ever bloomed
in the countless myriad of girl gar
dens this old world has looked on since
Osiris was only man and had not
{ thought Of becoming "a deity, had
given her the rare happiness of being
wooed by two ardent lovers cat one
and the same time,'' as the ringmaster
would say. 1t had looked for quite
awhile as if John Brown would carry
away this winsome prize and bear it
to his tent triumphant. He had the
first innings-which always counts
and Medora really liked him-which
helps-and her mother favored his
suit-which may or may not have been
an advantage. Upon this latter point
one may be parioned tolerant de.
gree of skepticism. The basic quality
Of glorious woman is contrariness
Il you want her to, she likes to make
you believe she would rather not; il
J you urge her, she SHES; if you coerce
her, she backs; if you command her
she bolts. Ny opinion is that it was
largely because of her dear mamms
that Medora refused John Brown, the
trst time he asked her.
She didn't send him away peremp
terily, fatty, about his business-tha
would have thrown the poor fellow a
the feet of some other girl-the bold
saucy, thing-and have outraged all O.
Aedora's finer feelings, but she plead
Cd that she didn't really love him We
enough to want to marry him, forever
and forever (this was in Chicago, bu
Asdora was good Episcopalian), ant
mat, for the time being, there was n.
aope. Besides that, Folsom is a pref
slef name than Brown, don't yo,
think? It's matter of taste.
Know woman whose name was ono,
alss Angela Beatrice Montgomery, ye
now her calling cards bear the title
Ars. Adam Potts. And she is prou,
dit.
SO John, poor John, fingered, an,
used to make long calls on Sunday even
ing after service, when all the famil,
was in the parlor, and talk about tn
Neather, the new vested choir an,
1nat sympathetic voice the recto
possessed. 1t was rather slow for Me
uofa. think she rather resented thi
aneomplaining alteration, which .ac
esp1ed Its fate and kept its mantl
saeet. think that at times she hal
Misned She were a Sabine maiden an
sohn was Roman swashbuckler wit,
~ twentieth century foolishness abou
20 piiant willow as mere girl.
And, resenting, when Aylmer Has;
sngs came along, gay, self-eenteret
sll' dark, with white hands-so dill
lerent from Johns, who was an eng
4 leer and sometimes conveyed fra
ss.nce Of oiled rags-she seemed t
g.slu 70 ms lmpetuous suit and to poo
oan grew very naughty, disdainfu
ana coidly polite. Soon she let it b
ss.stiy understood that she and Hast
ss were engaget There was n
Una announcement, and no weddin
~ was set, but Medcra were a prett
~ ss ring upon. her forefinger-an
'onn was very unhappy.
A.. Ayimer Hastings, let it be III
ss.s.ood, in way too vague to be col
s,.s ' that he was ION the board {
s.as' .... de had glib fund OF CONVEX
4. .a ~ Ieiatlng 10 wheat and pork, en-
$ operations Of Phillips ip corn, whi