The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1903-06-11
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TT did not come from his mother. Oh,
no. Mummy was not a present
giver except on birthdays and at
Christmas time. In fact Mummy was
not associated in his mind with presents s
at all. He rather thought of Mummy
as the person who very often did not
give him the things he wanted. But
she was Mummy, just Mummy, and a
hundred presents could not alter that
fact. His little life was made up Of
Mummy and his meals, with his father
IS very irregular, but on the whole
rather nice, if not very understand
able, person, thrown in. Sunday was
Daddy's day. He had vague idea
that Daddy had made Sunday to rest
In, and although nurse and Mummy
said it was another Persons day, he
considered that his father had had o
good deal to do with the arranging of
1t. As for Auntie, she who gave him
the presents and never found fault
with him, he figured her forth as a
lady bountiful, who, fortunately, did
not know how bad he could be at
times. 1t was clear to him that
Mother never told her about his pun
isments. Mothers own boy, the boy
OF the tears, and the penitense, and
the promises to be good in the future,
and the kiss and the cuddle on the
pillow, and the last goodnight, ten
times repeated when the light went
out and he was left alone--Mother's
own boy reckoned on secrecy. OF
course, Daddy was told occasionally;
and SO far he had observed without any
OF the threatened evil consequences;
and Daddy took strange views Of
things which Mummy and her boy saw
very we'll only showed how little he
knew of their world
When Mother went away on a visit,
che took home with her, and the
house seemed empty. His voice echoed
when Mummy's ears were not there
to catch it; the doors creake6 strange
", and at night the stars stared in
upon him threateningly, saying:
wow I've got you alone" No one else
was OF use against these stars He
felt it would be wise really to pray to
God till Mother came back. It was at
one OF these times that Auntie got her
self put into his prayer. Sheleft to his
own wit what he should say, and as she
had promised him something special
soon, he added to his nightly list:
Keep Auntie good" She kissed him,
punched the pillow all wrong, and left
him to the long night. No toy that he
could think of would save him from the
silence, and the stars, and the echoes
IN the house. When Mother came
back. and home returned, then he be-
gan to reckon the days till Auntie's
present was due. 1t was to be given
to him after tea on Friday. On Tues
day he plunged deep into knowledge
and philosophy. There were "a hours
In each day, out of which he slept ten.
IF / am good boy, Mummy, and
90 to bed always at nine, and never
call you back, the time will pass quick,
wont it?"
And if l sleep an hour longer in the
morning and don't make a noise to
waken Daddy, there will be less time,
wont there?"
Could sleep whole day il I lay
still and just forgot?"
There is no fear of the clock stop
ping, is there, Mummy"
On the Wednesday he said: II hope
Auntie is quite well. If she was i'll /
suppose she would send the present.
~ would be very awkward if she hasn't
bought it. Could we not take tea be-