The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1903-06-11

fore we go? am sure l shaa't b
hungry"


him the present was bought, and that
she had to attend to it every night. A
cold fear broke over him. Was it a
dog? He did not want q dog. Was it
a cat? He hated cats.
Couldn't 60 with you, Auntie, and
stay with you till tomorrow, just to
make sure?'
SWELL, couldn't l have a peep at it.
SO that shall not be so very much sur
prised when see it? Susan says when
she got a ring you could have knocked
her down with feather"
On Thursday night he could not
sleep for long time. Mummy's foot
steps through the wall died away, and
the house fell into silence. But he lay
still, bravely struggling through
strange dreams. He thought God had
brought him a steam engine thatwas
30 good that it would not go fast. The
great star came into the room and
turned out his pockets, examined the
heels of his stockings, and looked to
see If his nails were clean. He wiped
his nose with the sheet and lay quiet.
Suddenly he heard great bang and
saw the new cannon Auntie had
brought him shivered into thousand
bits before he had even touched it: it
was the postman's sknock-Friday!
He was dressed for tea Immediately
after breakfast. "If you worry any
more. l shan't take you," said Mum
hot
horse"
"A rocking horse! Well, il it had
stirrups, and bride, and went itself!
Auntie said it was something special
What a tea! The bread and butter
would not go down his throat, and the
cake merely went round and round the
roof of his mouth. He never knew his
father to eat SO much and so slowly be-
fore.
"Can you tell the time by the clock p
Auntie asked him. Were theygoing to
start these silly questions again?
NO." said he, moi"
"Oh, well, I'm afraid I've made a
mistake. There" she said, and passed
paper parcel to him. "Open it,
He took off the paper and found .
box. He opened the lid and found a
round thing in paper. He undid the
paper, and there was his present be-
fore he knew: a real, live, ticking
watch. and chain. 1t fairly laughed
at him; the great figures glowered
solemnly: IL, l, 2, 3, I, 5; and then .
little hand that ran faster the more
he looked at it. He held it to his ear,
and it clucked with joy. He put it in
his pocket and it seemed to go out, so
he brought it forth again and pro-
posed to wear it hanging down outside,
like the adde's. Finally he set it down
on the table, gazing at it and lingering
it while he ate bread and cake and
drank sweet tea voraciously.
His first really proud moment was
when the nurse wished she had wa tch
In the future he was only to go to bed
by his own watch. By Mummy's di-
rections it was placed under his pill
low. The nightly programme of tuck
ing in and kisses was duly performed
and Mummy gone away, when she was
called back by loud alarm: Mummy,
can't hear it." So it was tied to the
rail of the bed where the great star
shone upon it in wonder and envy.
II suppose" he thought, "the angels
have gold watches"
At midday on Saturday, Lucy Brown
passed the garden with her best doll in
company of the nursemaid and the per-
ambulator. He rushed down to the
gate and thrust his chained bosom be-
fore Lucy Brown. She affected to see
nothing. After giving her ample time
withou effect he pulled out the watch,
gazed at it, and said: You're late this
morning"
"Oh," said she, "Bertie has . gold
one.''
you're a story-teller," said he;
isn't she, Mary?" Mary, whose notice
was running out, answered: Awful
For two days the watch was wound
every hour. On Monday there was dire
disappointment because he was not
permitted to take it to school, Gould
MT l just take it to show the boys,
and put it out of sight then?" A COM
promise was arrived at. There would
be a tea-party, but one of the condi-
tions insisted upon was that NO boy
known to possess a watch was to be
invited.
One day big boy friend stopped
him with firm hand and mockingly
asked the time. The watch-owner took
it out mechanically, then with fash
of inspiration held it up to the big
boy and said: 81 didn't think it was so
late!" and rushed of for home.
After all . watch is q very quiet sort
of toy, and requires to be left alone
too much. At the end of the first week
this one suffered from oyer-winding
and had 70 be started by violent shak-
ing. When every body knew he had
watch it became necessary for the
bearer of it to assure himself of its
possession occa asionally by swinging
it round and round on its chain. One
dav in the middle of this performa nee