The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1903-05-23
FRANKLIN, La, SATURDAY. MAY %, 1908

want to know what you propose te
do bout it. as said before
1T does not matter; to be with you
Is enough
WAL, it does matter too. I'm q
lone an lonely man, but if worse comes
to worst | can perfect myself. You
may be stronger'n me. but you cant
lure me What would the world say
Il it knew bout ths?'
"'I can trust my souls cOmpanlon.'
by this time Is'bpl had dismountcd,
an'. selling Reubs hand in her own,
she says:
I'm goin' to set right here till you
promise TO be MY own
All I've got to say is that youvc
laid out long program for yourself.
They sot there, an Sot. ls'bcl
'pearpd to be c'ntented jus to set an
hold his hand, an Reub tried to whis.
tie an act zif he didn't know she was
there Every once in a while he'd try
TO pull his hand away. but she'd sriI
it The tighter an then he could hear
her whisperin' low to herself, On, my
b'lovcd"
After while the starSscome out an
begun to play hide an'sseek with them
through the branches Of the pines. IT
got chilly. too, an once Reub suggest,
ed that lie. would git blanket for
IS'bpl. cale'latin' that he could make 4
run for'it if lie could git start. but
she only says. oh. my b'loved" an
hing right onto his hand. She was
Hard hit. Is'bel was.
Bout dusk. too. the OIllfrOgs over
by the spring struck up. an as it grew
darker an darker they became more
II more interested In the couple. FRS
little fellow would chirp out an say.
What's he goin' to do bout it?' Then
the little feller's ma would ask his pa,
What's he goin' to do bout it?' an his
pa would c'nsider for minute. give it
up an ask anybody that could answer.
What's he goin' to do bout it:' Leas'
that's the way Reub said it seemed to
him.
"Tllnn, long bout ten or 'leven o'clock
4 big gray owl come an perched in the
branchc. over their heads, an pretty
soon he got Gurus an says 'Who-o-o?
an Reub was so mad by that time that
he answers right up. It's me, blame
you! What you got to say about it?
But Is'bel only kinder sighed an says,
oh. my b'lovedv She was hard hit,
Is'bel was.
at got to be midnight, an still they
sot there Reub was most frCze. but
Is'bel didn't seem to mind 1t. Bout ,
o'clock, Reub says, he got sorter dis
couraged. bein' mostly an icicle by that
time, an so he says to her:
"'Waal, what do you want me to
COZ
"'Only to be my own. my 'dorcd
one
"Reub want quite broke down yit,
so he says, "Waal. I'm blamed if l
wiIlr But after an hour or two more
he got plum tired out an made his las
L don't want to git mar
ried,' he says; I amt got 'nough
TO sport wife, anyway
"'You needn't worry bout that.
b'loyed. Only say you love me an I'll
sport you
'Reub see he didn't stan no show;
SO he inquiries. sullen like, WAL,
where do you want to take me?'
"'To Parson Elders an git married
to once. b'loved.'
''All the way to the parson's-seven-
teen miles it was-they walked, Is'bel
Ieadin' the horse with one hand an
Reub with the other. She didn't take
I single chance till after he'd admitted
10 the parson that he took her till death
us do part an all the res Of 1t. Then
she heaved a sigh an let go Of his
hand. tenderly sayin', My own
b'lovcd" She thought consid'ble
lcap Of Reuben, Is'bel did. Reckon
I'd better meander."
The Old settler "meandercd," but
1t the door he paused for final re.
mark:
81 don't s'pose there's no happier
couple in Californy than Mr.. an Mrs.
Reuben Banncrton, or per'aps l orto
'ay Mrs. an Mr.. 1s'bel Bannerton.
They've been married seventeen years. |
IN has five children. but she alters |
insiders Reub the frs and tenderes'
# the lot. She's c'nsid'ble fond OF !
Reuben, Is'bel is.' Then he ''mean. |
lered."--New York Times.