The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1905-02-02
LADY BOUNTIFUL
A Christmas Story
By MAxtl1A McCulloch. Williams
Cspy1zh. 1908. b. Mas,ha MeCsDoch- W1Eans

I Copyazhs. 1903. b. MarAa MeCsDoch- W;kam |
Clouds are never 50 black and threat
ening as they look to be when rising to
shut away sunshine. Lettuce knew that
very well. being that she was country
bred and spiritually as well as actual.
~ daughter Of the open. But In this
pinch the knowledge did not help her
that Is to say. 8he did not think Of the
parallel between clouds actual and
netapborical. The sun had shone for
her 80 blithely. with such strength and
power. the shutting away left her in q
manner numb. Notwithstanding she
had ono consolation-the Farnbam girl
did not know. She never should know
II LettIce could help II, no matter what
the Keeping her ignorant might cost
Lettice herself.
They had never Quarreied-I-ettice
was too thoroughbred for such a thing
ana the Farnham girl too politic-but
from the beginning they had been In
tuitively antagonistic. although envi-
ronment enforced q certain surface cor.
diaAty. even frieadlincss, between
them. Roth were western. with yet a
subtle dinercncA Fate had, it appear
ed. An eerie, even malicious. pleasure
In throwing them In each others way.
They had been classmates In the same
fresh water college three years before
they found themselves. wholly by
chance. fellow Iodgers in Mrs. vanston
Qui&lcy's Kew York apartment
Necessity and iDclina tion had brought
them thors-each to try for a literary
career. BIZ help Of honest ignorance.
Iimpid innocence. q heart ever Joyous.
nm industry that never tagged. Lettice
was aow fun fiedgod newspaper wo-
man. with a salary beautifully SUM-
cscnt II none toe large. whereas Faith
Farnham. In spite Of undeniable clev.
erpess Joined to a personality a. strik-
ing ~ II was INSCRIPTIONS. had still
much ado to make ends meet.
Thak went kaadSwtth har In face Of
the fact that sAe had an oriental de-
hSht IN luxury and wes w1thal indo-
lsdn. In excuse she pleaded 2tempsra-
nent," whatever tAat may be- with.
out these kesn appeites. susceptible
senses. she satd, OF with them starved
and thwarfed. she would never Be able
truly 70 express the genius burning
and vrithlng within. Lett1cs had smil-
ed over the excuse until she found It
Leading IT'S posssssor Into souanderins
her moAoy on violets 1t their costlies&
and leaving hae iaundrsss Q month M.
DaA, although ths p1oe creature faitsr-
cd cut se0s1A1ng sbant hangyy ehii-
&ren and rent day. Lsttiee. eveeAsas-
Ing By chance, thrust . bin into ths
weR,A0's hand and mentally sst her
down - b thrice Nnsmbeesd at Tie
Caeiatmas tree tAs paper she worked
for was e~sn cbsn planning. She said
nSkhinS - De Faxnham girl-exeept
that II what WAS saoQusntly spoken
~ Aee altsesa manpss. Unluckily Miss
1ARnhAn ehoss - hsaS Ia L other
things tiaaa It. was meant to express.
Il fear l aAaN have to 70 away; Il
&arts me % 10 havs anybody Jealous Of
ne" she eoosd to Philip Arran a. Let
dee flashed in and cut Of the pariox,
With tho 6arest brief greeting to the
two "Evsr since the Century asked
ms b iet Il shasS my work with Scrib-
nssss Lsttics-I ought really to say
Miss Lans-has been ~ you see her,
OF couroe I make allowances. It must
hurt droadfully when ooe b ambitious,
and she y fEightfuily "a. to ind you
can Do only low and commen things
saeum seaFvs II I tried newspaper
work. and fsei that I would rather
stArve than Try It Yet I am 90 glad
L>ettaes 10 wiser. She really does very
wet at X But. only fancy. she isn't
ths lsast Ut satisfied. Mrs. Quigley
sAys Sundays-you know she never
1oes - chusch-shs writes things-sto-
rses actuaily-and sends them to the
nasusiues:'
Aran smiled at her behind his hand.
nature made him a critic. Fate gave
him money; some III fairy thrust upon
him aspirations for playwriting-aspi-
xatfons that had lowered into super
f1uoas success. Lettico had written a
Sunday special about him and in writ
ing Il had 10 managed to strike the
middle hne between ridicule and pane
gJric 40 to come warmly into the king.
dom Of his regard. They had been
CHEEKY comrades until Faith rarnham
had somehow managed to tuEn the du.
Ct into a trio. After that everything
went wrong. Slight. sinuous, ethereal
In deiicately eelored. high wasted
traAtng robes, with always knot Of
vtolets at her breast. she easily put
LOttico. with her rosy cheeks, hel
hearty laugh. her walking suit and
trim hair. out of court. Ayran yielded
hinseif joyously 10 her fascinati lions
shes q reversionayy type. and q rare
sne." he explained to Lettice. II IKE
% study her. to Sc how she makes UP
t. herself for all the things her anees
tors felt It was religion to do without. y
Take caro-" Lettice had answered
smiling a smile openly. honestly. I'M
easily.
That's your part-you are to TAKE
caro- Of me always" Aran had an
swered, speaking very low and trying