The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1905-11-02
Her Necklace
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Bob Ringland had got into bed and
was doing off when there was sharp
stroke on the town bell He listened
and counted two strokes, then pause,
then five strokes more. Being familiar
with the fire alarm code, Bob knew
that district 25 included the home of
Deacon Chase, and as there were but
half dozen houses in the district the
deacon's might be the one for which
the alarm was sounded.
Now, Bob's relations with Deacon
Chase were somewhat strained. Bob
was in love with Ida, the deacon's
daughter, and, being wild, he was not
an acceptable sutton. He was bright
fellow and only needed to settle down
to take good stand in the world. But
the deacon was not assured that he
would ever settle down and was not to
be blamed for being unwilling to COM
NIT his daughter to SO graceless a
scamp. Bob had that very afternoon
been forbidden the house.
Be this as it may. the young man
threw off the bedclothes and, throwing
on his body clothes, sailed forth to the
fire. He had not gone far before he
discovered that, true enough, the dea-
cons house was burning. Fearful that
Ida might be in danger, he ran till he
came to the house and was treasured
at seeing her in the front yard with the
others. But just as he was about to
enter the gate he heard her exclaim.
MY necklace" And she dashed in at
the front door before any one could
stop her.
The necklace was Of coral and not
intrinsically valuable. Bob had given
it to her, and when he saw her run in
to almost certain death to save it his
love famed like the burning building.
He dashed in after her.
The crowd without stopped passing
water and looked on appalled,. The
whole Of the house above the second
story was burning, and the two had no
than the roof over the front fell. That
was the last seen by the crowd Of Bob
and Ida, and no one doubted that they
had persisted.
The house faced west, and the wind
was from the same quarter. Behind,
not more than hundred yards from
the back door, ran the river. Ida, too
much excited to heed the smoke that
stood in her way, dashed for her room,
at the rear, grasped her necklace on
the bureau and, turning, saw Bob.
Without word he drew her to the
front staircase, but found II roaring
with fame. There were no rear stairs.
20 he took Ida to window. The smoke
was so thick that he could not see the
ground, but, going back to Ida's bed.
room. he took of the blankets from the
bed and tying one Of them around her
made a rope Of the rest and let her
to the ground. Then, tying the end of
his rope to a bed slat and putting il
crosswise against the window, he lei
himself down.
Where they stood sheltered by the
lower part of the building they were
momentarily safe, the smoke and Gin.
ders forming semicircle about them
above the ground. But Bob knew they
could not remain there long, so, bun
ding Ida in the blanket to keep hel
clothes from igniting, he took her Ut
in his arms and ran with her toward
the river, intending to escape the heat
smoke and cinders by getting into the
water. But on reaching the bank he
found skiff. Without stopping to looS
for oars he put his burden in. Embossed
the painter, showed off and jumped III
himself.
The current soon carried them be
yond danger. The boat was seen from
the shore, but no one dreamed thu,
those in It were the lost ones. The Low
ers were obliged to drift with the cur
rent, not having anything with which
even to guide the boat
The first proposition was to gain thu
shore as soon as possible, find parsor
and be married, but Ida could no
bring herself to marry without hel
| fathers consent, and Bob shrank from
what seemed to him to be taking nj
advantage Of both father and daughter
1t was near morning when they passed
through some reeds, and Bob, catchin:
hold of them, succeeded in drawing til,
boat to shore.
Surprising that they had been seen il
their escape, they did not hurry to re
turn, stopping at farmhouse 70
breakfast. After breakfast the farme
harnessed his horses and drove then
home. AS they approached, gang o
men were at work on the debris Of tn
burned building hunting for thei
corpses, while Deacon Chase stood rue
| fully by looking on. His back wa,
turned to the road and he did not Sc
the party coming. Ida, who did no
know Of the melancholy hunt the.
were engaged in, sang out:
Father, saved my necklace
The deacon turned, saw his daughter
tottered, gathered his faculties, Id
gave bound and the two were locke,
in each others arms.
After brief explanation the deacon
got into the wagon, pressing Bob
hand as he did 50, and they wer
driven to the temporary abode Of tn
family, where a similar surprise wa
in store for the mother and sisters
Then, when it was all over, Bob, wit
assumed modesty, withdrawing, said:
Il beg your pardon, deacon. I hav
no right here, according to your OF
ders, and must apologize for tres
passing. Ida, congratulate you o.
recovering your necklace"
Now, this was Bob's way Of ''rut
bing 1t i'm on the deacon, and ever
one present smiled. The deacon hun
his head for moment, then, coekin
one eye up at Bob, said:
nj ~.