The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1907-06-13

eacH week lie heard more OF Nellie'S
social popularity. The boys at the new
suspender factory organized = club and
gave Il dance. Nellie was the belle of
the evening. Miss Mccarthy, who had
come over to the cottage to do some
scrubbing, told him all about it. con-
cluding with graphic description of
the wonderful new frock which Nellie
had ordered from the city.
That afternoon the weather changed
suddenly. The snow came down first
in a soft swirling cloud, then with
crisp, needlelike insistence Tom threw
more coal into the depot stove and made
quick run home to take the gerani-
ums out of the window. When he
came back to the station he knew that
a blizzard was closing down on Ridge
field. He wondered how Nellie would
get home, and then Syracuse called.
and he had to put his thoughts on his
work
1t took all his strength to reach the
cottage across the track. His first in
stinct was to close all shutters and
draw the curtains, but he remembered
his mothers custom of setting lamp
i'll the window for those who might be
abroad on stormy nights Such 4 cOZy
little kitchen as it lighted, with a fire
swapping in the old fashioned cook
stove which Miss Mccarthy polished to
brilliancy at each visit!
He hummed contentedly as he sat
over the teakettle and brought the
bread and butter from the pantry
Then he stopped short and listened in
| tently. What was that scratching noise
at the door--yes-and now the sound of
a muffled fall?
He flung open the door, and the wind
blew out his lamp. but against the
blur of the snow he saw dark figure
huddled on his doorstep.
He carried the woman indoors, laid
her on the old fashioned settle and re-
lighted his lamp. Then, with some
thing like a groan, he sprang back to
| the inert form. It was Nellie!
Fifteen minutes later white and
very quiet Nellie sat before the snap
ping fire with blankets wrapped around
| her still trembling figure and cava
lier in short sleeves serving her tea
and toast.
"And now tell me how it happened
Tom said, with authority.
| II didn't realize it was storming 81
dreadfully, and my machine broke
down just before closing time. The
foreman-the new man, you know
| from Boston-said that if | wanted t.
make up the time Id lost-I'm toir.
piecewOrk now-he had some cxtr:
work to do, too, and he'd see I go
stay, because it's fierce to go home to /;
cold room in the hotel night Xix,
this, and when you have headach.
| you just hate to sit evenings in thu
parlor with a lot of folks and the plan,
jangling. So l stayed, but-but''-hel
voice was low and tear heavy-"on til,
way down the stairs-he-he tried t,
kiss me, and then | ran through til.
snow, sort of blind, | guess. and thu
first thing didn't know where l was
just saw the light didn't know
was your cottage"
Pride struggled with relief in he
tired voice
Have some more tea," said Tom alb
ruptly, and then for some minutes Ii,
busted himself around the room, stand
ing before her at last in his heavies
outdoor railnent
"Where are you going? Please dom
leave me alone"
''This storm is no joke, Nellie," h,
said quietly. First I've got to get il
fuel to last us all night and perhaps
longer. Then, before we're showed il
for fair, Pm going to bring over th
Rev. Mr.. Gary" Nellie rose uncer
tainly to her feet. "Now, don't ge
furried. You've had your lesson, an,
I've had mine, and we're going to b
married tonight. You can't get to tn
hotel in this storm, thank God, and 70,
can't stay here except as my wife,
his voice turned suddenly tender-"an,
want you to be my wife"
Nellie rubbed her face against hi
shabby. fuzzy overcoat. -"All right
DEAR" she said docilely, and then. eve
as his arms closed around her. sh
murmured: tom, dear, this shiny fir
looks SO good and homelike. Thos
registers up at the hotel sort of Civ
you 4 chilli
And then Tom knew that the cottag
looked shabby no longer.
!