The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1907-01-17
By C. B. LEWIS


refused to be snubbed, and he wouldn't
take a hint
When the subject of music was re-
ferred to he volunteered to sing bal
lad or two, and when 10 O'Clock came
he took his hat, held out his hand again
and departed after saying:
well, Minnie, don't know wheif
I've spent more interesting evening,
and it's all owing to you. I'm not one
of these stuck up chaps. I'm jest plain
Jim Williams, and you'll find me- a
yard wide and oil wool every time. I'll
run in quite frequently and cheer you
up"
Miss Minnie had many criticisms to
make after the caller had left and as
serted if he came again he would get a
setback to last him all his life.
Aunt Jane tried to soothe her. 'Oh.
you mustn't mind our ways out here in
the country. AS Jim has fallen in love
with you at first sight he will''-
"W-h-a-tv' exclaimed the Mortified
girl.
"Why, couldn't you tell that he had
fallen in love with your
"Of course not! How dare he do such
a thingr'
Il don't see why you make such q
fuss over it. II you don't want to
marry him you can say SO when he
asks you"
When Jim had retired that night he
got to thinking things over. "Fm Jim
Williams" he soliloquized. 'I'm as
stout as a bull and have an appetite
| like horse. I'm twenty-seven years
old and have 5000 in the bank. There
amt no flies on me, and I'm good
nuff match for any gal that lives. I'm
In love with Minnie Stacy. / don't
know what sort of farmers wife
she'd make, but I'm willing to take my
chances. Wen take in Niagara falls
on our wedding trip, and il she wants
candy at so cents a box she shall have
1t. I'll give her week to sort O. get
acquainted. and then I'll pop the ques-
| ton"
It was all settled in his mind when
he turned over and went to sleep, and
he saw no clouds on the horizon as he
awOke In the morning. Thereafter fol-
nine or ten nights he was regular
caller at Aunt James house. If he saw
Minnie he tried to interest her in
snakes, mud turtles, frogs and Other
novelties Of farm life and gave her in
teresting statistics of how much hay q
cow would consume in the winter.
When Minnie stuck to her room and
refused to come down he had Green
ing apples and other messages for hel
and continued to grow more deeply II
love. About the LIST Of March the ma
pie sugar season opened. The making
OF the sugar was part of Jim's spring
work. and from the first run of sap h
sent the city girl some maple wax OF
a clean, white maple chip.
The snow disappeared, the sprins
birds began to appear and the grount
was getting dry underfoot when Min
ME started out one afternoon for {
walk. She wandered over a field anl
into piece Of woods, hoping to fine
the first spring flower, and Of suddeI
she felt chills sweep over her and TIN
| atmosphere grew dark. A blizzard hat
stolen upon the country as softly as
thief in the night. In her sudden alarm
the girl became turned around. Sh,
was hurrying through the woods whel
the wind rose, the air filled with snow
and she clutched the branch of busl
and shrieked her alarm.
She kept up her shrieks for half al
hour and then sank down in a collapse
She did not realize what was happen
Ing when Jim Williams came feelin,
his way through the storm, took her ii
his arms and carried her to the suga
bush shanty, forty rods away.
It was a blizzard long to be remem
bered. The thermometer went down t,
zero, and foot or more of snow fell
and for two or three days the farmer
Were imprisoned in their houses. Tn
girl recovered her senses soon afte
reaching the sugar camp, but there wa
no going farther. Jim happened t,
have plenty to eat and plenty Of blan
kets. He gave up the shanty to her TO
the night and dug out place for him
self before the fire. She might hav,
slept, but he had to keep the fire goin,
to prevent his freezing to death.
He had plenty OF time to think. TIL
wind howled, the snow few, and tn
cold made the trees pop like musketry
and Jim's great fear was that the cir
would freeze to death before morning