The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1908-09-17


that won't stand the borax and formal
dehyde tests.
They had two furnished rooms and q
little kitchen, To Jess. accustomed to
the mild but beautiful SAVIOR of coun-
try town. the dreggy Bohemia was
sugar and spice. She hung fish seines
on the walls Of her rooms and bought a
rakish looking sideboard and learned
to play the banjo. Twice or thrice q
week they dined at French or Italian
tables d'hote in a cloud of smoke and
brag ands unshorn hair. Jess learned to
drink a cocktail in order to get the
cherry. At home she smoked a ciga-
rette after dinner. She learned to pro-
nounce Chianti and leave her olive
stones for the waiter to pick up. Once
she essayed to say Ia. la. la! in a crowd.
but got only as far as the second one.
They met one or two couples while
dining out and became friendly with
them. The sideboard was stocked with
Scotch and rye and liqueur They
had their new friends In to dinner,
and all We're laughing at nothing by
q. N. Some plastering fell in the room
below them. for which Bob had to pay
$3.50. Thus they footed it merrily on
the ragged frontiers Of the country
that has no boundary lines or govern
ment
And soon Bob fell in with his cronies
and learned to keep his foot on the lit
tie rail six inches above the floor for
an hour OF so every afternoon before
he went home. Drink always rubbed
him the right way. and lie would reach
his rooms as jolly as a sandboy. Jessie
would meet him at the door. and gener-
ally they would dance some insane
kind Of a rigadoon about the floor by
way OF greeting. Once when Bob's
| feet became confused and he tumbled
ieadlong over G footstool Jessie laugh
ID so heartily and long that he had to
throw all the couch pillows at her to
make her hush.
| In such wise life was speeding for
them on the day when Bob Babbitt
first felt the power that the giftie gi'ed
him.
But let us get back to our lamb and
mint sauce.
When Bob got home that evening be
! found Jessie in a long apron cutting
up lobster for the newburg. Usually
when Bob came in mellow from bis
hour at the bar his welcome was hilari
| Scotch smoke
! BY screams and snatches of song
and certain audible testimonials to do
mestic felicity was his advent pro
claimed. When she heard his foot on
the stairs the old maid in the hall
room always stuffed cotton into hel
ears. At first Jessie had shrunk from
the rudeness and flavor of these spir.
itual greetings, but as the fog of the
false Bohemia gradually encompassed
her she came to accept them as loves
true and proper greeting.
Bob came in without word, smiled
kissed her neatly, but noiselessly. took
| UP paper and sat down. In the hall
room the old maid held her two plugs
Of cotton poised, filled with anxiety.
Jessie dropped lobster and knife and
ran to him with frightened eyes.
whats the matter. Bob? Are you
ill3"
Not at all, dear"
Then what's the matter with you? |?
Nothing"
Hearken. brethren. When She-who
has-a-right-t interrogates you con
| ce!'iiing Il change she finds in your
mood answer her thus: Tell her that
you in sudden rage have murdered
your grandmother; tell her that you
have robbed orphans and that remorse
has stricken you: tell her your fortune
is swept away; that you are beset by
enemies. by bunions. by any kind OF
malevole;... fate. but do not. if peace
and happiness are worth as much as 9
grain of mustard seed to you-do no
answer her Nothing"
Jessie went back to the lobster IL
silence She cast looks of darkest sus
picion at Bob He had never acte(
that way before.
When dinner was Oh the table sht
set out the bottle of Scotch and thu
glasses. Bob declined
Tell you the truth. Jess" he said
I've cut out the drink. Help your
self, of course If you don't mind IL
try some Of the seltzer straight"
You've stopped drinking:' she said
looking at him steadily and unsmiling
". What for:''
1T wasn't doing me any good" SAT-
Bob Don't you approve Of the idea?
Jessie raised her eyebrows and on
shoulder slightly
Entirely" she said, with u sculr
tured smile Il could not conscier
tiously advise any one to drink o
smoke or whistle on Sunday"
The meal was finished almost in s
lence. Bob tried to make talk. but hi
efforts lacked the stimulus of previou
evenings. He felt miserable. and ono
or twice his eye wandered toward ID
bottle. but each time the scathin
words of his bibuous friend sounde
, in his ear and his mouth set with d
r termination.
Jessie felt the change deeply. IL
, essence Of their lives seemed to ha1
departed suddenly. The restless feye
|. the false gayety. the unnatural excit
ment of the shoddy Bohemia in whit
! they had lived had dropped away
the space of the popping Of cor
a She stole curious and forlorn glanc
: at the detected Bob, who bore Il
q guilty look Of at least wife beat
= or family tyrant.
% After dinner the cOlored maid wi
. came in daily to perform such chor
n cleared away the things. Jessie. wi
70 al unreadab!e countenance. broug
!, hack the bottle of Scotch and t