The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1908-12-03

peaked face protruding in
front of his thin gray locks. one leg
ucross the other lank knee. jackknife
In his right hand. shingle in his left.
On the other end of the bench squatted
Bige Ellet. bachelor, fat legs spraddled
out, pudgy feet just touching the
ground. black pipe in mouth.
''Scme folks can do thunderin' lot
Of thinkin' not to amount to much in
this world, seems to me-" said Abner.
''Meanin'y' said Bige.
"Meanin'." replied Abner. peeling a
long shaving off the shingle. ''some
folks can sit around for all hour sun
min themselves and never say word
to show their sociability."
"Waal." drawled Bige. putting Wig
orously. Il was thinkin' what an all
fred good thing it is that Saloam Cen
ter has SO many baldheaded old wild
erers struttin' around like peacocks in
peach orchard"
"Why?" asked Abner. squirting at
Bige
"'Cause town would be fuller of old
maids and widders than the SALARY
desert Is of sand burs."
Abner fell to whiting the shingle
spitefully II reckon" he unused, "that
1t just isn't right to fly in the face of
Providence, and if the good Lord had
ever intended Bigc Ellet for Romeo
he'd "a made him leetle more hand
some and trifie less hippypotamous.'
Maybe I'm hippypotamus." said
Bige calmly, ''or a alligator or 'nOso-
ross. but I amt losin' no sleep yearnin'
for postgraduate course in matri-
mony."
by jingo" cried Abner. leaping to
his feet and shaking his fist. Don't
taunt me. Bige Ellet: don't We do it!''
"Ain't goin' to taunt We. but if you
don't keep out of my way I'll step on
We. and I've seen a moon fore now
that didn't have nothin' left to it but
a rim"
you're consumed cid blow pout!"
stormed Abner. you're Il jealous old
jessecat! You know l courted Sereny
you can cut me out. but We can't do it. :"
For moment he gyrated up and
down in front of the sneering Bi"e,
then darted up the street. Bige sat
on the bench and watched him until
he disappeared in the distance. Then
he arose slowly and brushed his clothes
with his bandanna handkerchief.
Cant. chr he soliloquized. glancing
in the direction whence Abner had
fed. "Can't. ell? Reckon I'll just
wander down that way and see.''
Miss Simkins was out by the willow
hedge gathering green brush in a
clothes basket when Abner came shut
fling along the road He was trem-
bling with Indignation and fatigue and
sat down on the well curb to rest.
Bat he hadn't been there ten minutes
when he saw Bige Eliet. putting like
a freight train on Il steep grade. steer.
ing for Miss Simkins' modest abode.
"Jumpin' Jericho!' he cried, gazing
franti"ally about for some avenue OF
escape.
Already the front gate was blocked
by the lpchelor's pompoIs form. In
the rear Miss Sinlkins was coming up
the path SO with the agility of a
squirrel he darted into the smoke
house. climbed IL ladder and squatted
i silently amid the gloomy rafters. from
which dangled numerous uncured hams
and pieces Of side meat
Straight to the open door came
Bige. then paused and removed his
hat rs Miss Simkins approached
why. how dye dog he began. bow.
ing effusively.
"Oh. Mr.. Ellet." replied Miss Sim
kins. Elm so glad you came. need
somebody to help me smoke that meat
why. certainly. num-" said Bige
his rotund face turning scarlet with
pleasure.
He took the basket from her and
dumped It's contents upon a pile of
leaves on the middle of the smoke
!. house floor. then struck match and
touched 1t to the leaves
"Oh. Lordr' groaned Abner from his
elevated perch as thin cloud of
SAionc UcSiH IiSlHS. WISH Il CSciOue
would come along. wish the town
would catch fire. l wish somethin'
would happen to make 'em go away
! don't know what am goin' to do
"lt is certainly very kind of you,
Abijah." said Miss Simkins. bushing.
"a lone woman has a hard time try
ing to get along" She sighed effec.
lively.
Must have thunderin' hard time
to want to marry widderer with SIX
children" said Bige dryly
A great cloud OF smoke was rising
/ from the fire. Abner was nearly chok-
ed and was rolling his eyes desperate
" to keep from sneezing. The tears
were running down his cheeks In
streams
why. Mr. Ellet," began Miss Sim.
kins amazedly. what do you mean ?''
Heard that you were goin' to
marry that old idjit Of an Abner
Moon" came Bige's complaining voice.
Then the door closed with bang. and
bolt flew into place.
/ Miss Simkins sat down on the door
step and looked up at Bige 81 don't
care" she aid MIR Moon has been
very kind friend Of mine. and. be-
sides. some men don't seem to have