The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1909-05-20


grapevine swing that looped itself
from branch to branch Of two wild
plum trees They were white with the
fullness of their blossom tide.
She was but light armful He
could easily have put her in the covet-
under the pressure Of her sweet young
body, and his great heart thumped vio-
lently against his ribs. all because he
was such a coward Ralston, you see!
The swaying of the swing set the
delicate plum blossoms a-falling. They
gemmed her brown hair and fell upon
her lap. She filed her little hands
with them and laughed gayly:
'Such pretty, gauzy petals! They
look like fairy lace. Titania's wedding
veil might we'll have been woven of
tust such stuff"
at her feet. His great brown eyes were
full Of the dumb alteration Of slave.
"When get married." he heard her
say, "I'll have wedding bell made
of the wild plum blossoms-so much
daintier than the stiff, conventional
things one always sees."s
He laughed nervously. "I'll have a
whole wagon load of them gathered as
soon as you say the word"
She stared at him insolently. "What
word?"
"Such a little word. Katie-yes."
81 u
the blue eyes that had taken on the
chill Of polished steel.
what are you talking about. John
sic Ralston?"
He rose from his crouching posture
to tower over her commandingly.
"Don't you know that l love you,
Katie? You will have to answer Yes
to that. There's no other honest an
swer."
She flung her answer at him defiant
ly: "Yes. What then?'
"And don't you know that want to
marry you? Haven't you known it
these half dozen years, Katie?'
Eyes. What then?"
'sThen"-he held out pleading hands
to her-'oh, my little girl. will you
not come to me while the sweet wild
plums are blossoming for you and for
me? will try so hard to make you
glad all the days of your lIfe."
From under her crownsof wild flow
ers she looked at him with a cruel
smile Of negation. She vanlted lightly
earthward and stood before him with
her small hands clasped behind her.
Standing thus, she dealt him his DEATH
iie ..Sever, ueyer, ursC1, 1sauosO1r.
I'll marry no coward. MI it please you,
sir. Why didn't you kill Dave Sturms
the other day instead Of turning the
other cheek? All, you thought would
never hear of it, but you see | have-l
have!' Her pretty face was dark with
passion. mo man shall ever point the
finger of scorn at my husband. We'd
ding bell will never hang over you
and me, John. Goodby"
| She flung him mocking farewell
from the tips of her fingers and sped
homeward alone through the leafy
aisles of the forest.
He stood like man who has re-
ceived his deathblow in battle. Al
the sweetness had gone out of the
air, all the light out OF the sum!
day. He flung out his hands with
gesture of despair.
She had never loved him or she coul(
not have condemned him unheard
How easy to convict her OF error i
It had been worth while!
1t was then that he retired to tn
Cross Bayou place and took up the lit
of a hermit crab. all because he wa
a coward, you see.
Only one human being accepted hin
unquestioningly. believed IN him absc
lutely. That was Black Prince. ant
when Johnsie went into retirement O
the Cross Bayou place Black Prime
went with him.
Prince was his foster brother an
his chattel. Nanny Ann had nurse
them both from her full maternal four
tains. There was nothing princei
|, about the chattel save his loyalty an
chivalric devotion that found all th
reward it asked in obliterating self fe
. the object it adored.
"Me and Marse Johnsie' comprise
the universe for Black Prince.
From Black Princes point OF vie
life as it was lived at Cross Bayou b
"me and Marse Johnsie" was simp
perfect. A little labor and great de-
! Of restinc-what more could heart
man ask?
l. If the white man had his periods
self disgust and bitter retrospeetio
l. the black one was never the wiser f
It. II there came to the master m
ments Of passionate longing, when
y shadowy girl face looked at him fro
out the memory land with a cru
>, smile of negation on her sweet rae
u the chattel was never the sadder f
it. If Prince was conscious of any q
:. fined Iongings. it was to have thin
= 90 on just as they were forever a
forever unless, indeed, 1t might be t
the glorious annual excitement Of
barbecue.
a. There was an unwritten law whi
impelled the people about Cross Bay
" to rally once a year and "ketch
- with local affairs"
No man assuming to be considered
: GOOD citizen dared absent himself FRI
= the general rally. Even Johnsie +
:" the obligation laid upon him. I
!" gloom lifted temporarily from
y handsome face as he took the re
!" from his hostler and gave rein to
- spirited bays and-to his fancy.
OF course Katie Vernon would
VI there. He had stayed away from t