The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1913-06-19

r.
offish and disagreeablc shan't stay in
Little River"
The days went on in monotonous
sinilitnde. Every morning Elvira did
her housework. and every afternoon
she dressed herself and sat down in
pleasant expectation Of a call. perhaps
the forerunner of many other calls
and, it might be. invitations to join
the sewing society. With this expect
ancy Elvira always kept poundcake
and cookies in reserve.
At last there came drizzling day
toward the last of the month when FL
yira built Il fire on the wide hearth in
the dining room and decided that she
would make hot cocoa for supper. "I'I
have a company supper. even il Toby
| and | have to eat it all alone" she
murmured as she busted herself with
| batch Of biscuits.
| 1t was after 4 o'clock when the
front door bell tangled sharply through
the empty house. With an exclama
tion of pleasure that her loneliness
was to be relieved by company OF
some sort she laid aside the lace edge
sWer the summons.
There on the porch were grouped
four little girls. solemn eyed tnsmil-
ing. yet not unfriendly In the glances
half timid. half courageous. that they
cast up at Elvira Buttons sweet face.
| TN, yyS{g
Elvira,' piped up Mrs Frink's eight
year-old Bessie.
BLESS your heartsr' cried Elvira
with tear filled eyes. Come right In
side. am glad to see yon."
The four visitors trooped into the
ball and removed rubber shoes and
waterproof cares.
Bessie Frink. by right Of kinshiT
with Miss Elvira. took the lead in con
versation and introduced her compan
ions with Il ludicrous attempt Mt ini
tating the grownups.
T.et me make you acquainted With
Amy Guild, Cousin Elvira Her I,ap6
Is the minister. And this is Mary
Hopkins and Faustina Webb"
Elvira shook hands In grOwnup
way with the little girls. who appeared
relieved that she did not impair the
dignity of the occasion by offering to
kiss them.
ut you will excuse me for little
WHILE" said Elvira politely, IL will ut
tend to my supper You are just in
time to sit down and have Il bite tc
eat"
Four o'clock was rather early to eat
supper. even in Little River. where the
inhabitants were so energetic that ev
erything was done ahead Of time. They
breakfasted at $50 in the morning and
sdined Mt 1l:3O and supped at $50 But
Elvira's visitors did not object to this
early meal A drizzling afternoon spent
In Mrs Frink's attic, where they had
consumed imaginary meals from toy
dishes. had whettcd their youthful ap
peti;es.
They smiled ut one another as the!
sat stifily about the room. and Bessie
Frink swung her feet in Triumphant
: vindicntion Of her much talked about
, cousin, who had been next door to thu
poorhouse.
II smell cocoa" she whispered.
"Um-ah-so do r. chuckled Mar!
Hopkins.
"And something from the cellar.
whispered Amy Guild did you lea
her 60 downstairs"
They all nodded joyfully. and Faus
tina Webb SO far forgot her dignity a
to permit Toby to curl in her lap ant
so to sleep.
Of tinkling china and silver as tab
was laid for supper Elvira's brisl
steps went to and fro in the dininl
room, opening and closing the doors 0
the cupboard where the best whit
and gold china that had been the prid
of Noah Mead's wife was stored TO
company.
After awhile the four little girls tiT
toed around the sitting room. lookin
up at the steel engravings in their .tl
frames. peering into the depths
dusky old mirrors. wondering at tn
delicacy of the feather work flower
under a glass hell on the center table
exclaiming over great basket Of cur
GUS foreign seashells that Elvira pre-
duced for their amusement
BY supper time they had quite fol
gotten their shyness and their asSnIr
ed grownup dignity and chattered me-
rily as they trooped out to the deliciou
supper which awaited them. 1t WI;
y spread on the great square mahogan
e table, with the best homespun tabl'
3. cloth and the white and gold china III,
the silver teaspoons.
it There were hot biscuits and thi
" slices Of pink ham: glass dishes
X Jelly, ruby and amber and all a-Quive
10 crystal bowl Of damson preserves.
u plate Of cottage cheese. golden hone
e plum cake and cookies and, last Of al
a great pot of steaming cocoa. dear
d. the heart Of small maidens.
It 1t was heavy supper-it was pc
IS haps an indigestible meal-but II WI
sc a gala occasion for Elvira Button 81
IS had served to these little girls the lde
so teal meal ste had often planned to
e fer their mothers when these gOt
10 ladies saw fit to call upon her II
daughters had broken the spell OF
to decision and called upon the lone
newcomer. and Elvira was proportio
lit ately grateful. She resolved to ma
~ each of her guests swallow charco
tablet when the meal was over to Q
viate any pangs of dyspepsia that mig
Ii! result from the feast.
nc 1t was joyful meal. Elvira told I
pf mat dolivhtful StOriaS fO her YOU