The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1914-02-26

the table.
81 didn't understand you were jok-
ing he said quietly.
That maddened me. and would |
have done anything to make him think |
was not the foolish thing he evident
Iy had classified me us being. snatch |
ed at my mind and shook out mix
ture of truth and lies that fooled even |
myself and gave them to him. looking |
straight in his face. would have
cracked all the ten commandments to
save myself from his contempt.
I'm not joking" | said jerkily. Il
am lonesome And worse than being
lonesome. I'm scared. l ought to have
stayed just the quiet relict Of Mr.. Car
ter and gone on to church meetings
with Aunt Adeline and let myself be
fat and respectable. but haven't got
the character You thought | went to
town to buy Il monument, and didn't.
bought enough clothes for two brides,
and now I'm scared to wear 'enI. and
i don't know what you'll think when
you see my handbook. Everybody is
talking about me aud that dinner par
ty Tuesday night. and Aunt Adeiine
says she can't live in a house of mourn
ing so desecrated any longer She's
going back to the cottage Aunt Bet
tie Pollard says that II want to get
married | ought to do 1t to Wilson
Graves because Of the seven children.
and then everybody would be so re-
lieved that they are taken care of that
they would forget that Mr.. Carter
hasn't been dead quite one year yet.
Mrs, Johnson says ought to he de-
clared niinor and put as ward to
you can't help Judge Wade's send
ing me flowers and Toms sitting on
my front steps night and day. I'm
not strong enough to carry him away
and murder him. I am perfectly mis-
erahle. and I'm"-
Now. that'Il do. Molly: just hush for
half minute and let me talk to you"
said DR.. John as he took my hand in
his and drew me near him. mo won-
der your heart hurts if it has got all
that load of trouble on 1t. and we'll
just get Il little of that scare off You
nut yourself in my hands. and you are
to do just us tell you. and say-for-
get it. Come with me while make
call 1t is il long drive. and Fm-Fm
lonesome sometimes myself"
saw the worst was over. and I
breathed freely again. but had talked
so much truth in that fiction that felt
| Just aS said I did. which is Il slightly
| unnatural feeling for woman. There
was nothing for it but to so with him.
and | wanted to most awfully.
To my dying day ri never forget
! that little house. way out on the Game
| Run pike. he took me to in his shabby
little car Just two tiny rooms. but
they were clean and quiet. and a girl
with the sweetest face | ever saw lay
in the bed with her eyes bright with
pride and tiny. tiny little bundle close
beside her The young farmer was red
with embarrassment and anxiety
She's all right today. but she wor-
ries because she don't think l can tend
| to the baby right" he said. and he did
look helpless. Her mother had to &c
home for two days, but is coming to
morrow. dasn't undress and wash
the youngster myself 1t won't hur1
him to stay bundled up until granny
comes. will it. Doc?"
Not a Bit" answered DR.. John II
his big comforting voice.
But looked at the girl. and under
stood ner She wanted that baby clear
and fresh even if it was just five day:
old. and felt all of sudden terribly
capable. | picked up the bundle ant
went into the other room with 1t
where kettle was boiling on thu
stove and large bucket %by the door
I found things by just glance from
her. and the hour | spent with tina
small baby was one Of the most de
licious of all my life. ! never was lei
entirely to myself with one before, an.
| did all wanted to this one. guides
by instinct and desire. He slept rign
through and was the darlingest thing
ever saw when laid him back on tn
bed by her. never looked In ~
Johns direction once. though fel
him all the time.
But on the way home give mysel
the surprise Of my life! Suddenly
turned my face against his sleeve an
, cried as | never had before. | fe
safe, for it is cliff road and he had
drive carefully. However. he mana.
ed to press that one arm against N
cheek in way that comforted me int
stopping when | saw we were nes
town got out Of the car at the ga
age and walked away through the ga
den home without looking in his dire
ton at ALL never seem to be able
e look at him as ! do at otter peopl
l We hadn't spoken two words since
had left the little house in the woot
: with that happy faced girl in it. He hs
e more sense than just man.
: 1t was almost dusk, and | stopped
= the garden minute to pull the di
i closer around some Of the bachelor
buttons that had popped the grouI
: some weeks ago Thinking about the
made me regain my spirits. and wei
e on in the house to be scolded for wha
d ever Aunt Adeline had thought
: while / was gone to do it to me abot
It Judy told me with her broadest gr
that she had gone down to her siste
q in-law's for supper. and sat down
: the steps with sigh of relief.
! Some days are like tin cocoanut gri
, ers that everybody uses to crate y