The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1914-01-15
By MACPHERSON WLTBANK
Copyright by John Brisben Walker.

4 Z
/ /
The out Of the way experiences OF
life have. as a rule. such commonplace |
beginnings that they come Upon US
quite unawares. Our little adventures
generally meet us unexpectedly-as it
were. from around the corner.
In this vein my Uncle Toby was
wont to discourse ut great length No
circumstances, according to him. are
hopelessly dismal and humdrum- For
who can tell. he would say. at what
moment some unforeseen event may
transform the most wearisome situa
ton into one very bearable and per-
haps downright inviting? Or. if not
that at least uncommon. which is all
you sufferers from boredom can rea-
sonably demand.
So he would argue. And at an
early age imbibed his philosophy and
later in life have never found reason
20 OOuDl lCS CFutn
And that my Uncle Toby. while he
lived. was far from happy and that
in my time have suffered from ennui
as much as any man proves no more
than the truth of that very trite say
ing, Theory and practice are two very
different things" or. to quote my
uncle once more. PHILOSOPHY. though
a good horse IN the stable, is but
sorry jade when once upon the road"
was in the midst of a tedious rail
way journey when these thonghtS
from the past drifted azily through
my mind What a chance Is there
here. | mused. for the intervention OF
n merciful Providence. Ten hours OF
travel still before me and the conven.
tional amusement of IL traveller already
exhausted hooks and magazines. even
the buffet. grown equally repulsive.
The prospect appalled, me. In despair
I turned from the window and fell to
searching among my fellow passengers
for some means Of beguiling the time.
Sitting ut the extreme end Of the
car, was i'm Il position to rake the en-
tire line without turn OF my head. |
began with my vis-a-vis on the left
and. finding him at first sight devoid
Of interest. pissed on to the occupant
of the chair beyond.
This was an exceedingly pretty girl
1 could see her profile clearly: also Il
t,uip nd Ia N
ear and a daintily gloved hand She
was SO pleasing an object that | de-
voted fully five minutes to her. But at
length, finding her rather IL tantalizing
study, ! was for passing on in my
search when suddenly her chair swung
round and we two confronted each
other. face to face. hardly three yards
| apart
Whether some inrch Of the train or
the fair one herself was responsible
| for the movement ! had not time to
consider, for without delay she nodded
brightly and cried:
WHY. Mr.. Cushing! How strange
we did not see each other before! Are
you going through to New York ?"
Now. although my name is FitZhngh
not Cushing and ] had never to my
knowledge set eyes OH the pretty crea
ture who spoke. I was already on my
feet. sinking her hand and speaking
/ like an old friend. The porter placed
a stool for me near her chair. and We
fell into conversation quite naturally.
"How odd we should have met" SHE
began In soft. clear voice that wor
me to her at once
/ ITS very delightful" I replied. -
was sinking into state of melancholy
before you spoke"
$50 was l." she answered frankly
'.You see. ! knew you at once. but
was afraid you did not know me
However. when saw you staring a
me for five minutes at a stretch-oh
yes. saw it ALL decided that 20,
must have recognized the likeness"
While was beating about for al
answer she went on gayly:
4 And where are you from now-Af
rica, Ceyion. kalamazoo"
No" said |. entering gradually int
the spirit Of the thing: you haven
guessed it Try again" This was
polite stroke. for it gave Inc mo
ment to recall my geography.
i Il give il up. Anntie always say
your address Is the antipodes. but jus
where that is depends-depends"-
upon ones point of view" ] sug
gested
"Yes: that's it But you haven't an
swered my question.
Tibet" said boldly.
| She clapped her hands with delight
Then settling herself in her chair, sh
| said. Now, tell me all you saw. TO
it's place have always been dyin
to hear about"
| What devil of a chap this felloy
Gushing must be-" thought |. Bein
! myself rather quiet. stay at hom
, young man. with no opportunities. ol
indeed inclination. for verifying tn
atlas by experience. found myself i
rather Il tight box. / was in no wa
: relieved by her next remark.
Before yon begin. though. draw m
: little map of the country. markin
the chief cities. mountains and river
and all that. Then what you tell m
will be so much clearer"
There was no help for it. hi
taken the plunge and must go on.
with pleasure. But you must kno'
: that Tibet Is an almost impdssib