The union Democrat., 1870-08-13
An Arkansas scene.

A contributor of the Spirit Of the Times
thus describes n scene at the Anthony Hotel,
in Little Rock. Arkansas: Late one bitter
cold night in December. some eight or nine
ye.ra ago. L-came into the bar room. rs
usual. 10 take part in whatever was going on
Fur some reason the crowd had dispersed
soor.. than was customary, and but t~o or
three of the town folks were together with a
stranger. who had arrived aalf hear or
longer before. and who. tired. wet and muddy
from hing Arkansas stsee ride. his legs ex-
tended and shoes of. was eousoiing himself
with three chairs and a nap opposite the Gen.
ter of the blazing log FIRE. Any one who has
travelled until ten o'clock in a rough winter
night, oser an Arkansas rad. can appreciate
the comfort befare that Fireplace. The
drnwsy exam pie Of the stranger had Is effect
on the others. and L-who took a seat in
the corner. for lack of conversation. vas re.
dnce6 10 the poker for amusement. lie
pokei the fire for while. until it became
red hot: and hecon,inc disgustti. was about
ID drop it and retire. when he discovered the
big toe Of the strangers foot protruding out
Of a hole in one of his socks. Here was re-
lief To L.. He placed the red hot rnker
within fcot Of the Mechanically sleeper 'stoe.
and began to slGw!y lessen the distance be-
tween them. One hy one the others. rs they
caught the joke began to open their eyes,
and being av akened, mouths expanded into
grias, and grins into suppressed gigles-one
fellows into broad laugh.
Closer anl closer the glosiog poker neared
the unfortunate toe. The heat caused the
sleeper restlessly to move his hands. L.
was about to apnly the poker, when sound
of .click, click. - aroused his attention. lie
looked mt the stranger-the latter, with one
eye open. had been watching Lis proceedings.
and brought pistol to bear upon L.; and
in voice just audible. he muttered in o tone
of great determination
';.Just hnrn it ! B"rn III just burn it and
I'll be id If / don't stir yoa with ten thou
sand red hot pukers in just about two sec
onds ~
Like the attempted kettling of Col. Ms
dog once in Sonora. The "bnys' had already
captured "Plute" one evening and as he was
nice little dog and bad always behaved
himself. they determined that be should have
a tin kittle tied to his tail as mark of es'
TEEN and a reward Of merit. And so, when
nice kettle for tina. purpose had been found
and brought. one full of rip rattle and bang
and had been made fast in a firm hard kno:
to Plute's tail and all things were ready tc
cast him loose and the turmoil was about /,
begin. a shrill, high keyed voice was heard
from the opposite corner, voice which never
belonged to any other man, unless possibly
to John Randolph Of Roanoke. voice com.
ing from long sli.n figure, dimly seen in
the dusk Of evening with the sallowest of sal,
low faces and deep set black, glittering eye
one hand behind the back grasping six.
shooter and the other supporting the lengthy
anatomy with n cane. n voice crying That's
righ: kettle him kettle him! just Kettle
Old Plute and what daylight there's left will
shine through some of you, tho minute, be
starts!'
"Plute' never started.