Louisiana capitolian., 1880-02-21
HOW IT ENDED.

HOW IT ENDED.
Mr.. Pophins was bachelor. ! men
ton this fact with all due reverence for
the name-and sympathy for the condi-
ton. He was well to do in the world,
if owning fine farm and being plaintiff
in . lawsuit is any criterion. Aside from
Mr.. Popkins' misfortune in beinga bach
elor he had one fanlt--n general aver
sion to Mss Sallic Hopkins, the dcfen-
dant in the above named lawsuit.
Now, be it known that, though Miss
Sallie's name was put down on the list
of old maids, she was the roundest,
cosiest, most dimplc-cheekcd spinster
that ever lived in Lincoln. She had the
softest brown eyes, with trick of look
ing down and peeping under the lashes,
perfectly bewildering, and her hair
waved and shOne in such manner that
q susceptible lady like you and me
would have felt an irresistible desire to
have sole ownership of the "nut brown
locks"
But, however fascinating Miss Sallic
was to the sex in general, as have said
between her and Mr.. Popkins there was
q deadly feud. and the cause of all the
trouble was u meadow. spreading fur
and wide and unconscious between Miss
Sallic's and Mr.. Popkins' farm.
Now the truth of the matter was this:
The meadow justly belonged to Mr..
POpkins, but instead of going to Miss
Sallic and frankly stating the case, he
must serve process of law. Miss Sal
lie flew all to pieces, and declared she
would maintain her rights at any cost.
From the manner in which it ended, one
could see that had Mr.. Popkins gone to
her himself, she would have relinquished
it gracefully, but woman has a NOR
tai terror of being forced to do anything.
Tie string around her neck, feed her
with sugar plnms, and You can lead Der
to the jumping-off place, but to drive
her, and for obstinacy she Will lbcat Mark
Twain's mule all to pieces.
When Miss Sallc met Mr.. Popkins on
the street her nose was decidedly ere
,trousse," and Mr.. Popkins looked like
an automaton Cardiff giant. The neigh
bors were forced to take part in this
case, for when invitations were issued
for the regular tea-partics, those who
invited Mr. Popkins were obliged to
omit Miss Sallie, and vice versa. In the
meantime the lawsuit dragged its slow
lcngthalong from session to session, from
term TO term, until it was as familiar rs
A. B. Cfs But fate had taken in hand
the destiny of those two obstinate indi
viduals, and soon brought matters to a
most satisfactory conclusion, though the
unconscious mediator was rather a bur-
lesque on the high tragedy daily en-
acted.
There lived close to these beIigcrcnts
good natured old man, nearly as deaf
as a post, who had the greatest faculty
for laundering on unfortunate facts of
any individual known either in ancient
or modern history. He never heard any
thing correctly, and it was an utter i'm
possibility to try to explain, and if you
attempted it you would find yourself
tloundering in a perfect slough of des-
pair Miss Sallie and Mr.. Popkins had
received notice that their ease would
come up for the final hearing, in Harrow,
on Tuesday of the next week Miss Sal
lie concluded to take the stage; Uncle
Ben Dropper, our deaf friend, had busi-
ness q little distance on the road, and
he would take the stage too, and Mr..
Popkins' saddle horse fell sick just as
he was needed, and there being no time
for other arrangements, he must take
the same conveyance.
Miss Sallie came floating down to the
gate with white ribbons and bows, and
dainty dress sufficient to bewilder man
with rs stony heart as the sphinx, and
saw approaching from the opposite side
her foe, in immaculate broadcloth and
shirt front Foramoment the colorrushed
to her cheeks, and she half resolved to
so back, but to be ontdone by a man,
andhe a Popkins, was not to be thought
of, so she stepped into the coach with
an air of sixteen Queen Victorias, eleva-
ting her head until it made an acute
angle with her nose, and became sub
timely unconscious of any ones presence.
Mr. POpklnS seated himself as though
he had swallowed a whole foundry, and
had his pockets full of eggs for dessert.
Just then came Uncle Ben, putting and
blowing, utterly unconscious of the
oaths of the impatient Jehu.
Good morning, Miss Sallie," said he
carefully seating himself beside her.
Good morning, Mr.. Popkins. Where
might you be going, and what for?'
"To Harrow" said Mr.. Popkins in his
most polite manner, answering the first
question and ignoring the last.
''Du tell " and the round face fairly
beamed with placid surprise. ''Going