The Arkansaw traveler., 1883-10-06
OLD BILLY.

nve years or n!S iifc ndd never Decn pro due;ive of any great act, but by acts of kindness, more than a thousand in num- Der, he had endeared himself 10 more :han one generation of neighbors. He was once married. but his wife soon died, and ever afterwards he lived alone in a little cabin in the outskirts of the town. Old Billy, was no; orthodox, and the few times that he had attended church were when some convivial friend had lain cold in death, and sub mi,,ed 10 a funeral ora,ion. old Billy was gambler. He had very little education, but he had read grea, deal. just enough to promp, questions con- corning great problems. which no one could answer. Old as he was, he did no, settle down in that passive condition which comes when the night of life ap- breaches. He did not bring an arm chair from youth along the road of many years, and at las, si, on Ii in the shade A; eighty-hve he still gambled. When any one would ask him why he did no, abandon such a disrepu,able pursuit, he would laugh in his dry, ehue king way, and reply: Why, my dear sir. have nothing to lose now. If had stopped when was a young man, il would have been well, but it's loo late now. am ike the fellow who had all to win and ro,hing to lose.
 One clock a, morning always found h.m d, the saloon under the gambling rooms. Here he would remain and drink wl;h the men up stairs who came down 10 take something in celebration of their good luck, or in consolation of loss. The old fellow would fight you in min- u;e, and his old eye was dangerous when i, glanced along the barrel of Il pistol.
 us; as old Billy was eating his lonely breakfast one morning, well dressed man knocked at the door, which was open. and upon cheerful come in from old Billy, entered.
 "Si, down and have some breakias, with me. ain't go, anything that would be ap, ,o draw a man away from ban- que,. but you are welcome to It. such as l, is.'
 have been to breakfast the man replied. have called 10 see you on business
 Business with me: 7 said ,he old man in surprise.
 Yes. l have bough, the land on which this cabin stands, and i, is my pair- fal duty to tell you ,ha, wan, to tear i, away"
 Good God, mister, have lived in this house for forty years. built il here when the Indians were thick. After the country became settled i, 7as proved ,ha, my title wasn', good, and l have been renting il ever since. My wife died here. am a broken down gambler, mister, but l am man. haven't go, but little while longer to live. and I must pass the remainder of my days here.'
 If you don, ge, ou, the constable will call on you"
 There aint an officer in this state tha, would touch me, mister"
 This is business with me. old fellow. that is, fartly business and partly a duty. l, is my intention to have a church erected here"
 Not while live"
 Would you violate the law ?''
 Not the law of humanity, bu, the in- human law that would compel me 10 leave this house. have been in thirty five battles in my life, and I'd rather die fighting for a just cause than in any other way.'
 Come, old man, you are foolish. You by your own confession, have been an enemy to society all your life, and now you are attempting to impede the progres: of religion"
 You can't say that and tell the truth have been an enemy to myself, but tc no one else. have lived an immoral life, perhaps, bu, have helped to build many church, and have fed many g preacher, tell you that shall pass tho remainder of my days in this house. have no objection to the building o churches, but I'll be d. d if shall give up the only roof that is dear to me Think because I'm broken down gam bier that haven't any soul, suppose. '
 :. Your attachment to the place, old man. is quite natural, but attachment to