The Arkansaw traveler., 1883-10-13
POKE EASY.
CHAPTER I.

ceivable point and preaching is the only course for me-"
 Elf l'der thought that it woulder come to ,his,' replied the old man, knitting his shaggy brows, Il never woulder let yer poke aroun' the school-house an study them deceivin' books. Preachin' IS all very well for them as have got call, but fur a stout young feller like you, must say that ii is outen all reason an is redicalus."
 "Let the boy preach, pap, ef he wants to-" joined in Mrs. Buman, fat old lady, with wheeze that sounded like blowing through a comb. All the eddycation he's go, he picked it up at odd times. Ef he thinks as the Lord has called him, why don, see whats in the way"
 "Of course a woman alters wants her son ter preach" said the old man, |" an l l believe that wimmin air the cause of So many DO preachers bein' turned loose in the country. Ef woman kain't live in a regular hooraw all the time she thinks ;ha, her soul is CT slippin' away from her.
 That's the way you alters do, pap, a 1 flyin' offer the handle. That's the way you come 10 leave Tennesy, an hope to never stir agin if vidduls has tasted right sense. You needn't say nuthin' fur ain | go, us;er .Arkansaw yet, an l never will. Even the hens aigs ain't as good as they was thar, an I don't believe they ever will be as fresh.'
 We ain't talkin' about hens aigs now,' rejoned the old man. "We never ken gi, ter talkin' about nothin' lessen ' yer halter run in hen aigs. With yerself, the gospil nur nuthin' don't stan no show whar ,har's hens ais."
 It is useless to prolong the discus sion,' said the young man, = for am determined to preach. believe it to be my duty, and shall endeavor to dis charge it. can enter the ministry with sincerity and don't think that any one should oppose course leading through a field of such usefulness"
 Il ain't got no objections ter field O usefulness, Dan1," the old man re- piled. The hel' @o' usefulness is iist whar want yer ter go. The 6el' O use fulness on this occasion is putty well run ter weeds an sprouts, an ef you'll foller me with hoe I'll hep yer in the iel' O usefulness" and the old fellow rubbed his hands and chuckled greatly to the dis comhture of his ardent son.
 The young man was fair type of tha, rugged gentleness which often grows up in the the widest places. His nature was emotional, and the few books he had read, and he had read them ardently, were fan emotional cast. His voice was emotional. and when he called the hogs at evening, he would put the basket of corn on the fence and utter such high-keyed emotion that the hogs seemed 10 be greatly moved The boys at school used to call him Poke Easy, and without q protest he answered to the name. Among the scholars was tail girl, with high shoulder blades and dis mai whine. This whine, so emotional in tone. attracted the attention of young poke Easy, and as the girl was semi ou,cas, of the playground, bond of sympathy soon sprang up between them. This young lady's name was fuss Peck ley, but the scholars called her Miss Flute
 One day while roke Easy and Miss Flute sa, on log, not far from the school-house, Poke Easy said
 Russ, do you know what I've been called to do :"
 Fuss dismally replied that she hadn't the remotest idee."
 "Called to preach,' explained the young man.
 Fuss lifted her high shoulder blades and replied, |" LOT, tha, would be nice. had an uncle who was preacher
 "Whai became of him ?'
 He tell from grace, or reckon that's what they call it, for they took him to the penitentiary.'
 That was a misfortune Was he good preacher: l mean could he talk well =
 "Lor yes, he was terrible ,alker. He had iour or iye of the pretties, words ever heard, but after he had spell of fever he couldn't recollec, ;he words any more, and think that's the reason he stole the horse
 :" Did he steal horse?-
 Well, ii wasn't much of horse, but they sent him to prison-my uncle mean