The Arkansaw traveler., 1883-10-13

preachin'?'
 He very strongly opposes it."
 That's what lowed '
 ~You and father are very mysterious in your objections, and can never en- tertain request unless I am made ac- quainted with its cause"
 Kain't tell yer, but yer shan't marry Fuss lessen yer gin up that gospel idea"
 :" l shall never give it up. This com munity, above all others, needs a preacher, and am going to spread the gospel tent here
 "l had brother some time ago that was a preacher-my own brother an Puss' uncle. He disappeared mighty sudden
 " Didn't he go to the penitentiary"
 "Wall, no, but that sorter tale was started, but Bill peckley, the preacher, is a mighty dead man.
 pap,' said the Flute, why don't you invite Dan to come in"
 "'Scuse me, Dan, come in. Take a cheer
 = suppose said Poke Easy, address ing the Flute, that you heard wha, your father said =
 About Us not marvin: Yes, heard him. but i;'s little that he knows about girls choioe.'
 An little he keres,' replied the old man. said that you ain't gwine ter marry Dan. lessen he changes his mind, an I'm goin' ter stick ter it. Even his own father don't want a preacher in the family, an know mighty we'll don't
 don't wish to marry Fuss without your consent, old gentleman Dan re- marked after a few moments of his char aeterisiic reflection, "and must remove the cause upon which you have based your objections, al least l must inves,i- gate it.n
 Don't go too fur, young man, fur it mout be unpleasant. Pore Bill peckley went too fur
 As Poke Easy walked along toward home, his heart was heavily oppressed. The objections of his father and old Feckley, and the solemn warning of the latter, were alike unintelligible and con fusing. He did not speak to his father on the subject when he reached home. but going 10 his room. he lay on the bed where the moonlight streamed in. unable to sleep and deeply pondering. He left home early the next morning. and d, night when he returned home he showed his father the papers that authorized him to preach. The old man did not congra,u late him. but muttering an impreca,ion he turned away. His mother approached with tears and blessings. and throwing up her arms burst forth into a prayer tha, her son might cause great awakening among the people.
 That night whi.e Dan lay on his bed. something passed between him and the moon, which was just peeping over the hill. Arising, and looking out, he saw his father standing near the corner of the house. It was nothing unusual for the old man to get out of bed at untimely hours, but as ii was habit of years $ standing, every one had ceased to pay any attention 10 this eccentricity. On this occasion, though, Dan watched his father with an interest which the old mans movements had never before awakened. Human suddenly turned and started otf through the woods. Dan. hastily dressing himself, cautiously fol- lowed. For some time their course lay through the thick woods. until the creek. with its precipitous bluffs. was reached. The young man observed as closely as possible where his father climbed down. and it was well that he did. for nowhere near was there another place where a de scent could have been made. By the time Poke Easy reached the bottom of thC iaNluC. LnC OiQ Han was some distance ahead, but the moon, which by this time was looking over the precipioe, defined his actions. The old man stopped and looked back. Dan stepped behind a projecting rock. The old man came walking along back, nut tering that he must have seen some one, and although he passed within a few inches of tte place where Dan was trying 10 fiatten himself against rock, he made no discovery. but turning pursued his former course. Suddenly he disappeared. Dan moved along very consciously.
 Where could he have gone v unused the young man. What's this ?, and he stopped near small round opening in the wall from which ! rock had evidently been rolled. He knew that his father must have entered there. and after some