The Arkansaw traveler., 1884-11-29
FROM GRIEF TO oLADNEss.
Why Old Ike Turned From Words of
 Censure to Terms of Praise

A drowsy rain was falling. Old Ike sat in his cabin, lowering over q smould- ering fire. link, sink, t;nk, the water dripped through the roof aud fell in a wash pan which the old man had placed on the floor. An overturned pot lay on the hearth, while scattered aroand were the fragments of brick. Young Null kittle, with piece of carpet thro~n over his head and drawn around Lis shoulders, bounded into the room and exclaimed, " Boor' The old man jumped.
 "Od Bounds, boy, whut yer come runnin' in heAh fur like CT wolf? Doan yer think dat CT pusson's got DO feeliu' Ding it, does yer take me fur e postP
 "You said that you vas pillar of the church" i" replied the boy with . laugh of great glee, throwing down the carpet and scraping the mud from his shoes on the edge of a cracks. box. x,
 Look out dar whzt yer doin'! Come inter CT mans house an wipe yer fees all ober his furnishure. Glare ter goodness, doan know whu,'s gittin' inter yer. Sence desc heah dimmercra.s hAb run erway wid de county white chillun amt got no 'speck fur ole age nu nuthin' else. Look at yer no~." The boy had trOd upon a pile of onioas. "Not satisfied wid ruinin' CT pusson's furnishure yer wants ter spile his viddults- Set down dar on de box fur nuthin' amt safe while yer's trampin' 'roun'"
 The boy sat down. Aaer . moments silence, he said: "l didn't go to scare you, Uocle Ike, cross my hear, didnA;. !"
 -Whut kere bout yer crossin' yer heart? Yer skeered 4he all de same. Wouldn't CT minded it SO much es l hadn't CT been in de 6x is. has de wust luck O any man in de New Nited States"
 "What's the matter ?"
 "Dars ernuff de matter ter dribe CT pusson ter de lunatic 'sylum- l hepped CT white man roll some a1s O salt inter his sto' dis mornin' an he gin me de fines chicken ebef seed. wuz hungry fur chicken an fotch it home, cleaned him all nice, cut him up, made some dumphns' put 'em in de pot wid him an' sot back CT listenin' ter hirn stew. l had my mouf fixed fur CT mighty fine dinner"
 Well, what come of the chicken S'
 @Kaint yer val. till tells yer? Aint satisfied wid ruinin' CT pussons furni- shure an spilen' his viddults, but wants ter bodde- bim in his conversation. De stew wa'n't quite done an steps out ter git some chips ter make de pot bile. Jes' q got ter de do wid de chips" The old man broke down He wiped his mouth on ths sleeve of his coat, and shook his head.
 "And what 2" asked the boy.
 -Aint yer got DO 'speck fur de grief Q de human family? Wants ter ineerup' CT man when he's bowed down wid sor- rows Whut do yer go to Sunday schoo, fur3 Ter larn how ter tanneriize er ole mani When got ter de do, seed . big yaIier dog vid his head in de pot. I trapped de chips an gedered . brick, am let dribe at de sooun'rei, but missed him Seein' dat he oouldn' ei, out de do, he jumped through de winder vhut want his.ed, an broke ont de g,ass." @Is that all" asked the boy. @Anr repeated the old man, con- :<mpsuoasiy. .Anl " bay, I b1ebes dat yez's daa los' all yu sense. Want dat ernaf ter dribe q man crazys Ho~ mncA does ysr think CT passoa kea st,sd, Rahows AL Co oa, boy, an' ismne ezioss- dosa tsel Eks hshin no ruck vid VT nov, se gooa- Here I'se esa ios' sufAi.' vhse ny app nias ~w wrapped - h, a' yg comes g ranain' ct heah hG n 6 d,e vvs sIl- Tshe sp VI car- pes an' nosey."
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