The Arkansaw traveler., 1884-06-07
OLD IKE AND THE BOY.
4 Sad Stsry Told by the old M lam Why He Took Young Mulkitsie
 in His Arms.

III Eki8 AfMS.
 Old African Ike sat on box engaged in untangling a fishing line and brush ing the dust from a tune which he brought forth from the back numbers of past airs. and hummed over and over, like man 10th to relinquish the hand of friend whom he has no, seen for years.
 What are you doing. Uncle Ike!n asked young Muikiule. approaching
 .'Fixin' fur ter ketch some fish. heAh's dat da's bitin' pow'ful out at de creek, an'I takes il inter my noggin dat ef das's de way da gwine ter do. I'd go out an lii out CT few"
 Whats noggin, Uncle Ike !'
 "Dat means head. chile. sees dat yer air't studied g'ogerfy much"
 Le, me go with you:"
 -Go an gil de proclamation O dc white folks, an ycr'il fine me ergree- able"
 The youngs;er, after pleading in ,ha, plaintiye earnestncss, which. when prAc ticed by a child is so ire istible. re- turned and interG ed the old man tha, the proclamation had been granted
 AM right, honey. bu, is yer go, de snack ter eat!'
 - didn, think of that"
 Wall. de fish won't bite lessen yer takes CT snack. fur da gets tergedder. an says, desc folks is too stingy ter fetch CT lunch. We won't bite at dar hooks Run erlong an get de bite ter eat while l fixes CT line fur yessef.'
 The boy soon returned with tLe lunch, and the eddy matched companions set out tor the creek. They had no, pro- ceeded far when the old man said:
 = Less eat dat snack now"
 Thought the hsh ~ouldn', bite un- less we took il with us.-
 Chile, yessef doan know de dispersi- ton Q iish like does. l; doan make TO difference ~id de ii sh ~hudder yer's fo,ch 1t UT not. All da wants is fur yer ter star, wid it"
 How can fish tell!'
 -Doan fool vessel. Er fish knows. Uh, huh, dis chicken tase like fore de wah. Aig bread, too. How dem fish is gwine ter bite. One ole catfish he say ter de pike, look CT heah, Mir. Pike, dat ole man an de boy is eatin' aig bread. We'll halter swing corners wid dar hooks Den de Mir. Pike he say, dat we ~iil, Mir. Cat, an I'se got my jaws fixed ,dI dar hooks right now.''
 On the grassy slope of the creek bank the old man and boy sat down. They spoke in whispers Ike baited the boys hook md said:
 Fling in side dat stump. Er sun pearch is CT akin ter grab dis worm."
 The boy threw his hook as directed, and in a few moments the Aoa, began to dance
 Keep still, keep still" whispered the old man. Pull i'm out, pull i'm out
 The boy pulled and out came gieam- ing perch.
 "oh, yer got him, Whut Tell yer .''
 The boy laughed in glee. He threw himself on the fish when it fe.i from the hook, fearful of its escape, and then se- curing the prize, held il aloft and shouted
 Hole on" said the old man. sOne's airter me now. DA, aig-breAd-odd rounds v and the old man pulled. A large pike beat the water into foam, and then, with dounce, broke the hook and was gone.
 "Dar n6w,' said the old man in dis appointment. "Done broke my hook an gone ter tell de udder fish not ter bite. rse afeerd we didn't hab ernuf er dat Aig bread"
 The boy, af,er intently watching his own ho.t, looked up and exclaimed:
 Uncle Ike, what's the matter
 The old man, with hands ciasped, was on his knees su an attitsde of prayer. His face wore an expression of deepest sorrow and tears were streaming from his eyes-.
 Less go home, chile,' he said, un- ciasping his hands and placing one of them on the ground as if for support. kain't stay heah no longer"
 "Why ?" the boy asked
 "Doan like ter talk erbous if, honey,