The Arkansaw traveler., 1884-09-06

And Luke had brought his pigs home, and Matthew Brantvell, ske0vd busi. ness man in his old -, toddIm over in see them, snd to seS too what ernld ho done. Wkether Ln1n could n hS dose" nieht be adied, even sisks1s rejecting too severely cn tho. character of Maffhew, who was certainly an un- reasonable and covstous old eentlsnan. Everybody knew that-exen Lnke, whe thonght the bet of moek people, Mrx Tvifsers eznepted, had his suipicions ol it, though he made great deal of allow acce for the eccentricities of Pexgy's grandfather.
 For Peggy's sake, and at Peggy's wish even, Luke was alvags exfra dvil b hafthew Brastwall, eivilisy whieA was InOt oflen reciproczted, Maafhew's temper being bad one. For Heggys sake even he was living in this co1i1G4 e | tenant of Mir. RrantweIPs, at for ponn6b per an- mum, sum of moAey for vhjch Luke mighk hove secured quite a comfnstab,s room at csck-eyed Dobson's, and without the bother of housekeeping. But Mat thew had persuaded Luke two years ago to take the establishment after his moth- eIs decease, and Luke had thought 1t as well to please the old gentleman, not caring much where he lived until he set tied down for good with Peggy. It was only to sleep in; all day he was in the valley, CT on the hills with the sheep, and in the early evening he was courting Peggy-Sunday excepted, when he and she walked seven miles to church in the afternoon, with three or four other devout inhabitants of Felspar, the rest of them stopping at home from years end to years end.
 It was on Sunday morning that Mat thew called on Luke, who was shaving by bit of glass hung up in the front win dow, which Matthew banged at with his walking-st and cracked. Eve come to see the pigs" said Mat thew. who was an authority on pigs !" Peggy tells me you've had quite bit of a legacy"
 "Yes, Master Matthew, call it luck myself"
 "Your Uncle Ribton and have done many stroke of business together, Luke" said the oli man and if he had lived twenty-four hours longer, should have had those pigs, and there'd been a matter of-well 5Io. very likely, in his stock ing"
 "Ohw said Luke, as he put away his shaving tackle, I've heard they're worth lot more than ten pounds. But ain't judge of pigs"
 They're very ugly"
 They're uncommon ugly" asserted Luke. but they're very healthy" They'll eat you out of house and home"
 Yes-they do eat" said Luke, with sigh. "but there's chance of getting their own living down in the valley. let them out every day"
 You'll lose 'em."
 "Oh, they know their way back to supper" said Luke, with one of his laughs, "trust them. But they're so aggravating, wish they wouldn't come back sometimes
 "Why don't you sell 'em! You're not able to keep 'em in ease and comfort as a pig should be kept any more than you have ever been able to keep yourself- though say it as shouldn't p'raps ease and comfort. But I'm a plain speaking man."
 "You are. sir.n
 Why don't you sell the pigs, then?'
 Bless your heart I'm going," said Luke.
 "Eh-what? What's that you say?'
 "rm going to sell them, and bank the money before the winter comes on. At least, I'm going to sell four of 'em."
 Wen-well then, what do you want for the four P asked Matthew. 1That's what I've come all this beastIy way for-and my legs so bad too-to ask if should take 'em of your hands. The i've, | mean-I want the lot What's the use of keeping one pig"
 "I shall stick to the blind one," said Luke, very firmly.
 "Why!'
 We'll, my old mother was blind the last two years of her life, and the pig re- minds me of her very much"
 Matthew Brantweu sneered at this touch of sentiment, but he said no more about the blind pig just then.
 Let's look at them" he said shortly.
 They passed into the little space be- hind the house, where were the five ani- mals, all with their noses turned toward the gate which shut them out of the valley. Luke was right-they were un- commonly ugly. A misshapen, rhinoc- eros kind of pig. four of them red-eyed ! as though they had been crying, and the fifth with his eyes bunged up forever.
 The sight of them excited the cupidity of Matthew Brantwell
 "I'll give you 20 tor the lot. Say it's bargain, and don't be a fool, Luke" he said.
 'sf can't drive bargain on a Sunday, Master Brantwell," answered Luke: mot that I'm a religious man, hard and fast as ought to be-but I promised Peggy :; never would again"
 Peggy's always got some nonsense in her head and a-interfering about some thing
 PeggYs always right only she's bif 1 Nothing ever came right 1 that was done on Sunday, I've heard l her say over and over again, bless her." talki0U ahouf rius ainst u,~ rH