The Arkansaw traveler., 1884-08-30
WAS UNDER OATH. An Old Rellow vho Couia gas Noshinx But Spoon v,dAuis.''

WA0 0WOek 0A as An Old Fsliow vAo ceuld ga, Nothing
 But Spoon v,dAuis."
 ooloasi McQu.rsr and parsy. while soing through Lumpsoa county, ArkAn. say, marking oss the line oi . railroad that will nsvsr bs built, ~sre met one day by aa old fsliov. vho. afsr standing foe Ssw moments and gar,ag h amasensat, exclaimed
 .Wali. by the o6 OK O old Adam ?"
 .Whss's the narsss. my friend ?" ashsd the colonea, amussd As the csmicai ap- pearancs of the man.
 Wy. sir, ksp' q look,n an sr lookin' at that thrse-lsgsed thing. sx- pscsin' to sec it % od whsn you tuck sight through 1t, but shs haiat shot yit. Dingsd if didt think that tt vas sutAin' you had risgsd up to kill squirrels vish. Hello, vhus you goia' to do with that long dog-chainl Wall, 1 vush m ay die if ever ssed % many contrapshuus. Whut air ysu doin', anyhow =
 " We arc locating new railroad"
 4What, you goin' to fstch cars into thsss woods. Jss, vai, hsts tili % tell mur an the boys"
 "Yoa will douotisss have plenty of time to tsii them. tor t will be several ysars bsfors ,he train arivss. By the vay. whsrs can ss ct soms Hoas77
 The squattsr is the simplsss and most sasily surpissd man ia the world so loag as hs is seeking informasioa. He laughs asd grins. twists his 6sgsrs ia an sm. basrasssd vay, and. upoa the whole, hs sssns to bs struggling under aa uncom. fouabls load of medsssy bu, turn to him and begin to make inquiriss. and im- msdiasely thsrs ii . change. He is 10 longer simple is no lonssr embarrassed. but with sssadiness of eye. and half sarcastic @twang in his voice-liks the vibrations of an old 6ddls-hs conssm. plasss his qusstoasr. and in an inbosu delight of evasion. twists tho questioas out ot shape. This principle is innate. It doubtless has i.s origin tn the great psecausion oscessary in the early days, when every stranger vas thought to bs an officer from diaan, s,Ats. armed with . rsquisitioa. From father to son, the habit of prscaution descendsd until |, has become a characteristic.
 "I say, where car ve ge, some -four r replied the colonel
 1Woat meal do !'
 @Yes, if we can't ges -four Where can ws sss some P
 "Ssme meal or -four '''
 "Either oos''
 "Waii, reckon is's as easy to ge, one as t'uther.'
 " fs there store near here,-
 Thar usssr be, bu, tho feiier's moved Lowed that the timss vas too hard"
 Have you any meal or -four for salsr'
 Did nave some bu, mar and the boys cat tt ali up"
 "I don't kno~ whzt weu do"
 Reckon yeuTl have to do like the folks over the creek h
 "How's thatr
 " Do without
 That's bad. suppose you can ls. us have a piece of mestT'
 Teli ysr whut's faek, cap'n. 1 hke yer putty well, aa' weuIdn' miae lessia' ysr have the meat 'tvans fur one thing
 "W'haf's thaeSr
 :" ain't got none
 Look hsEs,r said the colosk. |" 1 doat believe you've %. good ssnss"
 That's vhu, the aeishbos cay. They fuss tuck up ths. idse 'csass I'm iius round tai<in' to ssca ssiisrs ss you'as air"
 -Come, 1 doa'i want asy ef yoaf fooi- ishnam-
 Wal, thsu. doa't give nese."
 By ths way, bov's politics rannisg out hsse~
 Putiy vel hissssd se ysr. how'ss shsy rusais' wifs ysrssifs"
 Go oa, old fsllo~. we've eoe enough of you-"
 Dssssr Q on yerssal fss I've get nesgh ef ysu. This hsss ssigAborhoed is vhar 1 liv& as' f y~ dsnt Ills thsI vsy fhs vagia dsckA " yw eas lssys..
 "You dsst inov vAs [ aa.s 0iA shs| csssaa, ~iaaiag q oas = kis nsa- sf| aa the gsvezneg q Asiaaanv."
 Ths e16 fl11ev, vitho0t sopagiae, beeaa|