The Arizona champion., 1884-02-02
POPINJAY-A TRAGEDY.
CHAPTER l.

NiIhi
 Zeb Stickney and Ali Rensy had fought and vanquished every man of nerve in the neighborhood, but had never fought each other. This neglect, as it was sometimes jokingly called, was not on account of friendship, for none of this companionable virtue ex- isted between them. They had not fought because each knew that an en- counter meant death, and neither of them had any particular longing to cast of the brooches of this world and wear the garments of the grave.
 There was time in Arkansaw, and not SO long ago, either, when the bowie knife entered into the flesh of the poli- tician, oftimes. No gentleman's ward robe was complete without bowie knife, and when the announcement was made that such and such a merchant had just received the latest spring styles of bowie-knives, there was generally rush for the enterprising tradesman's establishment. The spring and s.sum- mer knife was usually light and fanciiul while the fall and winter outfit was heavy with an idea to warmth.
 It was during these days that Zeb Stickney and Ali Rensy fiourished in saw-log townships. Although they were educated and refined gentle men, with good taste in matters of dress, yet they made no pretense of following the fashions, and frequently exhibited the grossness to appear in May, wear ing winter knife. People were not meddlesome in those days, and little peculiarities were not criticised as they now are, still the carelessness of these gentlemen caused remark.
 One night, at full dress, or rather a full length ball, Stickney appeared with the regulation swallow-tail bowie, while Rensv only wore very ordinary Prince Albert sticker. This would not have led to serious results but for tattling young widow, comparative stranger in the country, and who, being unac- quainted with the customs of the people, had caused several misunderstanding during one of which highly respected young circuit rider was whttled beyond recognition and recovery. This widow, while gaily fitting around like dark butterfly of i'll omen, remarked to Rensy;
 "You don't shine this evening like your honorable contemporary
 "To whom do you refer, madam, as my contemporary? l have many con temporaries, and many of them are honorable"
 "Don't you know whom mean?"
 "I surely do not Pray cast the ra- diance of explanation on your remark that may no longer remain unintelli- gent?"
 T mean Feb Stickney."
 "And why is he, more than scores of others, my contemporary?
 "I don't know unless it be that in so- cial converse and popular gossip your names find association"
 "For which see no reason. Society can associate ones name with that of any popinjay. But enough of this. Do you dance? Come," and placing an arm around her, they wheeled away, his Prince Albert gleaming under the rich light of the tallow dip.
 When the waltz was ended, the young widow went to Stickney and said:
 "Lor', heard somebody talking about you"
 "Was it good, bad or indifierent?"
 "I should think that it was rather indifferent"
 "Tell me what was said"
 "Oh, couldn't"
 "You must"
 "Well, the person said that you were popinjay."
 "Man or woman?' "Oh, can't tell you that"
 'I insist"
 "Man,"
 "What is his name?"