The Arkansaw traveler., 1884-06-28
OLD IKE IN LOVE.
Tse Sudden Whitening of FaI Fiowe "De Oman is CT Rascal an de
 Man is CT Fool

Old Ike, for several days las been a, work in MT. Mulkit,le's door-yard. The cook, a rather young negroes, with high head and smauering of education, like the drouthy grains of corn, scattered over the cob-Berlinda, by rame-was much impressed with old lke's stock of inherited and collected wisdom, and conceived the idea of flirting with the sage. The old man was entranced. Where Is the old man who would not be delighted by the attentions of young woman? Of course there are such men, but they are so few and live so far apart that they rarely exchange neighboriy visits. Old Ike has been unfortunate with his wives. Before the war, when every negro was polygamist, he was quite "ea,eh," and like all catches was caught. Alter the uEiversa! recog- milton of the rights of man, when a negro could marry sho' huff the old fellow soon found himself married 10 a sho' huff woman. She never allowed busi- ness to grow dull she made il lively for Ike. He cleaned out lawyers well, and in payment. received divorce. Shortly afterwards, old Ike married mighty likely yaller oman" Sae ran away with the deck hand sf steamboat. Now, after many years and many twinges of rheumatism, il was encouraging 10 know that the fair sex had not forgotten him. To him, Berlinda's smiles were like the lighting of a candle in dark room. While the old fellow was trimming a rose bush. Berlinda, with her hair done up in great shape,' came out and said:
 Wy, Jedge, yer very tech makes de flowers bloom"
 "Thank yer fur dat compliment" re- piled the old man, lowing It ain my tech, young lady; its de sunshine O yer eyes. les now, dis rose wuz only bud, but when yersef comed out, i, busted inter full bloom
 Uncle Ike, yer's tryin' ter fatter me ?'
 Law, miss, sich a thing is fur rum de truthiulness O dis heah throbbin' heart" placing his hand on his breast "Dis heah tongue" thrusting out the physicians key to billiousness, "neber spoke de false word ter de beautiful. When de hawk says ter de blue bird, yer's sweet, he allus means it."
 But de hawk wanster ter eat de blue bird, Uncle Ike.
 "Yas, honey, an coup eat yessef right now, yer's so sweet. Look heah, chile, doan call me Uncle Ike. Er pus- son ter heah yer dress me by dat title ment woup think dat l'se gettin' erlcng in years, when de truth is, rse jes' ole ernuff ter vote wid vigor an quickness. Oar aim CT pusson in dis heah community dat ken out run dis chile.''
 "I1l bet yer that l ken out run yer"
 "Oh, yersef mout, honey, ease light travels fast Look CT heah, aim yer got no sweetheart ?"
 No, and never had one"
 @Den de human family hab been pow erful blind. l'se yer voted slabe, honey. neber lubed nobody befo', an l'se had my eye on yer eber sense yer wuz CT chile"
 Wy, yer didn' know me when wuz CT chile, fur l want raised in dis state, an didn' come heah till two years ergo"
 "Da, may be true, honey, but I'se seed yer in my dreams. Say, aint yer got sum Tub fur CT active young pusson like is? Kain' yer fling erside de fiesh-pots O dis heah sinful worp an jine hans wid me!r
 Fiingin' erside de Aesh-pots mout be de ;rouble, sah. Pse powerful fon' O meat"
 "Yer doan un'erstan' de parerble didn' mean daf yer won't hab no meat ter eat fur de Lawd knows dat ef yer wuster marry me, yer'd hab roas' pig an baked lam. Oh, say dat yer will be mine Say de word an I'll pull out right nov fur de preacher an lis'ence.r "Yeru hab ter gin me CT little time ter think ezbout il.
 "Lub kain' think, honey. Hate ken think but lub kzm'. When hen yer gin me er answer P
 
 "Prstsy soon,1 smiling oa him. sI