The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-04-11
WHAT WAS THE CAUSE.

IWin Hubbard Kernan, in V. Y. Mercury. SYo' mout jist es well make up yer mind to hit, fust as last, Janey, fer I'm so..p and old man Shirley brought his sick down on the red brick hearth with a thud.
 fancy threw her apron up to her eyes a..d began to cry.
 "I'm sot, tell yo'. I've said you shell marry Mark Hadley, an yo' she'll"
 "Fayther," interposed Mrs. Shirley, looking up from her quilting, don't be hard on Janey-don't fayther."
 "Yo' tend to yo' consarns an ri tend to mine," snarled the old man.
 What consarns Janey consarns me" replied Mrs. Shirley, ripe flush ;inging her pale cheek as she spoke.
 "Yo' jist keep yer place, L tell yo', old woman. Wives was made to obey thar husban's, an darters was made to obey thar daddies, an I'll hev no weemin folks awearin' the brooches round me. Re member that w and the old man limped out of the room in rage.
 He was a believer ID the infamous theory that woman Is the inferior of man "a theory having its rotten root in the dirt and despotism of the savage centuries that lie behind the light and learning of the progressive present-a theory that has held woman in thraldom through awful ages and wet her footprints with the blood of her broken heart.
 Shirley went down the lane between the corn6elds that danced in the sum light, until he came to the Lebanon pike |, then, turning to the left he pursued the path to the post-office at Double Springs, half mile distant from his homestead.
 Walking in, he called for his mail. The clerk handed him paper and he reclined on the counter to read 1t.
 "That d-d dog of a Charlie Rhea has returned to Leb'non, see," he said pres. ently, looking up from his paper.
 "Oh, yes he's ben back fer sev'ral days. He was down yurr last Saturday, lookin' es fine es fiddle"
 "Wall, he'd better keep out'n my way, he he'd" said Shirley.
 "Why, whats up 'twixt ye' an him Oh. yes-y-e-s; remember now-I re- member. An ole war grudge. But looky, Shirley, we'uns is gittin' old, an it seems to me we oughter let bygones be bygones."
 "Never, by heaven His daddy burned the house over my head an dTuv' me an my family out inter the cold of winter to freeze an stsrve, an my little boy my poor little Hilary-tuck a chill an died afore could find shelter fer him ]; an swore by his dead body I'd be even with his murderer an will-so help me Godpp
 |" But Charlie wasn't 'countable for his daddy's doin's."
 "An' my son wasn't 'countable fer my doin's when it comes to that. An was only a-defendin' my principles. An moreover. Charlie's a splinter offn the old log. He said his daddy oughter a. made dead sweep of hit an killed the whole kit an poodle of we'uns es aided an comfted what he calls the inemy."
 |" know he's brash, Charlie is but he don't mean the halfn what he says. Why, thar he is now. Whar kin he be a drivin'2 ?"
 A buggy, dSawn by beautiful span of bays, whirled past in a fog of dust. The reins were held by remarkably hand some young man, who tipped his hat gracefully to the postmaster as he sped gaily by. His short, silky tresses were O. raven hue. The brlliancy of his big black eyes was tempered by long lashes that lent them lazy expression, at variance with his volatile manners and movements. Ills complexion was sofi and smooth, with the slightest saffron tinge, unrelieved by any dash of red-a peculiarly city complexion, and confined to the highest strata of society.
 Shirley watched him from the door of the post-dffice, till bend of the road shut him from sight, and then, with a muttered curse, he bade the postmaster gruff good evening and went his way across the old field to visit Uncle Hi Hosford on business connected with the common school.
 The after-glow had melted into dark as Shirley limped up the path leading to the door.
 The roses that lined the walk were heavy with the dew, and the 4 .sh of their flaming petals was just visible in the star shine. A profound hush brooded over the whole plantation, broken only by the rasping cry of the katydids in the red- oaks and the plaintive call of the whip poorwill in the copse to the left.
 Shirley stopped oH the gallery steps.
 "Whar kin the ween in folks be ?" he growled to himself |" Mother, whar are yo'r
 A long, low moan came through the open windows of the family room.
 Shirley sprang into the house.
 (" Is that yo', motherr'
 "Oh, fayther fayther! Pity me! Oh, pity me My God my God that eve should live to see this night P
 "Mother ]" there was in6nite tender ness in the voice of the old man now, as he knelt down by his wife in the darkness and clasped her to his breast, as he had often done in the days when love was young and life was fairy tale to both.
 "What is hit, Lucy~
 "Oh, Henryl hitll break yer heart es hits broken mine. Oh, what hey we done-what hev we done that we should be punished this'n wAy?"
 ~What is hit, Lucy"
 %Janey-our own pet lamb-ours-oh, God, Henryi fancy is gone p