The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-09-12

celebrity talk, stranger would think that the courthouse was built on wheels received some little financial encour agement from the merchants" and law. yers, all of whom advertised in the Sfeay but soon discovered the inevitable draw. back to country journalism-local strife There were two factions that were bitterly opposed to each other. These diff ff.rence of opinion were not political. They were the outgrowth of certain sort oi bullyism." Two men wanted to run the town. Old Mat Tyler was chief oi one faction, and lawyer named Flip Hanks was leader of the other faction. would be wise. would say nothing in favor of either party but would devote my intellectual energies to building up the town.
 One day, when the Spear had been running several weeks, old Mat came into the weather. boarded shed which was called my office and, after greeting me cordially, he said:
 By the way, Brizentine-Bristol, mean-how air you gettin' along2"
 "Very we'll"
 "Glad to hear it, but it don't peer 10 me like you've got the hang uv things, yit."
 How-wh2t do you mean?"
 "Wall, you don't peer to understand the needs uv the town"
 The interest of the town is my inter- est, and of course l am making it my study"
 "You must larn mighty slow, then"
 "Why so2"
 "Because you ain't never said a word yit agm that feller Flip Hanks. Thar ain't bigger scoundrel in the country, an you oughter say so."
 "Oh, cannot afford to do anything like that"
 "W'y kain't you ?"
 Because it would make him mad and wouldn't do me any good"
 Uv course it would make him mad an that's zackly whut you've got to do eff you ever make anything outen this paper. Lemme tell you whut you do nov: les come out an say that Hanks is a thief. Do it an blame me eff l don't help you along"
 can't do that, Mir. Tyler, but I'll tell you what will do: will publish any communication that you may write"
 "But I'd halter put my name to it wouldn't I?'
 "Yes."
 "No, that wouldn't be business. Us folks here air easy set an somebody mout think that l was prejudiced, an wouldn't have lem think thater way fur putty, but you ken say whut you please an folks won't pay no 'tention to you"
 This was high compliment, but could not comply with old Mats request. explained why such course would be disastrous, but he heard me with impa- tience. When l had finished, he said:
 That's putty good talk, but it don't show no sand, an sand Is whut a mans got to have in this here settlement an the quicker you show it, the better. Wall, I'll leave you to think over whut Pve said an hope that yon'll soon come to your senses. Wall, good day"
 Old Mat had not been gone more than ten minutes when Flip Hanks entered the office. Hanks had never .favorably me, and the fact that he had killed newspaper man in Texas, made me uneasy when was so unfortunate as to be thrown into his society.
 Well, how are you stirring?" Hanks asked as he seated himself on box.
 "l can't complain. How are you get ting along2"
 "Oh-middling. How do you like our town2"
 "Very we'll"
 "Glad to hear it. We are rather an easy set of people and we like to see every man enjoy himself How are you doing with your paper3 Maxim any money2"
 "No; my patronage is rather slim."
 "It always will be unless you adopt a different course"
 !" am doing my best"
 "Yes, it seems that you are doing the best you can against yourself. You have been here long enough to see how the land lays and why you don't pitch into that old fool Mat Tyler and give him particular hell is something don't un- derstand. You've certainly got sense enough to see that he is trying to run this town. He is as ignorant as a pig, and, more than all, he is a thief. Oh, I kpn ID ~vhot | ov,, 4alL:u~ oko,.x G.. ...