The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-07-25
BROTHER BUCK.
A Melancholy Old Man Made Exceed
 ingly Lively.

At the age of 6fty-nine, "Splay !" Footed Buck was left lonely widower. His children were married and were liv- ing in distant cotton fields his old friends, one by one, had bowed their heads in obedience to the summon s which no man can set aside; and, still sadder to relate, his old 'possum dog had been stretched upon the plain of eternal sleep. Old Bucks heart was weighted down by the dull load of sickening melan- choly. He looked about hi n, but bloom ing and bountiful nature afforded no de- light to his visi, n. When he looked into his little red framed mirror, studded with the rustic shell of the overcup acorn, he saw, not the bright ebon face of yore, but dark countenance, wrinkled like the overcoat of an Asia,ic elephant Daily the old man went to his work, and night ly he caught up something that belonged not to him still, retrospective glimpses of a happy life, of past when he could with impunity catch peach orchard shoat, made him lowly ot spirit. He devoted him self to the church, but the church brought no relief; he was elected gran kidney footer and deputy supreme red axe bearer of the Sons of Ham, yet cold ashes lay upon the hearthstene of the old mans soul. One day Jo~l Fat Pete, the minister, called upon Splay Footed Buck and said:
 " Bruder Buck, how is de speret drag in erlong2"
 Powerful slow, Bruder Pete; power ful slow"
 "Doan look fur much he p Tn dis heah wicked ~orl' does yer3"
 !" No, Bruder Pete, doan 'speck much hep in dis heah worP O weepin' an gnashin' o' de human jaw bone. De rope on my win lass is erbout woun' up ter de eend an dar ain much use now fur me ter turn de crank"
 Dats f.ek, Bruder Buck, lessen yer turns de crank de right way"
 "Ho~ de right way?"
 By onwindin' de rope"
 Bruder Buck, it am wid differki lty dat I ken ketch de adwerbs O yer nouns an gInny aeckshuns #"
 "I rekon, Bruder Buck, dat is CT talkin' wid de perfoun' suggestions O de charlsteric allergory, but ter make myself plain let me say dat yer oughter marry ergin. Dat will sorter take yer back ter CT young days will sorter onwin' de rope. Dat young daughter O mine is CT mighty fine chile. D, ain no foolish ness erbout her, an knows dat eff yer wuz ter win de lub O dat young pusson- an dat knows yer ken do-yer woul' be de happiest man in de whole country"
 Bruder Pete, neber thought O dat"
 "Cose yer didn't. Ef yer had yer woulder been married by dis heah time Tell yer whut I'll do, Bruder Buck: I'll speak ter Liza 'oort dis subjeck knows it will be all right fur l'se dun heerd her talk O how much she thinks erbout yer"
 Yer has2"
 "O' co'se has"
 "S4id she liked de ole man, did she
 "Yas an more den dat, she said dat she sorter lubed him."
 "W II. I declar'. neber thought O ds.. Look heah, 'tain't bercs'se i'se got CT little farm an some stock, is it5"
 Laws a massy, man, how foolish yer ken talk fur CT wise pusson, nohow. Dat chile doan kere nuihin' a tall erbout property"
 "She doan?"
 "Not CT bi, Er rich nigger wanted ter marry her de luther week, but whut yer reckon she tole him ?"
 '' 1 aim got no idee."
 wy she tole him ef he didn' go on erway she woul' set de dogs on him."
 Look heah. she didn' talk dat CT way ter CT rich pusson, did she
 "Dit's persackly whut she done"
 Wall, Bruder Pee, dat am de 'oman whut I'se arter. I'll drap roun' some time dis ebenin'."
 Liza, Pete's daughter was as slim as a wea sel and as black as a mink She was endowed with many graceful airs. Old Buck had often thought of her, but now he loved her. She was young and he was old and, like dutifnl daughter, she l