The Arkansaw traveler., 1886-04-24

 he added as he and Len shook hands.
 Very we'll
 Does mer gal put yer ter any trou ble?" the old man asked as he drew up q chair and sat down
 Oh, no, she does her work so well that it is pleasure to have her in the i office
 The old man smiled, looked at his 1 daughter, and said
 An rarn, wy never seed ther like 1 She ken read now almost like CT preacher Fur some time shes been readn' me mighty fine book that she got in town. It's all erbout CT young feller that had step daddy that l would like to knock down, an CT big ole feler wuz alus waitin what wu1 he waitin fur Ned?'
 Something to turn up. The book is David Copperfield. V
 "Oh yes allu waitin fur su thin ter turn up. Thars some powerful fine rcadin in that book Sometimes I git sorter skcerd an don't see how things air goin ter turn out, but airtcr while they come out all right When Ned got through with 1t, told her ter ber- gin at the fll,t an read it all over agin and she dun it. sar, dun 1t as easy a. CT creased wagin goin down hill. want her ter keep on CT readin t till can almost talk it off. Then when she~ erway ken think crhout it an laugh at thcr funny ole fellcr, an kick ther step daddy. an haul off an smack lis hetitr uv d sister that tuck the keys away rum thcr boy mother An that other telier that worked fer thcr lawyer thcr feller that grabbed holt uy er hoss all brcathed in his nostrils-
 tr'ah Hf4', said Len.
 Yes, that's ther very fellcr Do yer know what I'd like ter do? Td like ter take cr green hooppolc, stan off erbout five feet an wrap it eroun' him erbout three times
 Think it would do him good eh? Len iaughingly replied.
 " Don't know erbout that, but it would dc me er powerful chance uv good ter larrup him. Lemme see. thar wuz crnuther feller, whut's his name Hdkn, b eleve
 " HHah' Len repeated
 " as, ther fcller that went out in ther water ter keep CT fcller rum drowndir an got drownded hissc'f'
 "oh, you mean Hum, Ham Pegyohn'
 :" Yas, Ham, that's CT tack Knowed his name wuz hog-meat uv some sort Now, Htm he want no slouch, as yer go erlong
 No, he was a good and brave fellow
 "o oh, he wuz CT spunky trllcr as ever lived Whut peers ter be ther matter with yer, Mr. Gansett? Look like yer air sortcr sad erbout Suthin' Elf thars anythin ther matter, out with it"
 Ned looked searchingly at Len Is it something about me?' she asked
 Yes Len replied, "i it is something about you He then related a part of the conversation which he had held with lloneycutt, taking care, however, to make no alluson to Hanrv The old man face grew dark. Ned,' said he, slowly turning to his daughter, "wush yer would go out crwhile till me an Mir Gansctt talk this here matter over
 Ned obeyed without replying. When sine reached the door she turned and cast an imploring glance at Len.
 don't know what ter do, said old man Hobdy, when Ned had gone " How come him ter change his notion? Tuther week he talked like he wuz nightly pleased
 :" It is useless to attempt to keep up with his whims' Len replied The best plan, in fact, is to pay no attention to him
 Wush ter God I could pay no erten- tion ter him but what am ter do? Yer see hes got me on his hip an ken fling me any way he wants ter
 l do not believe that it is SO bad as you think. A threat is quite enough to settle the coward Tell him plainly that if he interferes with your affairs that you will kill him"
 Oh, no, no, cant do that fur he knows that l wouldn't kill him Aint that him CT comin' wander? YaS, it is Hush, MT Gansett. Don't let him know whut We wuz talkin' erbout'
 Honeycutt entered without ceremony, sat down stretched out his legs and struck the heels of his boots together, scattering mud over the hearth stone.
 How's yer rheumatic, ole man?"