The Arkansaw traveler., 1886-02-20
For THE ARKANsAw TRAvELKR.
 THE SLUGVILLE MYSTERY.
BY HAL BERTE.

There was immense excitement in Slugville. The villagers stood in agitated groups at the street corners discussing the one prevailing topic, topic which had moved Slugville to its very foundations and upset her equanimity as it had never been upset before.
 About two months previous to this ex- citement Popplewell's wife, Maria, had added another unit of humanity to the worlds millions. Not that there was any thing strange in that, such events were usual in Slugville as elsewhere, but there was one thing in connection with this event, which, taking into consideration one or two little m alters connected there with, was decidedly uncommon. And it was this-the little child had red hair. Popplewell's locks were, to all appear ances, raven black and likewise the curls which hung in glossy clusters around the head of Popplewell's Maria. Hence the excitement. Hence the mystery. Hence a VOW of determination on the part of Slugville never to rest until that mystery was solved.
 Suspicion is smart if oft erring detec- tive, and suspicion soon discovered what it took to be most important evidence in the case. There was only one red haired man in Slugville. That was Pluggett the barber. As Pluggett was very religious man, holding the office of church deacon, suspicion was all the more strengthened in its belief. Matters reached a climax when it was openly declared in the vil- lage inn that Pluggett was the parent of the child. Shortly afterwards a deputa- ton waited on Pluggett and after chasing him round the village with shot guns asked him to resign his office as deacon of the church. Though he protested his innocence till he was purple in the face and produced certificates of morality signed by over ten ministers of the gos- pei he had to evacuate, branded with ignominy and disgrace.
 All this time no word of the scandal had reached the ears of Popplewell, nor did the personal peculiarity in the inno- cent cause of all the commotion seem to trouble him bit. If anything, he was prouder than ever and seemed to glory in what everybody said was his shame. After while, however. Popplewell began to notice coolness arising between folks and himself. Some of his old compan- ions passed him by without even so much as nod of recognition. Then Popple- well began to wonder what could be the reason. The more he wondered the more puzzled he became to account for 1t. So he determined to call on the min. ister and see if tn 1t good man could en- tighten him on the subject. "Do you mean to say," said Popple- well, after the minister had explained matters, "that the fact of my child hay ing red. hair has been the cause of all this scandalf'
 "Verily, do," replied the minister. "Coupled with the fact that your hair is black and your good wife's the same color."
 @Great Cesar :" yelled Popplewell. Would that had known tn sooner. My good sir, believe me, my hair is not black"
 "Not black2 Why it is as black as coal"
 "Pardon me, it is red !; faring red. This blackness you sec is produced by hair dye. It is, l assure you"
 The minister, afeer chiding Popplevell for his vanity, assured him if such vas the cass, everything vas explained, aad