The Arkansaw traveler., 1886-02-20
real hoss sense an jedgment in one mint than evpY h ad in my lika0 ?

"I must get up from here and see about gittin' somethin' to eat," said Mrs. Gan sett, arising. "That nigger has been q funterin 'round in the kitchin fur two mortal hours an here it is after dark an we ain't got nothin' to eat yit. do know in my soul that some niggers air the tri- finest things on the top side O the Lord'el mighty's green yeth. Turn me loose, Bob, fur declare l must go."
 Old man Gansett was much interested in Robinson Crusoe." The book had been in the house during many years, but not until Len came and took it down from shelf in the garret did the old man know what an entertaining guest found shelter beneath his roof. Alter supper Len took down the book. Mrs. Gansett was also much interested but she pretended not to be. She had ar idea that Robinson Crusoe was an un- godly-at least an unchurchly book and sometimes, after becoming SO ab- sorbed in listening that her knitting needles ceased their rattle, she would make recompense by suddenly getting up and busying herself with turning the churn or hanging clothes to dry in front of the fire.
 Len," said the old man, "turn back there and read again where Robison dug out that big cedar boat. You see, Sarah after workin' days and days on the boat, he found, when it was done that he couldn't gitit down to the water. That convinces me that the whole thing is true, for if it wan't he'd'er got that boat down to the water in less'n no time. want to get the hang O the whole thing as go along"
 Len read the chapter designated by the old man. "Now don't you see," said MT. Gansett, "that it's bound to be fack! Sarah, why don't you set down there now an lis'n ? You put me in mine O stray sheep, that don't know which way to tura,'
 "We'll all be lost sheep if we fool away our time with sich books as that'un," the old lady replied.
 Why SO? Simply because the feller ain't thinkin' about dyin' an ain't stand in 'roun' snuffln'? It tells about killin' goats an didn't Esau kill goats Hah?
 He want no better by it if he did" Mrs. Gansett replied. "But go on with the readin', Len," she added, You ain't botherin' O me-"
 "Et thought the thing want true, I'd fling it behind the 6re," said the old man. "But it is trHe, ain't 1t Len"
 Excuse me until get drink of wa ter," Len replied. He knew that if he told his grandfather that the book was fiction, the old mans interest in the work would be gone. Old Bob, Len knew, de. nounced all novels as vicious lies, and knew that this great work of the imagina- tion, side by side with "The Pilgrims Progress and Don Quixote," would in Mir. Gansett's estim ation, share the fate of Sixteen String Jack" ';th'
 "There are many truths-we all know of many that are not so reasonable as this book," Len replied as he resumed his seat. "We can dispute anything or be- lieve anything"
 "That's what say," said the old man. "Go on with the readin'. We'll for good- ness sake. Sarah, you ain't goin' to card them bats tonight, air youP" Mrs. Gan- sett had taken down pair of cotton cards. "Air you determined to kill yourself at workp"
 "A body has to have quilts," Mrs. Gansett replied, |" an if body has to have quilts, body has to card bats, reckon"
 "Yes, but you've got enough quilts to do you tonight. Nobody's stold any lately. have theyp"
 "Oh, ifyou don't want me to card, won't," said Mrs. Gansett, glad that she was morally forced to relinquish her de- sign. "Go on with your readin', Len."
 The old man sat with his head turned to one side. A boy could not have more eagerly listened to fairy tale. All his previous reading had been dry discus sions of creed, the exhaustive and vol- luminous research of men who knew how to fight for theory but who knew not how to touch that great fountain of all pure religion, the human heart. Mrs. Gansett resumed her knitting, but after a round or two, she left one needle sticking in her knitting "sheth," that old time, grand motherly contrivance made ot a goose quill and bright patch of velvet. and forgetiul of the duty which she owed to the Wages of Sin." and similar publi- cations, gave herself up to genuine en.