The Arkansaw traveler., 1886-01-23
The logs were all piled and fred be-

log heap and told jokes that had come from North Carolina many years before. On one occasion, Mir. MaDgus Dockery, editor and presumable owner of the Picket, had published several of those jokes, having been assured that the inci- dents related had taken place in the Ab- oott's Ford neighborhood and, several weeks afterward, while searching his ex- changes to see it any of them had been copied, he became indignant upon find- ing the following paragraph in Tennes- see paper: "An insignificant sheet in Arkansaw, linitedly known as the Picket, is not content with clipping articles with out giving credit, but publishes as origi- nal old jokes that were brought in wagons to Tennessee seventy-6ve years ago. A driver of certain wagon when asked where he got his load of jokes. said that they were willed to him by his grand father who had inherited them from his mothers great uncle"
 What air you men jowerin' about ?" old Bob Gansett asked, turning to Asa More and Rufe Malone.
 More" Nothin' in perticuler."
 Malone" Vas, it is sumthin' in pur. ticuler. Asa called me a lie an don't Tow ter put up with it, nuther."
 More" Wall, he did tell lie, an thar ain't no use'n tryin' to crawl outen it s id that his daddy come ter this state befo' mine did"
 Colonel Bently-" We'll, what difference does that maker In view of my own re- cent trouble am almost tempted to say that coming here did not reflect credit on either of them"
 More" That's all right, but wanter be put squar' on the record. Rufe's been tryin' ter pick quarrel with me fur some time, an now dam'f he kain't git it."
 Malone" Ain't been tryin' ter pick a quarrel with yer no sich uv thing, an yer know yer air lyin' when yer say so."
 Bob Gansett (with an air which Len had never before seen him assume, but which was well known to certain people in the community" Hold on, boys, l don't want no 6ghtin' here, an by the bones O old Andy Jackson, won't have 1t. More, set down there."
 More (resuming his seat t-"J Jest as yer say, old man. Say, 'spose yer sem fur yer jug an let's have some Ticker"
 Bob Gansett-"Not a drap O flicker do you get here. When row begins it's no time to handle the jug"
 More" That's all right. We was jes foolin' want we, Rufe ?"
 Malone" Vas, that's about all."
 Gansett-" You fellers would make any sort O acknowledgement now that whisky is under discussion but it's better not to have any now. You air welcome to it, boys, that is, so far as givin' it is con- cerned, but as things have took an ugly shape, you kain't git drap."
 Old Bob's last remark closed the dis cussion, and one by one, the men sought their homes. Braley went to the house with old man Gansett. When they had entered the yard, Braley said:
 "Ole man, don't like ter ax yer but I'd like ter have a midlin' uv meat. We're out at my house an ef yer'll let me have it I'll pay yer fur it in day UT two."
 Pay the devil" the old man replied. don't want no pay. You ken git all the meat you want. Come inter the smoke house an pick out what you want"
 Braley selected "side" ofbacon, and, carrying it like carpet bag, took his way His battle had been won. but the victory illumined not his brow lent not elastic pride to his step. As he over fence, or rather as he sat a moment on fence, with his lacon resting beside him. he was an ideal pie 'ure of subjugation, of meekness which could feel no resentment. When he reached home his children greeted him with shouts, and, one of the boys whose appetite for the greasy must have been keen, ran to his mother and exclaimed
 "Pop's got hog neat"
 Braley entered his house with the air 'f man who ewes an apology. His wife shook out her knob of red hair and | 
 Putty time uv day ter be gittin' ,ome."
 Here's some midlin' meat" Braley 'eplied, holding up his treasure as a pro. ,itiation.
 "l see it," his wife said with a snarl Think that all yer've got ter do is ter #ork like dog all day an then fetch 1OmA q lsffla m rnOdsksu rx. ~nnnt n.-t-