The Arkansaw traveler. (Little Rock, Ark.) 1882-1???, 1888-12-22
ZEKE NELSON.
nv CHARLES :. RLACKmnN.


army of Virginia, where he fought four years TOR
the Confederacy. His other arm he lett in the
Wilderness He was old enough to marry, being
forty five; but beyond kissing all the "wimmen
folks" of his acquaintance when he returned from
the war; he never gave indication Of having special
care for any one-except his widowed sister with
whom he lived. lie went TO all the "frolics where
the girls would hover around him, laugh AT his
jokes, cry his experiences and do all they
could to make him love them; but he remained
single.
"Zeke." said his sister, one morning i'm October
"the boys an gals goin' chincapin huntin' this
mornin', and they want you ter go with EN-"
Cant go" he replied. "Pye got business in
town"
"Oh. l know you can GO Uncle Zeke" said Polly
Clsmpitt who came in at the moment. Polly was
seventeen and called him uncle because she had
known him since her first remembrance. She was
poor and went barefooted ON all occasions in warm
weather, except To town and to church but she
had a small foot, clear complexion and black hair
and eyes that would have been fortune to society
girl.
LOT course can GO" he answered, but business
before pleasure, YOU know"
Il rally b'lieve you're n hard hearted man." said
he girl, seating herself in chair and looking
straight al him.
WAL ruthern you should think.tha Polly. M
go"
Ills earnestness surprised her and his sister. too
lie put on his hat, and he and Polly went to the
and hog KILN were done. What's err goin' ter
happen?" said Lou Crane, primly faced girl with
very red nose and snuff encircled mouth
Them two er mOpin erlOng tergether."
Hey, Zeke," said Eb Runnels, did Miss Polly
have ter fetch yer?"
mo, didn't have ter fetch i'm. Hes able ter
walk-an' has er mind NV his own, which is more'n
some folks can say fur themselves. He didn't much
wanter come, but told i'm all couldn't do
without i'm"
Where the trees grow in groves they are very pro-
life, and "huntin'" them in regions where they
abound is great holiday enjoyment with the poor
people of the southern backwoods. But the sport
is attended with some Inconvenience when per-
son is barefooted The burrs have spines as sharp
needles. Somehow, il happened Zeke and Polly
strayed off together They found a heavily laden
tree. Zeke threshed the limbs with a pole, and
the nuts ratified down like hal. When he ceased
he that Polly had made a rug of his coat
which he had given her to hold on which she was
sitting. In her lap she held foot from which she
was picking the spines of a burr on which she had
trod. He took pair of tweezers from his pocket
sat down beside her and finished the operation
"You're mighty kind" said she looking up at
him.
"You said l was hard hearted this mornin'," he
replied.
"YOu would have been if you hadn't come"
al b1ieve YOU"
"Wat do you mean by that"
81 mean if I'd refused your coaxin' would have
been hard hearted"
"Do | coax harder'n anybody sC?"
"No, not with words"
What with, them"
"YOur eyes"
40, my"
"This exclamation referred not only to Zeke's
last answer. but to what he did for as he spoke he
put his arm around her waist
"Polly," he continued, "when | came back from
the army, you was the first person who met me-
HOu didn't know for WAS or bahv when
went erway, an only years old when took
you up in my arms that hot mornin' in June But
knowed you, for you had Tom Campitt's eyes
and forehead. He died at Gettysburg, with his
head on my lap, an | never look at you that
don't think o. him. Your mother died before he