The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-06-23
A PEACEMA
BY N. QUAD.

but courteous; unlearned, but sharp poverty-poor, but open-handed; sus- picious and cunning, yet scorning any unfair advantage. He is shiftless, but virtuous most always a sinner, as the word goes, yet holding to some of the commandments with 8 grip more te- nacious than a Christians. l have eaten his hoe-cake and possum, slept before his rude fireplace, walked and hunted with him; studied him from all sides, and yet he is as much of an enigma as the day first saw him.
 One evening, after & hard days climb in the mountains beyond Athens, came upon log cabin near the road. 1 said evening because everything after twelve is ''evening" in the south. It was about five o'clock in the afternoon. A man sat on log at the door smoking and whittling, three children were play ing about, and a woman Sat on the door-sill with elbows on her knees and her face in her hands. AS came near the man looked up and said
 "Howdy, stranger?"
 1H6 WOuldu slOWlS lilCu AoNO thC color of a sunflower, gazed at me for half minute, and then added:
 "Howdy?"
 The children sat down on the log in bashful way, each sucking fin ger, and the father pocketed his knife, knocked the ashes from his pipe, and continued:
 "Make yerself right to hum, stranger. Children, bring the gourd, and you, Jen, hunt up bite to eat"
 Iexplained that all l asked was . drink of water and some information about the route, but he spoke up with considerable energy:
 "You must stop with us tonight. There's no other place for ten miles whar' they are fixed to take you in."
 I demurred and he insisted, and I finally sat down beside him. We had scarcely begun conversation, when the woman looked up and drawled
 "Say, Hi."
 "What?"
 Better git yer gun"
 "Why?"
 "Cause Robinson's coming"
 The man rose up, passed the woman, and next moment came out with rife in his hands. He stood on the log and looked down the road, and as I cast my eyes in that direction saw a man leave the road and take to tree.
 "Yes, that's Robinson" muttered my host. Stranger, you'd better squat! Children, lay low! Jen, look out fur yourself!"
 sat down on the ground beside the log, while the children took cover on the other side. The woman never moved.
 "Who is Robinson and what does he want?" finally asked.
 "Lives down on the creek, and wants to shoot me-" was the calm reply.
 'He's gittin' yer range, Hi!" re- marked, rather than exclaimed, the woman.
 my head and the report of Robinson's rifle came to our ears.
 "He couldn't hit barn at the end 7 of his gunw muttered Hi, who stood with rife ready to raise to his face.
 There was long silence, and then he stepped down and said:
 "Guess we'd better go in, stranger. Robnson's an onery skunk, and is probably creepin' up on us for clusser shot. Jist don't mind us, but make yerself to hum."
 The door had not been shut to after us as we entered the cabin when a bullet struck it. This aroused the spirit of the woman, and she ex- claimed:
 "There, Hi Skivens. didn't I allus say Robinson was coward?''
 "Yes, you allus did"
 "And you hev got to wipe him out?"
 "Yes, hev. 'Tain't no use putin up with him no moah."
 "Have you and Robinson been at this thing very long?" asked, as sat down.
 "'Bout three years"
 s'It's what they call feud, is it?"
 "That's the name, guess. I'd have had him twice if my gun hadn't missed fire, and he's hit me once.1
 @Gniy : tTinns, though" added the woman, as though l would regard the wound as 6 stain upon his honor.
 "Td like to see the man as could kill papw exclaimed the oldest child, . girl of ten.
 ''Go long, Nancy, and take that with you!" ss;d the mother, as she bestowed . sound cuff on the ear.
 Robinson now fired . bullet through the only front window and uttered . war-whoop.