The Arkansaw traveler. (Little Rock, Ark.) 1882-1???, 1889-03-16


"Oh, know what you mean" old Buck declared !;
"you are trying to cast slur on my flute, but,
lot me tell you, young man, there are worse things
than the flute"
eled very much but | think that II there Is any
thing that would induce me TO travel II IL the
flute"
"You don't appreciate music, subj"
"Oh, yes, do, and that IL the reason give the
flute all the room Il wants By the way, an article
blowing causes wrinkles In the face and induces
premature failure Of eye sight"
Old Buck did not reply, but could see that he
was deeply concerned, for a shadow OF anxiety
passed across his face. Henry, thus encouraged,
continued 81 had thought of getting q clarionet
to blow at evening when | should have nothing
else to do, and | had spoken to Major Patterson
with regard to the purchase of an old horn which
some one had left at his tavern, when came across
the North American Rerietc article"
| Old Bucks face presented amusing picture.
lie had ceased to eat, and with faint ray of hope
on his face, was studying the manner of the young
man, but as he saw no sign of lurking joke, the
faint ray OF hope faded and, showing back his
chair the old fellow sank into q state of Deep and
evidently troubled, meditation. Lucille, tremu-
lous with suppressed mischief, glanced at her
brother but failing to catch his eye, looked at me
and laughed but old Buck took no notice of her
merrment. lie was thinking of wrinkles and of
failing eyesght. After dinner we sat on the gal
y,
tating, walked up and down the yard After
awhile he called Henry
"Come out here minute" he said 81 want to
see you q matter Of business"
81 am not attending to any business to-day,
Uncle Buck"
"But, dang 1t, this Is business of importance"
makes difference, can't attend to ii to-day +"
"Come, Henry" the colonel said in undertone,
"don't worry him. Hes getting old, and is pecul-
lar, anyway"
Comm, IIenry2"
"No, not just now. BY the way, l forgot to
make q slight correction with regard to flute blow
ing. The article was published as q specimen OF
humor prevalent in England two hundred years
ago."
! Old Buck came up on the gallery and sat down.
load seemed to have been lifted from his mind
and few minutes later, when Henry announced
his readiness to attend TO the important business
the old fellow said: "Oh, we'll just let 1t go. |
have about decided not TO have anything to do
with it."
"Burwood," the colonel remarked, al think we
! had better resume our work to- morrow"
"What, on Sunday I" Mrs. Osbury exclaimed.
alum, had forgotten" the colonel replied.
"But you ought not to forget such things, Rem
ington," she insisted.
"Probably not, but hardly responsible for
the tricks our minds play u.s."
"But If we train our minds properly they will
not play tricks at the expense of day that we
ought to regard as sacred 1t has been long time
since you went 10 cnuTCn Win me- Remington
"Yes, believe 1t has, but, to crafty you, will
go any time"
"Oh, but you should not go to crafty me but to
crafty yourself"
"Ah, but suppose | don't hear anything to
crafty me? Suppose l am bored by some old
fellow in whose piety have but little confidence
and whose mind know to be shallow Take old
man Boyle, for instance. have known him ever
since he was a boy. As young man he was a
rascal"
"Does that mean he is q rascal now?" she asked.
"To me 1t does. believe that born rascal is
always q rascal. He may, in after years, restrain
his inclinations but the rascaly principle is there,
all the same. Drunkards reform, and even the liar
may finally cultivate respect for the truth, but q
boy that will cheat in q horse trade, will, after
Incoming old. do the same thing. I care not how