The Forrest City times., 1891-03-13
A SOUTHERN LOVE STORY.

Campbells Bend on the Arkansas side of the Mississippi river. Old Maj.
 Eckly, the owner of the plantation, has, in many respects, the unstrung liberty of the ideal planter, yet in other respects he is preiudiced and narrow y self-opinioned. Zalie, the majors daughter was re- earded as the handsomest girl of community in which handsome girls
 were not rare. She had made an im- precision upon the brilliant social lGe of New Orleans, and had received of fers of marriage from many well known men, but had refused them. The truth is, she loved man named
 Bickles, youngfelow without fortune
 without prospects, and, still worse,
 without particular industry. Bickles was bright and pleasingly
 humorous, he told amusing stories in
 q lazy sort oi way which was of itself
 attractive, and the old major was e.;- ceedingly friendly toward him until
 Bickels one day began to speak of
 Zalie. He told the old major of his groat love for her. The old man
 turned upon him with fury. "Why, confound your impudent hide, get out of my house, the major yelled. Get out! Don't stop to say q
 word. l could tolerate yon so long as
 suppored you to be simply anamus- ing paiper. but, finding that you are
 nursing q design against my-my-get
 out, tell you" Wait a minute, major, you will
 surely give me chance to defend my self"
 "No, l won't" shouted the major. "Then you compel me to take 1t. Now, the only way to meet this trou- l ble. and 1t seems to be q serious one,
 is to meet it without excitement. Now,
 wait don't fly to pieces. for. if scatter | ed, you will be in no condition to deal | with this subject" Don't fool yourself. young man. My frs. objection is my affection for
 my daughter" Whats that got to do with it?" "lt's got this to do with it; don't l want to zee her married to a man who ], is not able to of take care her. You have no money, sir"
 Wont need much money. We
 could live here with you.' "Oh, you could, you trifling rascal. '" "lss, could live here very comfort ably, l could take charge of the plan | tat.on, and could relieve you of q great deal of trouble" "Oh, yes; Eve no doubt tliat you
 could relieve mo of everyth ng Eve
 got, "
 "I would promise you that you 1 should never regret our marriage "Oh, reekson so. You would run
 me so completely crazy that shouldn't l have sense enough to regret any 1 thing"
 "l would work faithfully" "les, oh, yes; work your jaws when
 something was put between them" Mention some oi your other objec- 1 tions."
 "lt is not necessary; the one under 1 discussion answers every purpose" "it may answer all your purposes. l but 1t doesn't answer mine. Let me
 tell you tt.it your daughter loves me, | and that promise to work faithfully. 1 Ii you give your consent, but Ii you don't l will run away with her without
 making any promise at all" "oh, IS that fact.' the old man sarcastically rejoined "Run away with
 her, eh? All right; will follow along
 and seek an early opportunity of fll- | ing your hide so full of holes that it
 wouldn't hold wheat straw. Loves you, does she? An, ha-loves youl 1 Well, now I'll call her. and you may start to run away with her right at | once. Better roll upyour brooches be- fore you start, Loves you, does she?"
 "Yes, do." The girl stepped out upon the veranda. The old major turned angrily upon 1 her.
 "Ies, do," shc repeated; "but | will not marry him without your con sent. For gracious sake, don't say anything more, for here comes Gen l Griddleton"
 Bickles withdrew Gen. Griddleton.
 an old fellow with pompous air and | oiVNtii NtillS HI HIS Astttt uiSiIoNitttti
 at the gate. He and the major were
 the warmest of friends. For each others sake they were self-sacriicing. they would fight for each other, and, at poker, they had often won each others money.
 "Ah, good morning, general" "Ah, major, good morning.
 Beautiful weather, general" Major, magnificent" This form of greeting changed with
 the weather, and people who were ac- | customed to see the two old men meet
 each other had long since ceased to smile at their ludicrous callmtry, so
 familiar had the system ot salutation become
 "Zalie." said the major, Ego into the house, have something in paticuar 10 say to he general What do you thinkf' he added. when the sirl had Withdrawn, "that internal Biehles
 wants to marry my daughter"
 The triling rascal the general ex-
 claimed
 And he swcars." tho major contin,
 ucd that il 1 don't give my consent
 he win run away with her.
 "Oh, the yenomous wolG" the gener-
 al cried.
 "lIe is a pauper," said inc major.
 "As;3 a wrt ch," dela@l tho gyner.
 Gl,
 "Gcneral you have always stood ly
 ma"