Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1899-07-25
''rhs LItsls One Is All Fight.
(MarY A. Benson


 Well bury her just as we did the other two" were the words we heard on nearing a little eabin-boat on the edge of the sand bar that the low water had left in front of the village. Rowing our heads, from necessity as well as reverence, we entered the nar- row, low-framed door, near which was a small, rude coffin, resting on two broken chairs A dark, stern-Yisaged woman who was frying bacon on a little stove in the center Of the room, looked up scowlingly at our entrance. but said nothing An old man. whose long gray hair and beard framed face more defiant than sorrowfel, arose from the bed in the corner, kicked an old black jug 10 one side and con fronted Us.
 What do you want here. anyhow 9" said he. "The little unH get along all right. When the two others died, we didn't have no church fol .s around, nor preacher. nor funeral business. We just dug 2 hole an put 'em in it. an they didn't have no $50 collins, neither. We'll do the same with this un, an we don't want none Q you rich folks around Us. Ton wouldn't care if we was staryin'; you call Us river rats you make fun 8f Hs # We go near your fine churches. aH We don't want noth- i'm Of you. nohoW.s The old man stopped, and running both hands through his shaggy hair seemed to listen to the 8olafm plashing of the water on the keel Of his floating house. Very gently We assured him taat our sympat was with all the sorrowing; that our little village was famed for it's kindness =to strangers. its care for the sick and the suffering its sHBs6an- tial help to all WAe were in need.
 Don't bIieve HotbiH' Of the sort. retorted he. walking backward and forward with heavy tread that rock ed the boat to and fro We was tied up at Portage Tor six weeks, with the children sick Wlsa the measles. and not a woman came a=nigH 0s the whole endurin time Folks is all alike. most ly, an we'd rather they'd stay away from us. THa Hatle an ts all right without any af Eoas aa as for he. I don bHeHe Ia a5tain'z hollow. lHa lived up2Haz aG tHHtg year on this old Mississippi HIKeHs have been over 765 miles of +. aa an down. an never bothered Hoa8.l#. s.Hasa # you're bouu' aa determined t9z EaI5l fAs IttIe m aw#F aH pod t iH HHe ground .unera1=ffke zaa eHH d5 though twouId ba wei. a5fstfzl. 10 my th.afiaa # #aHHe =H# aa drop ff into es9H#f#9Hs= 9aaI= =zzna5z .au' prag.a= eaa=z= =H5IH6 Ha#Ias..# #Ha= moren tHeE aza a I5zanz ssaaz 5eaHza you see a#H# EazF fHe ##=ts #ass all fisats
 THa#elaa#H# a=#iaa aH ##s Easier maruia erHHz aazE fHa 5#Has= touch ing the Hi### #f## #zs and maEiE= ef fHe aH3 barn plain
 a from q 5athea chimes were t8E0u4H2 aa tae sweet spring air. Rl4Gz sae saaae3l4 from inc aaaaH branches ea tHe river banks. and a. l8e E.s Ale world saan=
 to.HtH H taa Easier aHHs If tHe I3ezaal 5aa zHs E#ae Two or
 hrez on EHe E5. aaa Har Ha aaH m gentle hands tae ta. coffin vas eate4ed with
 flowers and sHaM l water .assa3 home aiIIages en saa GHI dozen ae more church r31zT au8aaats hymn Nas suns asar Has offered and tie covered 5II#a t5e quaint tgElli procession wound
 l3ue5 ae aaa zhH3 6ae. valley again while Ia J4 saEf aig Of the calm Easter m8Has fH z#e5snt fathers words eenaea mase nleasantle than before "fae HatIe 1z .s aI r.sa5."