Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1899-07-27
"rho Little One Is All Right"
Mary A. Benson.)


 other two,o were the words we heard on nearing a little cabin-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 mar row. loW-framed door, near which was small, rude coffin, resting on two broken chairs. A dark, stern-Visaged woman who was frying bacon on 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 sOrrowf"l arose from the bed in the corner, kicked an old, black jug to one side, and con- fronted us.
 What do you want here, anyhow. said he. "The little un'H get along all right. When the two others died, we didn't have no church fol $ around, nor preacher, nor funeral business. We just dug a hole an put 'em in it, an they didn't have no $60 collins, neither We'll do the same with this un, an we don't want none O you rich folks around IS. You wouldn't care if we was staryin; you call Us river rats you make fun of us if we go near your fine churches, an We don't want noth- in of you, nohowe The old man stopped. and running both hands through his shaggy hair, seemed to listen to the d0leful plashing of the water on the keel of his floating house. Very gently we assured him t4at oF sympat was with all the s0rrowing; that our little village was famed for it's kindness to strangers, its care for the sick and the suffering, its substan- tial help to all who were iB need.
 Don't b'IIeve nothin of the sort" retorted he. walking backward and forward with a heavy tread that rock ed the boat to and fro. We was tied up at Portage for six weeks with the children sick wieh the measles. and not a woman came a=nigh us the whole endarin time. Folks is all a1ihe. most Iy. an wed rather they'd stay away from us. The little ua is all right without any of you. an as for me. ] don't bIeye in HotHin'. HoHow Eve lived up.ards 0H thirty year oa this old Mississippi fiyefs have been oyer 780 miles of il. up an down an never bothered noHodz. [ s.pase if you're HauHe al detagu5ned to haul the littIa Ha aats. aa' f8J t h the ground, Hana4al #lf1.e. v6d#c5H a5 iT. fa3ug5 aNaafl 8s fast as well, eoraia do mE fHE1E.~ f 0e Hes to rolf il ap an drop il into the river. I5aT sln8ia an' 9IaEza eaH6 hue5 #. H8h8#. a8 m0re.B they can do it 3HH good. 7eaH=a sou see. don't you the= =#lts5e ms al right
 The claHdiFs7 sunshine of fHe Easter morning ere#t over =tAe bluffs. touch fag #He river waves Hith crystal. an5 mak#ag aG tae bG5HH sand bar plain = EaHu#=aea gold. A6#F off rom 2 aa he'd tower. Easter chimes were #as8aaI5= gibFatiHs of the sweet spring aff Birds were singing merHilF from ae budding branches on the river banks and aIl taa Fl 3a world seem e4 joining iH tie Easter chorus uf the Resurrection and tle Life. I've or tHrea wagons were on tHe=ssaa bar near tbe ca8ia-Hgat and w.fh gentle hands taa tiny coffin Was covered Hj5a flowers and carried H9@ IH# #ates- 6ssed home to our silent village on sae HflI. @dozen 6r more church faiass HE tae parents. as ? hymn was snug. DIaxer was offered and crave Mas covered. then the Tea Iuue procession wound mound fHe Ellz and iaf3 1aa valley
 a.a 55ie la lIe soft ar of the calm Izas1er ma45ng defiant fathers words eeheel m9ge pleasantly thaH before rho fl5le uE is all rlzal.R
 STR ANGE TACTICS OF LOON.