Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1905-08-30
CHAPTER IT.

ed the postntfice. went into the
little building looked abSently
into bis lock box. and then. taking Il
street that led past the town par.,
aul several of the most pretentious
churches. he soon reached his house.
which was a two story brick building
with an old fashioned White vera nda
and an l.. The house. like many others
in the place. Stood on Il bis lawn shad-
ed by large oaks. magnolias and null
berry trees. \ wide walk bordered
with stunted rosebuShes of some cheap
variety and covered with gravel
reached from the gate to the steps,
Along the side fence was a row of bee
hives. and frisking about in the yard
was young calf.
Mrs. HiIlyer was in the sitting room
with her niece, Il rather plain girl of
thirty, Miss Hortense Snowden. who
had been living with the Hillyers since
the death of her parents twelve months
before. They both rose at the sound
Of the mercb- nt's step in the wide. un-
carpeted hall. and when he had enter
ed they stood waiting for him to sit
down before resuming thei, seats at the
open fireplace. in which some dry hic..
Ory logs on old fashioned brass headed
dog irons We're cEeerfully abaZe fur
nishng the chief light Of the shaded
rOoin
"Nell. anybody would know from
I,se l<<i,. ,,t Il
Mrs HillTei rs she sat down and
spread oui ner calico skirt An ef it
had "a heeii dark | could "a read the
news in tie way he put his feet Gown
in the hall. Size WAS Il short. cheerful
looking woman past fifty. Her eyes
We're almost black. very Keen and they
flashed at all times With a meriiment
that seemed as much a part of her us
electricity is I, part Of an electric bat
terry Her hair was abundant and red
dish brown and fell in intractabie
waves over her brow and ears.
Eyes, it not Only went clean a2in the
old man, but Judge Moore p'intediy re-
fused to cut it down to a fine. Hill
yer's voice had Il tone of deep de
eyes on the fire.
Can kin see you mighty nigh had
a spasm over it." replied Mrs. Hillyer.
"Lawsy me. eff l never found anything
to worry about till l worried over the
Just punishment eveled on the head
O. that Old scamp I'd go to my grave
without gray hair or wrinkle.
That's the trouble with you an George
both You are not carryin' out the
Scriptural injunction not to kick agin
the pricks. | don't know exactly what
the good book says about it. l disre-
member. In fact. l don't know that |
ever run acrost it in print myself. but
you bet it's thar My father. who
eat an slep' with the Bible in his
hand, used to always keep sayin', when
folks was continually a-complainln'
Don't kick agin the pricks.' An he
was right Eff You set down on board
with tack in it. the harder you set
the more tack you git, an that's SO
with life It's full of tarks. an don't
you forgit it, The Lord put old Buck
ley in Jail to keep i'm in a bunch of his
kind. SO the devil wouldn't root around
among good folks SO much to keep up
with i'm. but Oh. no! You amt
agoin' to put up with it, an right now
yore face is sour enough iookin' to
spile cream in the middle O Decem-
ber''
II was thinkin' about George" said
Hillyer softly. ITS mighty nigh kill
In i'm
"That's so, Aunt Martha" spoke up
Hortense Snowden. Its awful on
him. Why. just think Of it. The best
people in barley receive him and like
him. He was rising rapidly, but a
thing like this. as proud and sensitive
as he is, will almost Kill him"
You kin laugh an make sport as
much as you want to- said Hillyer,
more boldly. "au' you needn't Kick agin
hothln' unless you want to. but it's jest
IKE Hortie says He won't be able to
race the music. He's all right when
ne amt driv' too fur. but this has al
ready started i'm to drinkin' az gin"
oh, uncle. you don't mean it,
Yes, it has" groaned the merchant
an the Lord only knows whar it's go
in to end.
Huh! l say. then, George Buckley
laln't the man tuck i'm fer" retorted
1rs H1llyer. II wish | could ketch
I'M takin dram on account O. this
hing. I'd give i'm talk that ud make
m"-
Go git blind, soakin drunk" inter
lpted hillyer as he rose and went out
proush the kitchen to the stables te
Pe II his favorte horse had been at
hded to. When he was gone, hit
NE got up and punched the fire witt
e poker
reckon you think I'm hard heart
She said to her silent niece. but
prtie. it's the only way to git on with
p You don't know nothin'. neye,
yore folks know what I've beer
rough. I'd IA been crazy or dead
q ago ef the Lord hadn't showed m1