Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1905-09-03

peas an corn as a side line. an one
fall when he had a purity big stock nt
everything his shack tuck ire. A wind
was a-blowin' an things looked sbaky.
A line o bucket passerS was formed to
the highest well. All we was dom pur
! ty fair work when Lib come lopin
down tie street maxim noise like Il
boss full O water When he seed what
we was doin' he got awful ratified an
yelled for us to tote out the stuff. l
wasn't nigh i'm, but Bill Cover saws
when some O the crowd laid hold O.
the wheat sacks Lib yelled at 'em. Let
the wheat alone, it's insured; tote Out
j the scrap iron.'
George laughed at this recital, but
Hanks simply swung bis foot back anG
| forth and cheWed the end of his un-
| lighted cigar 70 all appearances he
had not beard word of what had
been said.
I'VE put the shanty out" said Ken
ner, but Lib didn't help bit He
was hoppin' about like chicken With
it's head off doin' its last dance We
rally saved his life | believe he'd
! a dropped dead in his tracks ef he'd
"a los; 10y that blaze that night
"Ef thar's anybody that loves q
nickel more'n you do" grunted the
note shaver, I'D like to see i'm
never heard O anybody gittin' anything
out'n you"
kenner laughed when l fust
started out III admit was purity close,
Lib. You know my daddy sold /; little
farm O bis when l was twenty an
set ne up in the retail grocery busi-
ness He talked to me so much about
the deadbeats lynn in wait fer suckers
that l suspicioned even the preacher
wllar attended meetin. He got be-
hind in his account once, an l hauled
i'm up an told i'm tie reason l wasn't
attendn' church more reg lar was be-
case he wasn't totin' fair, an that l
coudn t. kenner laughed impulsive-
ly-"git any speritual good listenin' to
a man an wondern' eff Id ever git my
money. He paid up an quit me; but
! didn't care; my religion improved, an
owin' brother Lampkin seventy-twU
dollars an odd cents Lampkin re-
fused to hep the heathens fer fou1
year afterwaris.'
IIillyer turned round in his chair anti
smiled. His face had a healthier glow
and his eye a deeper twinkle than
usual. TO look at him one would not
.fo1 I,of hn l,n1
through storm the night before that
had almost shaken his soul out of bis
body.
I've always thought you'd insist on
your rights" be said to Kenner. "An
the truth is it's the only way to get
on IN business"
"WelI," answered the cotton buyer,
II had to hold folks down. Mr.. Hill
yer. | was a green hand, but reckon
I ripened purity quick. Thar was
young storekeeper next door to me.
Joe Gibbs. as sharp as q brier He
could multiply four figures by four
figures in his head an g" you the
answer in minnie. He used to tell
me who would do to credit an who
wouldn't. an | always relied on his
Judgment.
"Rut Lord, cayn't set here tellin
yarns all day. I'm go:as to handle !.
sight O. cotton fore sundcwn; it's roi3
in in like circus parade
rhe days i.;,s. ness lad really begul'
Mountain EieD cil ~ in vi h saln!'e
# tleir cotton o: gr'; II. basco.
.'rl.l! had an aiiuful OF tie SNOWY
staple. "rhars Il whole gang O ter
wagons from bcyant the Tennessee
line" lie sad to kenner. -! hey want
to know WHAT'S yore best figure"
Kenner pulled the wads apart at the
window and answered.
"Seyen-eighths is the best l kin Go,
Bas. If they take my offer git 'em
to drive it up to the side door. I've
rented space fer 500 bales here.
l hope they amt water packed or got
any dead niggers slowed away in 'em
Slavery's over, an we never did buy
'em by the pound nohow."
Truitt smiled.
"TheyIl let you have It," he said.
.They want to tank up an go back
home"
He was turning away when Hanks
detained him. "Thar's several in that
gang that owe me fer supplies" ne
said, pulling out his bunch of notes.
"Bas, tell 'em I'm prepared to cash
Their checks"
"All right, Mr.. Hanks" said the long
mountaineer, "I'll tell 'em."
Kenner went out to receive the cot
ton, and Hillyer followed to indicate
he space Kenner was to use. This
aft George Buckley and the note shay
ralone together. George was writing
hen Hanks Stoad mp and leaned Oh
% desk near to him. He cleared h1s
,roat nj chewe;i his cigar for mo
.at. then he sid 3wkward'y:
II h"in't much cf q hand to tax. bu'
We heen wantin' to say some'n' to yor
or since yore pa got in his trouble
so,&eluv couldn't cit to i. J.s;
Il like telia YOU that I'm yore frieDa
1, ef it had been in my power l IL 4
h.4f