Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1906-03-08

minded him of the first minstrel show oe ever saw-back in the sixties"
 If you want drink" suggested Powers, abandoning the warfare, you will find the cup on the tree there."
 "I'm not in hurry" was the placid response "I kinder like the quiet here I'd like to sit here alone for an hour or SO and jest sort of think things over"
 "I think we'd both better be getting along," suggested Powers, with a glance at his watch. Its getting on. III go as far as Jenkins with you"
 What time is it?" demanded Jem.
 Half past H." Powers showed the watch dial. Howell figured that it would take ten minutes to walk on to Jenkins with Powers. He would go up the road little way and then make cut across the fields and be back be- fore 12.
 Together they turned toward the road, and after a brisk walk Powers turned in at the Jenkins gate, and Jem kept on up the road. A little distance beyond a clump of trees threw an inky blackness over the dust marked path, and in their friendly shelter Jem climb ed the fence and made bee line for the spring.
 He was still panting from his exer- tons as he reached the butternut and encountered Powers wrathful glance.
 Thought you were going to town" he jeered.
 Thought you had business with Jen kins," retorted Jem.
 "Jenkins wasn't home,' announced Powers unblushingly.
 'So you came back to get drink" laughed Jem unpleasantly. You had better get it and be going on. I've an engagement here, to tell the truth, and I don't want you hanging around"
 "You?" sneered Powers, abandoning pretense. "Why, Mrs. Pleasanton fixed the whole thing up for me"
 'She did not" contradicted Jem "You must have heard somehow and just come around to spoil things, as usual"
 "Spoil things" echoed Powers in- dignantly. Il like that. Why, if had less patience I'd have thrashed you long ago for an interfering busybody."
 If you had had more sand you'd have tried it long ago." taunted Jem. Its because you know you can't lick me you've kept off. I'd have thrashed you long ago if it hadn't seemed such shame to put it on chap who can't defend himself"
 Five minutes later two men with bruised and bleeding faces abandoned hostilities by common consent to face small boy with broad grin upon his face.
 What you fellows fighting for?" de manded Pax. You ain't scrappin' about Grace be yer"
 'What if we are?" asked Howell.
 "Nothin' much" was the cool answer, 'only it ain't polite to scrap about mar ried ladies"
 Whose married ?" demanded the pair.
 You see," explained Pax, you fel- lows ain't treated me right. You could come an see Grace and you didn't care about me. Now, ma wouldn't let Vance come around or let Grace go out with him, and so he had to write letters and l took lem for him. He was nice to me and you fellows weren't
 Last night could see what ma was up to, and could tell pa was soin' to try the same thing figured out that you'd be out of the way and mad not be worryin' about Grace 50 she skipped on with Vance and went to Saltwater to get married"
 Silently Jem and Powers resumed their coats and together they started for the village. Pax called them back.
 Say" he advised sagely. mex time you fellows want to get married you remember that I did this and you get hunks with the brother; never mind her pa and ma."