Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1908-06-21
UNCLE ZEkE AND
 UNCLE ZADOC.
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fCopyright. IaOS.l


 of another farmer. Both of them were of a religious nature and set in theii ways, but they had no serious disagree ments during their long courtship. II was only after they had been married 8 month and were preparing to set ur for themselves that their talk one even. ing drifted into Biblical affairs, and the bride observed:
 eGeorge, am glad you believe in all there is in the Bible. If you didn't should be an unhappy woman. Martha Jones was telling me today that she once heard you say that you didn't be lieve Daniel was cast into the lions den. You do believe it. don't you?'
 "He might have been," was the doubtful answer.
 : "But he was, and you know be was. If you thought he wasn't I couldn't live with you another day"
 "Well, we'll let 1t go and talk of something else"
 Nothing further was said for a day or two, but it ranked with the wife. She believed in the lions den, and she wanted the husband to come out flat footed and say that he did. She there fore returned to the subject, and when he tried to dodge her she became an noyed and aggressive and demanded to know just where he stood
 "You know my Uncle Zeke, who moved away to Kansas a year ago." The finally replied. You know Uncle 'Zeke was always reading the Bible fHe was always getting up camp meetings and rcvivals, and sometimes inc exhorted. Couldn't be no better man than my Uncle Zeke."
 "Well, what of him?"
 "He didn't believe Daniel was cast to ,the lions"
 And so you dont?'
 "I can't say as 1 do, but there ain't any need of bringing up the matter and disputing."
 But there is,' insisted the wife. l"You know my Uncle Zadoc, who moved away 10 Indiana three years ago? Well. better man don't live. He's read the Bible through nineteen times since he was married, and he's considered higher authority than most preachers. He believed that Daniel was cast to the lions. and so do l. If you don't. then we can't live together"
 The husband felt called upon to istick by his Uncle Zeke and the wife end of three days she went home to her father. During the next year dozen vain efforts were made by their friends to bring them together again. No matter what the ministers in the nearest villages said, they stuck by their respective uncles. By this time most of the inhabitants of the country had heard of the affair and taken sides. and as the church to which they \bOth belonged was being harmed charges were preferred against them NhO tACN NSIC SuelCuucN
 No other families were broken up, but tEere were argument and dispute wherever few people were gathered together and what Uncle Zeke said'' and "what Uncle Zadoc said' became the butt of many jokes.
 After sixteen months of separation Mrs. Toms fell into the mill pond. and Mr. Toms happened to be on hand to rescue her. They might have made up then and there but for the fact tha. letters were received from Uncle Zeke and Uncle Zadoc 10 the effect that they were coming back to settle the dis pute.
 And you'll find that my Uncle Zeke and l have been right all the time, said the husband to the wife.
 Never" she replied. My Uncle Za doc won't be five minutes in convinc- ing you that you've been all wrong
 Its awful that you have stuck ort the way you have and kept us apart"
 And but for your obstinacy we might have been happy"
 The county waited impatiently for the arrival of the respective uncles. They arrived. The husband told his story to his Uncle Zeke. and the wife told hers to her Uncle Zadoc. When Uncle Zekc had heard all he replied
 George. what l said about it was one day in the tater field. What said was that if Daniel was really cast among the lions it happened that the critters wasn't hungry just then. Td been reading that no lion on full feea would tackle a man. You'd better hus- tie over and see Ellen and make this thing up.'
 The wife told her story to Der Uncle Zadoc. and when he had heard all he ieplied:
 'I remember the day l said it. It was in harvest time and we had a lot of men to dinner. Jim Hawkins flung out something, and replied that be- Ilieved that Daniel was cast into the den"
 There. l knew you said it." ex- claimed the niece
 'Yes, but 1 was going to say more when John White got bone in his fhrnot