Democratic Sentinel, Volume 14, Number 26, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 July 1890 — An Appalled Guest. [ARTICLE]

An Appalled Guest.

This happened away in the backwoods of Arkansas. A tourist going over the State on horseback stopped for the nighi at one of the popular hotels of a certain locality. The hotel happened to be a log and slab affair of three rooms and the same number of beds, while the proprietor was the proud parent of nine 'wild and woolly looking sons under 12 years of age. After a supper of “hog and hom’ny," the ho-t said to one of, his boys: “Come, Billy, get the broom straws.” Nine broom straws of unequal lengths were produced by Billy. The father hid them in hi* hand in such a manner that only an end of each straw could be seen. Then each boy drew a si raw. “Ha, ha!” taid the merry parent, jovially; “Bill, you an’ Buck an Lige git the short ones." “What does that mean?" asked the amused guest, whose look of amusement faded away when his host said: “Mean? Why, that’s a little way we have o’ settlin’ which three of ’em shall sleep with anv gent that happens to stop over night with us. I ’spect you’ll find Buck and Bill aud Lige mighty lively bedfellers, but don’t you be aifeerd to give ’em a warmin’ up with your boot or a bed slat if they git to trainin’ too high. Go ’long, boys, an’ pile in with this gent, aud mind that you behave yoursalves."— Free Press.