by Richard Malcolm Johnston (1822-1898)

[ Century Magazine_, June, 1886; copyright, 1886, Century Co ; republished volume, Mr Absalom Billingslea, and Other Georgia Folk (1888), by Richard Malcolm Johnston (Harper & Brothers) ]

I

Mr Peterson Fluker, generally called Pink, fondness for as stylish dressing as afford, was one sort of men who habitually seem busy and efficient when He had the bustling activity often noticeable in men size, and in and another had made up, as he believed, for being smaller than most adult acquaintance male sex Prominent among his achievements line was getting married to woman who, among other excellent gifts, had that of being twice as big as her husband

"Fool who ? " day after his marriage he had asked, with look at those who had often said that too little wife

They had little property with, couple of hundreds of acres, and negroes apiece Yet, except natural increase latter, the accretions of worldly estate inconsiderable till now, when their oldest child, Marann, was some fifteen years old These accretions saved and taken care of by Mrs Fluker, who was as staid and silent as mobile and voluble

Mr Fluker often said puzzled him how it smaller crops than most neighbors, when, always convincing, generally put to silence in discussions upon agricultural topics This puzzle had led him to not unfrequent ruminations mind whether or not his vocation might lie in something higher mere tilling ground These ruminations had lately taken definite direction, and after several conversations which he had held friend Matt Pike

Mr Matt Pike was bachelor of some thirty summers, foretime clerk consecutively in each two stores village, but latterly trader on limited scale in horses, wagons, cows, and similar objects of commerce, and at all times politician His hopes of holding office continually disappointed until Mr John Sanks became sheriff, and rewarded with deputyship some important special service rendered by him late very close canvass Now was chance to rise, Mr Pike thought All , he had often said, was start Politics, remark, however, regarded Pike as means rather than an end doubtful if he hoped governor state, before an advanced period career His main object now was money, and he believed that official position would promote him line ambition faster than was possible to any private station, by leading him into more extensive acquaintance with mankind, their needs, their desires, and their caprices deputy sheriff, provided that lawyers too indulgent in allowing acknowledgment of service of court processes, in postponing levies and sales, and in settlement of litigated cases, might pick up three hundred dollars, good sum times, fact which Mr Pike had known and pondered long

It happened just about then arrears of rent village hotel had so accumulated on Mr Spouter, the last occupant, owner, an indulgent man, finally had said, what he expected for years and years , that wait on Mr Spouter forever and eternally very nick, so , that Mr Pike made to Mr Fluker the suggestion to quit business beneath his powers, sell out, or rent out, or tenant out, or do something else farm, march into town, plant himself ruins of Jacob Spouter, and begin his upward soar

Now Mr Fluker had many and many time acknowledged that he had ambition; so one night wife:

" how here, Nervy Farmin' somehow don't suit my talons flung more 'mong people to fetch out what's in me Then thar's Marann, gittin' nigh on to growd-up woman; an' the child need the s'iety which you 'bleeged to acknowledge is sca'ce about here, six mile from town Your brer Sam can stay here an' raise butter, chickens, eggs, pigs, an'--an'--an' so forth Matt Pike say he jes' know they's money , an' special with housekeeper keerful an' equinomical like you "

always curious the extent of influence that some men have upon wives their superiors Mrs Fluker, of accidents, had ever set upon her husband value that was not recognized outside family respect there seems surprising compensation in human life But this remark I make only in passing Mrs Fluker, admitting in her heart that farming was not her husband's forte, hoped, like true wife, found new field he aspired Besides, she forget that her brother Sam had said to her privately that if his brer Pink wouldn't have notions and would let him alone management, all do better She reflected for , and then said:

"Maybe it's best, Mr Fluker I'm willin' it for year, anyhow 't lose much As for Matt Pike, I hain't the confidence in him you has Still, he bein' boarder and deputy sheriff, he might accidentally do us some good I'll try it for year providin' you'll fetch me the money as it's paid in, for how to manage that better'n , and I'll try to manage it and all the rest business best "

provision Mr Fluker gave consent, qualified claim that to retain small margin for indispensable personal exigencies For he contended, perhaps with justice, that no man responsible position about expected about, or sit about, or even lounge about, without even continental red pocket

The new house-- new because tongue tell the amount of scouring, scalding, and whitewashing that that excellent housekeeper had done before single stick of her furniture went --the new house, I repeat, opened with six eating boarders at ten dollars month apiece, and two eating and sleeping at eleven, besides Mr Pike, special contract Transient custom was hoped to hold its own, county people under the deputy's patronage and influence considerably enlarged

In words and other encouragement Mr Pike was pronounced commend honestly, and so cordially

"The thing , Pink, is your prices reg'lar, and make people pay up reg'lar Ten dollars for eatin', jes' so; eleb'n for eatin' an_' sleepin'; half dollar for dinner, jes' so; quarter apiece for breakfast, supper, and bed, is what I call reason'ble bo'd As , I sca'cely know how to rig'late, because, , I'm a' officer now, an' in course I natchel be away sometimes an' on expenses at 'tother places, an' it seem like some 'lowance ought by good rights made ; don't so ? "

"Why, matter o' course, Matt; what ? I ain't so powerful good at figgers Nervy is S'posen you speak to her 'bout it "

"Oh, that's perfec' unuseless, Pink I'm a' officer o' the law, Pink, an' the law consider women--well, say the law, she deal 'ith _men_, not women, an' she expect her officers to understan' figgers, an' if I hadn't o' understood figgers Mr Sanks wouldn't or darsnt' to 'p'int me his dep'ty Me 'n' fix them terms Now see here, reg'lar bo'd--eatin' bo'd, I mean--is ten dollars, an' sleepin' and singuil meals is 'cordin' figgers you've sot for 'em Ain't that so ? Jes' so Now, Pink, you an' me'll keep runnin' account, you a-chargin' for reg'lar bo'd, an' I a'lowin' to myself credics absentees, accordin' to transion customers an' singuil mealers an' sleepers fa'r, er not fa'r ? "

Mr Fluker turned his head, and after making or thinking he had made calculation, answered:

"That's--that seem fa'r, Matt "

"Cert'nly 'tis, Pink; I knowed you'd say so, an' I'd never wish nothin' but fa'r 'ith people I like, like I an' your wife Let that be the understandin', then, betwix' us An' Pink, let the understandin' be jes' betwix' us_, for I've saw enough o' this world out that man never makes nothin' by makin' blowin' horn o' his business You t'others pay up spuntial, monthly You 'n' me can settle whensomever it's convenant, say three months from to-day In course talk up house whensomever and wharsomever I go or stay that An' as bed," said Mr Pike finally, "whensomever I ain't here by bed-time, you welcome any transion person , an' also an' likewise, when transion custom is pressin', and you cramped for beddin', I'm willin' it up bein'; an' rather'n cramped too bad, I'll take my chances somewhars else, even if I has pallet head o' the sta'r-steps "

"Nervy," said Mr Fluker wife afterwards, "Matt Pike's sensibler an' friendlier an' 'commodatiner feller'n "

Then, without giving details contract, merely the willingness boarder to resign his bed on occasions of pressing emergency

"He's talked mighty fine and Marann," answered Mrs Fluker "We'll see how he holds out like doin', an' that's the talkin' 'bout Sim Marchman to Marann, an' makin' game o' his country ways, as he call 'em Sech ain't right "

It to explain just here that Simeon Marchman, the person just named by Mrs Fluker, stout, industrious young farmer, residing parents country near by where the Flukers had dwelt before removing to town, eying Marann for year or two, and waiting upon her fast-ripening womanhood with intentions that, he believed hidden own breast, though he had taken less pains to conceal them from Marann than rest acquaintance Not that he had ever told her in words, but--Oh, not stop here midst narration to explain how such intentions become known, or strongly suspected by girls, even those less bright than Marann Fluker Simeon cordially indorsed the movement into town, though, , knowing none business, he had never as hinted opposition I surprised, also, if he reflected that some selfishness hostility, or heightened by apprehensions personal to himself

Considering the want of experience new tenants, matters went on remarkably well Mrs Fluker, accustomed to rise from her couch long lark, managed satisfaction of all,--regular boarders, single-meal takers, and transient people Marann went village school, her mother dressing her, though with prudent economy, as neatly and almost as tastefully as any of her schoolmates; while, study, deportment, and general progress, not girl whole school to beat her, I don't care who she was

II

During not inconsiderable period Mr Fluker indulged the honorable conviction that at last he had found the vein his best talents lay, and happy in foresight prosperity and felicity which that discovery promised to himself family His native activity found many more objects for its exertion than before He rode out farm, not often, but sometimes, as matter of duty, and was forced to acknowledge that Sam was managing better than expected absence own continuous guidance In town he walked hotel, entertained the guests, carved meals, hovered stores, the doctors' offices, the wagon and blacksmith shops, discussed mercantile, medical, mechanical questions with specialists in all these departments, throwing into them all more and more of politics intimacy between him patron and chief boarder increased