Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1848-11-24

may make against his neighbour for the val
ne Of few sbillings.
Hastily casting glance through the
window TO see that his father had not actu-
ally burned his neigh5or's house aud barn.
the young man turned TO his mother for an
explanation OF the scene. But she was al
most as ignorant as himself. and, irighicu-
ed at the heinous charges made against her
husband. aud the prospect of lawsuit,
could only sob Out that she wished aunt
Beck,'s properly was all in Flanders, for it
only brought trouble with IT," All that he
could gain from his father in reply to bis
questions, or 10 the officers deprecatory
Don't want 10 make trouble--iriend TO
both parIies-hope II will be settled" etc.
was-"That if Moses Barker wanted law,
he could give it to him. lie didn't want
TO quarrel, he could bear us much as any
other man, but rs Tor being trod upon auy
longer, he wouldn't, - aud a host OF such
expressions, which. though they might serve
as safeiy-valyes TO his anger, did not give
his son very clear conception Of its cause.
An half an hour later David stood by
the side Of Hannah Barker beneath the old
pear tree that grew by the path across the
meadow, listening TO her low but rapid
tones, as she related the quarrel and the
subsequent steps taken by her father.
This must not come before the masis-
uaie, Hannah" he said. 1--WE must per-
suade them 10 settle il. When your father
gets little cool, he will see that he is
wrong. He knows that the tree formerly
stood on our side Of the fence. You musi
persuade hin 10 drop the case. Hannah,
and | will see wha, can be done with my
father"
81, David7 lpersuade him would
not speak 10 him about il for the world (;
besides, | do not think il would be BEST
He would not hear word from mother.
and il were to speak il would only make
him more angry, and mos, likely end in
his forbidjing me to see or speak.Hiih you"
Would you obey. Hannah p asked the
young man earnestly
II do not think could if tried" she
said thoughtfully Il should speak before
| thought But you do not know how an.
CRY father is. lie knows the tree stood in
your LOT, bu, he thinks TO hold il By possess
ion. Still, do not believe he would ever
thought Of claiming it. IL your father
would have given up his half Of Dow Lot,
and taken share somewhere else. Fa-
Their had set his heart upon having the
whole of that meadow besides, cousin
Mary and her husband are so vexed be-
cause aunt Becky did not give half Of her
property 10 them instead OF you, that lhey
irriiaie him. | wish che had given them
the whole Of it. and left US in peace"
"Amen. say" replied David, as he
opened the gate for her TO pass TO the house
"BW remember, Hannah, Whatever may
be the result OF this miserable quarrel, il
must not. nov or ever, come between us. y
Before twelve o'clock next day, tho
quarrel between the ueighbors was tho
whole town talk. The supposed relation
Of David aud Hannah, together with III,
fact that every other family in the place
were connected with one or the other par
ty by blood or marriage, made il very in
teresting and exciting tonic.
The grounds OF offence were so warmly
aud vehemeniIy disputed. that, like tina
tree which stood where "Eden's Pleasanc,
was" the old oak caused strife aud dis
cord between half the families in the vii
lage.
The case was brought before one of th'
J town magistrates, and, Notwithstanding
was well known to him and the wiinessc
that the tree originally stood on the farm
of Josiah Benton, and the fence had beef
moved to accommodate his neighbor, yet
! in default of any witness OH the part Q
! Benton to prove that legal notification @
5 ownership had been made by him within
certain number of years, decision was 81,
, en- in Barker's favor, on the ground tina
possession Tor gwen FERN o. years give
, one Tue rigni OF ownership Benton iouh
himself Obliged 10 pay heavy damages
: wen as all Inc COSTS OF prosecution :,
1 HIS Indignation knew no bounds ii
solemniy vowed that he would spend ever
S cent he possessed IN the law before
n would submit TO such 'nws'iee' lie d
y pealed the case, ana engaged one OF I"
: anIes' lawyers IN the eiiy Tor MS eonise
Moses Barker gFihned uehahce al ines
y measures, and poured out heavy re'aihiil
o lee IN hard dollars into The hand oil ano'l
er celebrated lawyer, with The remark IN
G che GUESSED he had pot as much money