Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1868-06-05
THAT LAWSUIT.
BY MRS NJ. L. RAYNE.

l
tying the straps rornd tho old pocke
book he was examining.
His wife sighcs; she was maxim.
over stockings fr Ellen and Kitty
hor two eldest girls, who needed 81
! many things. don't believe any
, woman likes to make over old clothes
/ even though she can make them look
"amaist as woel's tho. ncw;" but the
wear does not pay for the work.
Mrs. Shaw thought Of tho expense O!
hiring men for the harvest, and help
TO cock for thcm of tho potato bugs,
those great fat, hidoors things, that
wero making such havoc in tho fields
of all they wanted ard must want,
and do without, that Lawyer Marks,
already fat and sleek, might grow
fat!er and slcckcr; It was too bad
that lawsuit between Hiram aud
neighbor West, all about an old well
that did nobody any particular good,
but indeed, seemed fill Of great harm.
Mr. Wost used to smoke his pipe, and
rcsd the local paper, on Hiram Shaw's
porch and Mrs. West and Mrs.
Shaw were intimate friends, but now
they wcro forbidden TO speak to each
other by their respective husba nds,
though they INDUCED in ncighborly
courtcsies on the sly. Hiram and
Mr.. West glarcd at each othor, with
out spoak;ns; whistlcd fcrccly when
they saw the cattle in each others
grain, and did each other all tho iEju-
ry they could, besides going to law,
and all about that Old we'll that was
claimed by both, and didn't belong to
eithor, as tho strip that divided tho
two lots was reserved for an alley, if
ever that part of the village should
become = city, a contingency that
belonged far in tho future Neither
Of tho men was rich enough to 20 to
law but pride ard passion must b,
fed and nourishcd, and having brought
themselves up to such pitch Of en-
nifty, they wero determined to do all
the harm they could.
Mr.. West had but one child-a lit
tie girl-who had bccn a great pct
with the Shaw family, until the well
feud, since which she lad been for.
bidden, on one side, to notice them,
and they, to play with her; though
when the stern fathers were absent,
no attention was paid to tho matter.
On the night Hiram paid out the
twenty-five dollars to the lawyer for
fees, he felt moro annoyed than he
cared to own. A lawsuit is the worst
nightmare that can seize a man, and
he did wish the we'll had been dried
up, before ever he had seen it. 10
tell tho truth, ho wanted tho friend
ship OF his old neighbor back in lis
heart, and his money in his pocket,
instead Of IN well, whcro it was 90.
rg. lie wanted to see Mrs. West
coming in socially to chat with Sarah,
and cheer her up; he wanted to get
rid OF that miserable, unhappy feoling
that hung over him ever since tho
first quarrel. "But I won't give in,"
he said TO himself, cit was just as
much his quarrel as minc." LILO for
got that the wisest and best was tho
oneto conccde, that humility was tho
brightest jewel in the circle Of yir-
TICS.
Thinking thus, he saw littIo Annie,
the only child of his neighbor, tod
ding down towards the old we'll, at
whose base she often played; he did
wish sbe was perchcd on his knee for
q minute, as she used to bo. Sho was
younger than any of his own, and
just that sweet ago when children are
most loveable and amusing. He
watched her furtively as she swung
horself by tho rusty chain that held
the iron-bound bucket, her dimpled
hands tightly lnotted into tho great
links. He saw, oh, dreadful sight
the little plump form suddenly dis
appear over the we'll curb, as the
windlass, set in motion by hor weight
turned rapidly, carrying her down.
down, into the fearful depths, dashing
the little bright head against the
stone sides, with fearful velocity,
Mr.. West eat on his back stoop
braiding a whip lash his vito was
BY, engaged in sewing. They were
talking over she most unpleasant and
expensive experience Of their lives
that lawsuit.
"l'd drop the matter, entirely, said
Mrs. West, "before it ruins us. What
signifies an old we'll in comparison
with the comforts Of two families p
"Bridget is right" answered hel
husband. "Shaw had no business t.
claim what was niue before ever b,
came here. Where's Annie ?"'
"Annie," said his wife, II suppose
she's at the front door, playing" sh,
was the Child of their old 6f age, an.
they dotted on her. "When 1 get th,
unit eo r l,no- .oholi >d CT