The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1874-07-16
THE BOARD FENCE.


Shoe, shoe, get home, yol pIaguy
critters cried Mr. Babc0ck, waving
his arms as he chased a dozen sheep
and lambs through a gap III the fence.
1t was Il wooden fence, and when he
Ind succeed in driving tue animals the
other side OF it, he lifted it from its re-
cining position, and propped 1t up with
stakes. This was IN operation he had
found himself obliged to repeat many
times in the course OF the season, and
not only OF that season, but OF several
previous seasons.
Yet Ne. B4bcock was neither slack
nor thnttlesS; in fact he rather prided
himself on the orderly appearance of
his farm, and not without reason. How
then shall We account for his negii-
gence in this particular instance?
The truth was that this fence formed
the boundary liue between his estate eand
that OF NJ. Small; and three genera
tions OF men who owned these estates
had been unable to decide to whom it
belonged to rebuild and keep it in re-
pair If the owners had chanced to be
men Of peaceabIe dispositions, they bad
compromised the matter and avoided
quarrel but If, on the contrary, they
belonged TO that much larger class who
would sooner sacrifice Their own com
fort and convenience than their so-caIled
rqhtS, this fence had been II source OI
unending chickering's and strife,
Aud Of this class were the present
owners, Again and again they had
consulted their respective lawyers on
the subject, and dragged from their
hiding places musty OLD deeds and re-
cords, but always with the same result.
1 say it belongs to you to keep it in
repair that's AS plain rs Il pike staff, "
Mr.. Babcock would say
And says 1t belong to you, ANY
cool might see that, Nj. Small would
reply, IN theh hlgh words would tol
low, and they would part anger more
determined ant obstinate than before
Ihe lawyers Tees and the loss by dam
ages from eac'i oIAefS cab'ie nat al
ready amour tcd 10 sum sufficient to
have Dult fence round their entire
Gsta'oS, pnt "hNt was that compared to
the Satisfaction OF haVlnB Their own
way
mere was not Wan1ng IN the neigLh.
porhood peNco-makGra who would gladly
have settled tue ALTAR by arbitration
oaI TO tnis neither ol the boitiBerenta
"ouIH l'SVeil ior moment
Az lHsC, one DAY, Miss Lctltla Gul, Il
woman mdch respected Ill the village.
anu ol sOilo "oiBuG rs landowner ana
taxpayer, seat Ior Mr. BlDcock to come
anu see her on business summons
when he made haste to obey, as how
could he 90 Otherwise where II lady was
concerned.
MISS Letl'la Sat at her window sew.
ing up seam, put she dropped her
Work ana look OH her spectacles when
Mt. baDcocN made his appearance.
% you 9oI my message; thank you
Ior coming I'm sure; Sit down, do. |
suppose my man lSahc told you |
waited 10 consult you ON Il matter OF
BUSINESS hIatSef OF equity, L may
hAy' 10 cth De expected That we
women loih' shonii DO the best Judges
toou' Such thihSs, you know; there S
t9a"c' 90 DC sure put then he lives on
INC Place, and maybe he wouldn't be
exactly Impartial III ms Judgment about
our 4ildifS.
JGS so, sad Nlr. Bdbcock.
Nv, "eii' the state OF the case is tins !;
"hen Isaac came up from the long
lne'C,ow 70 uihher'-thcy re moving the
ino'5'o" to,Gay, ana an nhc"mmohly
Sood Sieiu thefe iS,-"lIen he came up
10 Gunner, lie lOlnd that certain stray
cJ"s ilad Oiokeh INTO the vegetable
S",u1h' -, o,
he ulu, hey
lou can ioncy thg rot they made
"tclar9' lS"ac was almost ready 70 use
r'Tiano l%nBuaSe' L III nor sure 'h"1 ne
nun say ueucc' anu L III ioI cetGaill
lo "Iu S"S u"in ana "itef a'l'
couluh ieel 10 fePioaca hlm very
SJttreiy, lor 'he pains ne mas taken
VIII i; !llaO garden Is something amazing;
working Ill 1t, Mr.. BlDcOck, early and
i".e' "o1ulnB ana ulg6,h8' ana water
.ns' % %nG no" 20 see II ali torn anu
.Iauli'eu ,l,tiii 30 tt"' you "ouiuu Ah2"
l "l.'oH wa was oeetS Hna "lllcli ""9 cuc,.n,'
t" ourS' I'' enough 10 rouse anyoouy
''InPer. .,,,,,,
..nI A. Is 49, 80, sa,G ,. Nir' VII Dapcock. 700 a l,,
W 'h'H89 ,hey Hi'SG nave oeeli ram Pug
vn5 GIu 'tit lG i'1''l i V..0 oiTl''u @ ;'nt Ito M
oo.i', ,ho,u oflore tney h"u BGt llto ,, W VIZ
. s"tuen. 1Gs5 you come ana see ah'
pu'vrnS sh on on ilGr aun. .pohbel, NUS 3 Le'l'I'
ro%eo nrooina. MI D"DcocN over 'il' '"nla8e'