The Van Buren press., 1874-11-03
MISCELLANY.
The Board Fence.

"Shoo shoe get home, you plaguy
critterr' cried Mr. Babcock. waving his
arms, as he chased dozen sheep and
lambs through gap in the fence.
1t was wooden feLce, and when he
had succeeded in driving the animal thse
other side of it, he lifted it from its re,
clining position, and propped it up with
stakes. This was an operation that rs
had found himself obliged to repeat many
times in the course Of the season, aud
not only of that season, hut Of previous
seasons
Yet neither Mr. Babcock was slack or
thriftless in fact, he rather prided him
self on the ordinary appearance OF his
farm, and not without reason. How
then shall we accoun} for his negligence
in this particular respccty
The truth was that this fence was
forming the boundary line between his
estate and that of Mr.. Small and three
generations OF men, who owned these
estates had been unable to decide to
whom il belonged to rebuild and keep it
in repair. II the owners had CHANGED to
be men Of peaceful dispositions, they
had compromised the matter and avoid
ed quarrel; but il, on the contrary,
they belonged to that much larger class,
who would sooner sacrifice their own
comfort and convenience than their so.
called right, this fence had been source
Of unending bckenng and strife.
And Of this class were the present
owners. Again and again they had con-
suited their respective lawyers 'on the
subject, and dragged from their hiding.
places musty old deeds and records, bu.
always with the same result.
II say it belongs to you to keep it in
repair; that's as plain as pike staff, !"
Mr.. Babcock would say
"And | say it belongs to yoa-any
fool might see that, P" Mr. Small would
reply, and then high words would follow,
and they would part in anger, more de
termned and obstinate than ever. The
lawyers fees and the loss by damages
from each others cattle, had already
amounted to sum sufficient to have
built fence around the entire estates,
but what was that compared to the salts
faction of having their own way4
There were not wanting in the vicinity
peace. makers who would gladly settle
the affair by arbitration, but TO this
neither of the belligereuts would listen
for moment.
At last, one day, Miss Letitia Gill. a
woman much respected in the village,
and Of some weight as land owner and
tax payer, sent for Mr.. Babcock to come
and see her on business a summons
which he made haste to obey, rs how
could it it be otherwise where lady was
concerDedP
Miss Letitia sat at her window sewing
a seam, but she dropped her work -snd
took off her spectacics when Mr.. BAD
cock made his appearance,
$50 you got my message thank you
for coming, I'm sure. Sit down, do l
suppose my man Isaac told you | want
cd to consult you on matter OF bust
ness--a matter Of equity, may say. 1t
can't be expected that we women iolks
should be the best judges about such
things. YOU know; there's Isaac, to be
sure, but then he lives on the place, and
maybe he wouldn't be exactly impartial
in his judgment about our affairs
"Jes so, " said Mr., Babeock.
"Wcll, the state Of the case is this :;
when Isaac came up from the long
meadow, to dnner-they moving the
meadow, to day, and an uncommonly
GOOD weld there is--when he came up
TO dinner, he fc und that stray cows had
broken into the vegetable garden.
"Iie did, hey2"
"You can fancy the riot they made
Irdeclarc, Isaac was almost ready to use
profane language. I'm not sure that he
didn't say deuce, and I'm certain he
did say darn and after all, | couldn't
feel to reproach him very severely, for
the pains he has taken with that garden
is something amazing; working in it, Mr.
Babcock, early and late, wedding and
digging and watering; and now to sec it
ali torn and trampled 50 that you would
not know which was beets and which was
cucumbers, it is enough to rouse any
body's temper.
"Is it so, " said Mr.. Babcock.
"And that isn't all, for by the looks
OF things, they must have been rampas
inc in the orchard and clover field before
they 80 into the garden Just you come