Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1876-03-23
Select Story.
The Board Fence.

clllitIS. tIltu MI. DdDcOch, WdNl.
| his arms as he chased Il dozen sheer
aud lambs through a gap in the
I fence.
| 1t was IL wooden fence, ami when
he had succeeded ia driving the ami
mails the other side of it, he lifted il
from its reclining position and prop
ped it up with stakes. This was an
liged TO repeat many times in the
course OF the season, and not only
that season, but several previous
seasons.
Yet Mr.. Babcock was neither slack
nor thriftlrss; in fact, he rather pIi-
ded himself on the ordinary appear
ance of his farm, and not without rsa
son. How, then, shall we account for
his negligence in this particular in
stance?
The truth was. that this fence fo' m
cd the boundary line between his es-
tate and that OF Mr.. Small; and three
generations OF men who owned these
estates had been unable TO decide 10
whom il belonged to rebuild and keep
it in repair. Ii the owners had
chancrd 10 be- men of peaceful dispo-
siiipns, they would have compromised
the matter and avorled a quarrel
but if, on the contrary. they belonged
to that much larger class who would
sooner sacrifice their own comfort
and conve icnce than their so-called
rights this fence would have been Il
source OF unrndiug chickering's and
strife.
And 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
records, but always With the same
result.
Il say it belongs to you TO keep it
in repair: that's as plain us IA pike
staff" Mr.. Babcock would say.
And say it belongs TO you; any
fool might see that" Mr.. Small would
reply; and then high words would
follow. and they would part in anger
more determined and obstinate than
ever. The lawyers fees and the loss
by damages from each others cattle
had already amounted to "A sum suf-
| licient TO have built fence around
| their entire estates, but what was
that compared to ths satisfaction u!
having their own way?
There were not wanting in theiI
neighborhood peace-makers who
would gladly have settled the affair
by arbitration, but to this neither ol
the beligerents would listen for a
moment.
At last, one day. Miss Letitia Gill. q
woman much respected ia the villuSe
aud of some weight Us "a Landowner
and tax payer, sent for Nj. BabcocL
| to come and see her on business
summons which he made haste. to
obey, as how could il be otherwise
where u lady was concerned?
Miss Letitia sat at her window sew
ing "a seam, but she dropped her work
and took off her spectacles when Mr.
Babcuck made his appearance.
$50 you got my message; thank
F. you for coming, I'm sure. Sit down
do. l suppose my man Isaac toll
you / wanted TO consult you on d
matter OF business-a matter OF
equity. may say. 1t cant he expect.
ed that We women folks should be
the best judges OF such things, you
know; there's Isaac, to be sure, hui
then he lives ON The place, and may
be he wouldn't be exactly impariia
ia his judgment about our afiairs."
~Jes' So" said Mr.. Babcock.
| well, the state OF the case is this
When Isaac came up from the lon9
meadow TO dinner-ihey're moving
| the meadoS to-day. and an uncom
monty good yield there is-when he
came up to dinner, he found the stray
cows had broken into the vesetabl,
garden"
He did, hey?"
"You can fancy the riot they made
l declare Isaac was almost ready I,
use profane language: I'm not sur,
that he didu't say 'duce, and TN Ger
tain ne did sly darn an |. afr all
l couldn't feel to rrpgJach him yer,
severely, for the pains he has takei
with that garden is something amaz
ing; working liz il, Mr.. Babcock. ear
ly AMI late, wedding and digging an'
watering. and now to STE IL all tors
and trainpled so that you wouldn'
know which was brets and which Wa
cucumbers-it's enough TO raise any
body's temper"
at is So" said NJ. Babcock
And that isn't all, for 10y the looks
OF things they must have been ram
paging in the orchard and Glove
fields before they got into the gar
den. just you come and see;' ant
putting on her sunbonnet, Miss lie
titia showed Mr.. Babcock over TIN
damaged precincts.
~You don't happen to know who's
animals did the mischief" said MI