Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1876-03-25


times in the course of the season, and
not only that season, but several previous
seasons.
Yet Mr.. Babcock was neither slack nor
thriitless; in fact, he rather prided him.
self on the ordinary. appearance of his
farm, and not without reason. How
then shall we account for his negligence
In this particular instance?
The truth was that this fence formed
the boundary line between his estate
and that Of Mr.. Small; and three gener-
ations of men who owned these estates
had been unable to decide to whom it
belonged to to rebuild and keep it in re-
pair. IL the owners had CHANGED to be
men of peaceful dispositions, they would
have compromised the matter and avoid
ell quarrel; but If, on the contrary
they belonged to that much larger class
who would sooner sacrifice their own
comfort and convenience than their So
called rights, this fence would have been
II source of unendiIg chickering's and
strife.
And of this class We're the present
owners. Again and again they had con-
suited their respective lawyer on the
subject, and dragged from their hiding
places milsty old deeds and records, but
always with the same result.
Il say it belongs TO you to keep in re-
pair; that's az plain as 4 pike staff, ~ Mr..
BabcocS+wOuhi say. 4sas = saz {.
"And say it belongs to YOU; any fool
might sec that Mr.. Small would reply :;
and then high words would follow, and
they would part in anger, more determ-
lned and obstinate than ever. The law
yers' fees and the loss by damages from
each others cattle had already amount
ed to a sum sufficient to have built a
fence around their, entire estates, but
what was that compared to the saisfac-
ton of having their own way?
There were not wanting in their neigh
borhOod peace makers who would gladly
have settled the affair by arbitration, but
TO this neither Of the beligefenls would
listen for moment.
AT last, one day, Miss Letitia Gill, a
Woman much respected in the. village,
and of some weight rs n land owner and
taxpayer, sent for Mr. Babcock to come
and see her on business-asunmOns which
he made haste To obey, as how could it
be otherwise where lady was concerned?
Miss Letitia sat at her window sewing
a seam. but she dropped her work and
took Oft her spectacles when MIR. BabcOck
made his appearance. .iiA fhlf
$50 you got my message; thank you
tor coming, I'm sure. Sit down, do. /
suppose my man Isaac told you l wanted
TO consult you on matter of business
matter of equity, l may say. 1t can't
be expected that we women folks 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.. Babcock.
"Well, the state of this case is this !:
When. Isaac came up from the long mea-
dow to dinner-they're moving the
meadow to-day, and an uncommonly
good yield there is-when he came up TO
dinner, he found that stray cows had
"He did, hey ?"
you can fancy the riot they made. 1
declare Isaac was almost ready to use
profane language. I'm not sure he didn't
say 'duee,' 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 some
thing amazing; working in it, Mr.. Bah
cock, early and late, wedding and dig
ging and watering, and now to see it
all torn and trampled so that you
wouldn't know which was cucumbers,
its enough to raise anybody's temper"
at is So" said Mr.. Babcock.
"And that isn't all, for by the looks of
things they must have been rampaging
in the orchard and clover field before
they got into the garden. Just YOU
come and see;" and putting on her sun
bonnet, Miss sLetitia showed Mr.. Bah
cock over the damaged precincts. -%.%-
sYou don't happen to know whose
animals did the Mischief" said Mr.. Bah
cock.
"Well, I didn't observe them in par
ucular myself, but Isaac said there was
one with peculiar white mark, some
lhing like cross, on its haunch."
why, that's Smalrs old Brindle,"
cliea Mr.. .Babcock. IL know the mark
as . wen as L know the nose on ny face. |
one nao pals on her horns, didn't she ?" |
Yes, so Isaac said,
anu hump on her back?n
"a perfect dromedary,n said Miss I,eti-
tia. IL noticed that mysell.n
'They were Small's cows. No dorht oei
it at ALL" said Mr. Babcock, rubbing b G
hands. mo sheep with them. hey p;
ssWell, now l think of it, there wera
sheep-they ran away as soon as thew
saw Isaac. Yes, certainly there were
Sheep" said Miss Letitia.
Il knew it-they always go with the
cows; and what of me TY
sits to fix the damages said Miss -Le-
titia. ''As / said before. women folks
are no judges about such matters"
Rah..ooI> o1;fotoH and