The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1879-04-17
THE WAY OVER THE STONE WALL

"LoOK here, boys! Who hits the
martin-house is the best fellowr'
Tom Manson was speaking then, and
his hearers were Billy Bowles and Ned
Freeman. They were out in Mr.. Jones'
meadow. Mr.. Jones had barn in the
meadow for storing hay. Away up on
the southeast corner of the ridge-pole
was little white martin-house, and il
was this that Tom Manson proposed to
hit.
"Come, fire away!' cried Tom.
"Who has better right?''
One would say that Farmer Jones
had the right to say whether his mar
tin-house should be stoned. 1t cost
him three dollars to have it made, and
some hard climbing and hole in his
pants to set it up. Little boys, though,
and grown-up ones also don't think
sometimes.
Eyes, fire awayr' said Ned and
Billy.
Under the martin-house, fifteen feet
down was little window in the barn.
Nobody intended to hit that; but alas!
an unlucky stone from Ned's hand went
crashing through the glass. The boys
stopped throwing.
"Now you've done it!' said Tom.
"We'd better make use of our legs and
CO."
Ned thought it was cowardly, but al
lowed himself to be swept away by the
rest.
They reached the road. There they
met William Transom; he was Ned
Freeman fathers hired man.
"Stop, boys! Where are you goingp''
William asked.
"William," replied Ned, 81 am in
trouble. broke pane of glass just
now"
"Oh, shut upr' said Tom. "Don't
tell everybody"
"Why not tell?' asked William.
"Whose going to hide anything. That's
a sneak's part"
| Tom WINGED under the rebuke.
Ned told William all about the trou-
BILE.
"What shall do?'' he asked.
"Ned, there are two ways you may
take to settle this thing up; one is the
way down the road, and the other is
the way over the stone wall"
"What do you mean by that, Will
lamp
"Why, l mean this-you can say
nothing, and 60 down the road to your
house; that at first is the easier way,
but it won't pay in the end. The way
over the stone wall is the harder at first,
but it is much better at last.'
All the while NeO'S eyes were ask.
ing questions, wondering what William
meant.
| William weant on-"I mean that
Farmer Jones is somewhere behind
that stone WALL pointing to the
meadow. HE is just across the field.
cutting brush in the woods. I passed
him there little time ago. Now, it
will cost you something to get over
that stone wall, go to the farmer and
say you'll mend the window. How
ever, the way over the stone wall is the
better way, know, for it's right, and
what is rights best;" and here William
brought his cr0wbar down with EN-.
phasis, as if he were punching in the
soil period to his sentence.
Ned stopped moment. "rll dc
it," he said; "you are right and
prompt as a soldier he started for thu
stone wall.
1t was little hard getting over those
round, messy, loose stones, for thu
wall was old; but it was the idea O
owning up'' that made climbing thu
wall the worst job Ned ever had in this
line. His mind was made up, though
and on he went. In his determination
he made out to get over two stone walls
between him and the woods.
Farmer Jones was cutting brush in
the woods, as William had said, and his
face, red with heat, looked something
like like the sun when it sets behind the
trees. As Ned came up, the farmer
stopped cutting, and wiped the sweat
from his face something as the wine
clears the sun of fog in August.
"Nice day, Ned"
eyes, sir.''
"How's your fathera'
"Very well, SIR" Ned knew enough
always to put the "sir'' on, which
could not be said of Tom Manson, OF
Billy Bowles even, though his father
did live in a house with French roo
to it.
"When's your father going to gethis
potatoesP''
II can't say, sir.''
"Well, is it pretty dry over YOU
way?'
Ned thought, "This won't do. If
don't begin, certainly shan't finisf
nv business" He cleared his throat
nervously pulled down his jacket, al
lowed his heart to give one more
thump, and up he spoke" MIR. Jones,
I didn't come to talk about fathers po'
tatoes or the dry spell. I'm sorry; bat
l broke q window in your barn while
throwing stones at your martin-house
and that also l ought not to have
done. I'm sorry, Mr.. Jones. and III
mend the window tomorrow"
"There:'' thought Ned; II have got
over the stone WALL"
Farmer Jones looked down, then up
and then do not believe he knew
which way to look. Boys did not gen
orally treat him in this way. They
called him "crusty," and as the neigh
borhood was rough one, they would
often treat him roughly.
A smile was on his face; Ned raw il
and it looked more like the sun than
ever.
"Ned, that's honest in you. and I'm
sure it pleases me. Oh, don't worry!
That's all right. I'll mend the win.