Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1879-11-20
THE WAY OVER TIIC STONE WALL,

''Look here, boys! Who hits the martil
house is the best fellow %
Tom Mason was speaking then. and h
hearers were Billy Bowles and Ned Ere.
man. They were out in Jones meadow
MIR. Jones had barn in the meadow fo
storing hay. Away up on the southeas
corner OF the ridge-pole was white MAJ
tin-house; and it was this that Tom Maso
proposed to hit.
Come, fire away :" cried Tom.
"WhO has better right?''
One would say that Farmer Jones ha,
the right to say whether his martn-hous
should be stoned. 1t cost him two dollar
to have it made, some hard climbing and
hole in his pants to set it up. Little boys
though. and grown up ones also, dom
think sometimes.
Yes, fire away!'' said Ned and Billy.
Under the martin-hOuse, fifteen fee
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.
Nov, you've done it.'' said Tom,
"We'd better make use of our legs and
60"
/ Ned thought it was cowartlly, but al
lowed himself to be swept away by the
rest.
They reached the road. There they met
William Transom; he was Ned Freeman's s
fathers ''hred man,
''Stop, boys! Where are you goinc:'
William asked.
William" replied Ned. II am in trou-
ble. broke pane of glass just now.''
"Ol. shut up" said Tom. Don't tell
everybody"
"Why not tell" asked William. '.Who's
going to- hide anything? That's sneak's
part
Tom winced under the rebuke.
Ned told William all about the trouble.
''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.''
'Wliat do You mean by that William?''
''Why mean this You can say moth
ing. and go 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" All the while Ned's eyes were
asking questions wondering what Wiliiam
meant
William went on: ~ mean that Farmer
bones is somewhere behind that stone
vali,' pointing to the meadow. "He is
nst across the field, cutting brush in the
woods. passed him there little while
go. Now. it will cost you something to
set over that stone wall go to the farmer.
'wn up, and say yOu'l1 set the window.
However, the way over the stone wall is
he better. know, tor it is right, and what
, right is best - and here William brought i,
lis crowbar down with emphasis. as il he
vcre punching in the soM period to his
xistence.
Ned stopped moment. "Fll do it,"
e said. ''You are right" and. prorast
s soldier. he started for the stone wall.
It was little hard getting over those .
ound. messy. loose stones, for the wall
'as old but it was ti,c itsea Of .'owning
p" that made climbing the wall the hard :
" job Ned ever had in Mig line. His ,.
ind was made up, though, and on he :
ent. In his determination ne made out
, get over two stone walls between hinri
ld the woods.
Farmer Jones was cutting brush in the
oods. as William had said; and his face Il
d with heat, looked something like the II
IN when it sets behind the trees As Il
cd came up the farmer stopped cutting, r: