The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1881-07-15
THE GRASSHOPPER LAWSUIT.

Everybody IN Bethany used to say that
it was lucky for Tyrannus Fargo that he
had for his next neighbor such q man as
Deacon Philo Robbins.
"I wouldn't live alonside the old crit
ter" declared Abiel Crafts, the village
tinker and umbrella member, s'not if
you'd give me the use of the farm for
nothin' and the stock thrown in. He haint
pretended to put up length of fence
this ten year, and that old boss of his
has got learnt so he'll 90 and Jump into
Robbins moving every evening after
dark, and jump out again before folks
are up. Ed Root seen him doin' it one
mornin' early when he was goin' home
late from dance. wouldn't give much
for a church that hadn't got strength to
: kick hin, out! Wal, yes; Philo Robbins
is church member, too, but then, that
amt what makes him so clever. He was
born good-natured and it's natural for
him TO take things easy, but l don't see
how he can stand it having his farm Join
old Fargo's that way, and he never
would if he didn't know it would be
worse than ever if he tried to stir him up
any"
Although Mr.. Crafts outspoken opin-
ions but echoed the general sentiment of
Bethany, it was usually more cautiously
expressed. Uranus Fargo was a man
OF considerable property visible to the
naked eye, with rumOrs of stocks and
bonds carefully sailed down beyond the
reach of taxation; he was q member of
the Congregational Church, and he
Kept the town poor. 1t was not
everyone that cared to speak freely
concerning the representative of SO
much dignity, but all chuckled to hear
some one more daring express their own
opinions. Tyraunus Fargo, however,
was In some respects great comfort
and satisfaction to his fellow men, his
reputation affording a valuable refuge
to those who felt the claims of the
Christian religion upon them, but who
were unwilling to yield to its demands.
The deformities and excrescences of his
character, so conspicuous upon a pro-
Tossing Christian, were gravely pointed
out as the natural fruits of his religion,
and entirely obscured the vision from
beholding all the gentleneSs, grace, and
beauty of character among the rest of
the church, which, if brought to mind,
were lightly dismissed as being ssnaturai
to Them and even Deacon Robbins, as
we have seen, was given no credit for
his surprising forbearance, because he
was s.born sou
But IN the constant evaporation and
annoyance to which one farmer can
subject another, Philo Robbins found
that the mild and gentle disposition with
which nature had end owed him must be
supplemented with powerful drafts upon
his Christian principle, further rein
forced by the consciousness that retalia-
ton, or even self-defense, would only
make the matter worse, and also by the
gentle stimulus of his wife's persistent
opposition. Mrs. Robbins had rather a
poor opinion of the passive virtues in the
abstract, and disapproved most vehe-
mently of their being pushed to extrem-
ity when dealing with such men as
Uranus Fargo.
"There's reason in all things" she
would say to her husband, I" in religion
just as much as anything else. We are
told not to cast our pearls before swine,
and don't know what else it is, to SUBJ
init to all that mans imposition. He
would respect you great deal more if
you would stand up for. yourself a little.
You ought to shut up his cattle once and
make him pay poundage before he took
them away again, and as for having that
old horse turned into the street to jump
into cur moving las everybody says it
does-l don't think it's anybOdy's duty
to stand it. If you don't want to shut
him up, | wish you'd let me do it. I'm
not afraid of him.
When Mrs. Robbins six beautiful
Spanish hens, that had been let out after
tea for an airing, rashly wandered away