The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-07-23


saw his vindictive neighbor and his three
boys, each armed with a leafy branch,
slowly crossing the field in the direction
of his own.
"The grasshoppers is awful thick,
pursued the child, delighted to see thai
his words had made an impression. 81
was down a pickin' raspberries in the
fence and they come flynn over my head
in clouds. He's been across the lot
three times"
Call the men, Phil" said his father,
sternly, "and get Johnny, and you come
too"
ooh, Philo, had you better?" ex-
claimed his wife, alarmed at her hus-
bands face.
Yes; / had," he answered, as he
turned and walked away.
The boys and hired men, having no re-
sponsibility in the matter, showed .
spirit of most enthusiastic cooperation,
and were quite disappointed when they
reached the spot to find their adverse
ries had departed, They had provided
themselves with great rustling branches,
and crossed the field three times, driv-
ing the grasshoppers in swarms back
into their neighbours enclosure, and then,
although the boys were just getting
warmed up to the work and would have
been glad to continue the sport till dark,
Mr.. Robbins ordered a retreat.
His wife was awaiting him on the pi-
azza when he returned, but there was
something in his face that compelled her
stance. She noticed that his evening
devotions were prolonged beyond their
usual time, and during the night he was
restless and wakeful. 1t was evident
that some new impulse was stirring in
his mind, and the novel constraint upon
her tongue soon wore away.
81 hope, Philo, you won't do any
thing more about those grasshoppers,"
she began at breakfast next morning.
"We won't talk about it now, my
DEAR" he replied, glancing uneasily at
the children, who were ali pricking up
their ears. 81 hope shan't have to-"
Master Phil, encouraged by his sue
cess the evening before, was making fire.
quent sallies from the table, reconnoi-
tering for new excitement, and pres
entity came running in with his napkin
in his hand and his mouth full of break
fast.
"They're all down there again." he
cried, "drivin' the grasshoppers back
into our lott"
Mrs. Robbins flew from the room, fol-
lowed by the children, her husband
finishing his breakfast before he joined
the excited group.
Fargo and his boys were making a
second transit of the field, a long rope
extended from one to the other, to which
were tied jingling bells, rustling papers
and waving branches which they agitated
violently as they walked. The children
were all talking eagerly, but Mr.. Rob-
bins said not word. After looking on
in silence few moments he returned to
the house, whittier his wife followed him.
He was putting on his hat.
"I'm goin down to see if can do any
thing with him." he said.
"Oh, pray DON'T" she cried, in agita-
ton, sitting down on a chair. "You'll
certainly get into some trouble if you do.
[ wouldn't take any notice of him. It's
nothin' but few grasshoppers."
"I'm going, my DEAR" said he with
some decision, sand it'll take good
while for you to say as much against it
as you've said in favor of my standing it
out with him.
'But do have little Judgment about
it." she persisted. 'This amt the time
at all, when its nothing but grasshop-
pers. You'll be the laughing-stock of
the town."
"My dear, I've got to be the Judge of
that he answered, as he left the house.
Mrs. Robbins was more alarmed by
her husbands unusual firmness than she
would have been by the attacks of hun
dred enemies. She watched him on his
way to the distant field and saw Tyran-
nus Fargo come to meet him. They
stood leaningover the fence in CONVEX
satlon for more than an hour, her has
bands attitude quiet, earnest and per-
suasive, while his adversary was excited
and uneasy, walking to and fro, gestur-
ing violently, and now and then SEEM
ing to threaten; until at last they sepa-
rated suddenly as if repealed from one
another, and Mr.. Robbins slowly re-
turned to the house.
She fell upon him with a devourinc
curiosity as soon as he came within hear.
ing.
81 couldn't do anything with him.
he said, sitting down and wiping his
face. ale won't hear to any sort of
reason"
"Well, you talked enough, any way"
she answered. "What was it all
about?"
ave went over pretty much the
whole ground, and told him, whenever
he'd give me chance, where thought
he hadn't done the fair thing by me,
but he wouldn't hear to it at all, and
tried to make out was the one to
blame.'
"Did you say anything about my
hensP" she interrupted.
"Yes, l brought that up, but he
talked me right down about the dread
full damage they'd done, and saw it,
wasn't of any use trying to reason with
him."
"Well, 1 guess you'd better let it
drop, now," she said soothingly. "He's
q pretty hard man to get into any
trouble with, and everybody says we get
on wonderfully with him, considering.
suppose we've got to take a good deal
of wrong in this world and suffer our
selves to be defrauded.''
Mr.. Robbins did not contradict his
wife, and the fact annoyed her. He