Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1882-03-02
The BOARD FENCE.

Crittersr' cried Mr.. Babcock, waving
his arms as he chased a dozen sheen
and lambs through y zap in The fenc1.
IL was wood fence, ano when he
had succeeded in driving the animals
to the other side OF it. he lifted il up
from its reclining position and propped
IL mp with stakes. This was an Oper-
alton he had found himself obliged 20
repeat many times in the course of the
season, and not only of that season,
but OF several previous seasons.
Yet Mr.. BabcOck was neither slack
nor thriftless; in fact, he rather prided
himself on the orderly appearance of
bis farm. and not without reason.
How then shall we account for hrs
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 gen.
eratiOns Of men who owned these es-
tates had been unable 20 decide TO
whom II belonged to rebuild it and
Keep 1t In repair. IL the owners had
CHANGED to be men of peaceful dispo-
sitions, they would have compromised
the matter and avoided n quarrel; but
IN. on the contrary. they belonged 10
that much larger class who would
sooner sacrifice their own comfort
and convenience than their socalled
rights, this fence would have been a
source Of unending pickering and
strife.
And Of this class were the present
owners. Again and again had they
consulted their respective lawyers ON
the subject, and dragged from their
hiding places mssty Old deeds and
records, but always with the same re-
suit.
IL say Il belongs 90 you 10 keep Il in
repair; that's rs plain as n pike stat. /"
Mr.. Babcock would say.
"And say IL belongs 90 you-any
fool might see that" Mr.. smith would
reply; and then high words would fol-
low. and they would part i'm anger.
more determined and obstinate than
ever. The lawyers fees and the loss
by damages from each others cattle
had already mounted 90 sum sufficient
TO have built fence around their en-
tire estates. but what was that com.
pared TO the satisfaction Of having
their own way.
AT last one day Miss Letitia Gill. a
woman much respected i'm the village
and OF some weight as a landowner
and taxpayer. sent for Mr. Babcock To
come and see her on business. q sum-
mons which he made haste TO obey.
as how could IL be otherwise when n
lady was concerned?
Miss Lstitia sat at her window sew.
ing a seam, but she dropped her work
and took of her spectlcles when Mr..
Babcock made his appearance.
80 you got my message; thank you
for coming. Im sure. Sit down. /
suppose my man Isaac tolS you / want
ed to consult you on business mat
ter OF equity. l may say. IL 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; maybe
he wouldn't be exactly impartial i'm hi
judgment about our affairs"
"Jes So" said Mr.. Babcock.
"Well. the state Of the case is this
When Isaac came up the long meadow
to dinner-they're moving the mead
ows today. and an uncommonly good
yield there is-when he came up To
diHner he found that stray cows had
broken into the vegetable garden"
"IIe did, hey?"
"YOu can fancy the riot made. /
declare Isaac was almost ready to use
profane language. am not sure that
he didn't; and after all. couldn't feel
TO reprOach him very severely. for the
pains he had taken with that garden is
sometimes amazing; working in IL, Mr..
Babcock. early and late, wedding, dig.
ging and watering. and now 10 see IL
all torn and trampled so that you
wouldn't know which was beets and
which was cucumbers. It's 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 ram
paging I'm the orchard and clover field
before they got into the garden. Just
you come and see:" and putting on her
sun-bOnnet, Miss Letitia showed Mr..
Babcock over the damaged precincts.
"1Ou don't happen 10 know whose
animals did the mischiefY" said Mr..
Babcock.
"Well. didn't observe them in par
tioular myself. but Isaac said there
was one with peculiar white mark.
something like cross. on his haunch. .
why, that's Small's old brindle. IS
cried Mr.. Babcsck. "f know the mark
as well rs | know the nose on nv
face. She had balls on her horns, didn't
sheY
"Yes, 80 Isaac sail"
"And kind Of hump on her back p
"A perfect dromedary," said Miss
Il noticed that myself"
They were Smalrs cows. no doubt
of u at all" said Mr.. Babcock rubbing
his hands.
40 sheep with them. heyY"
Weil, now think of IL. there were
heep-they ran away as soon "A thew
ss ssM isaac; les. certainly there were
sheep, said Miss Letitia.
a Know it-thcy always 20 with
me cows; and what do you want of
20 hx damages" said Miss I.e-
uuA -As said before, women folks
are no Judges about such Matters
mr: Ba6cock meditated a moment
and then said:
well, l wouldn't take a cent less
tnAn seventy.ave dollars, IL were YOU
not a cent" 'ON
seyenty-ave dollars. Isn't that a
good deal, Mr.. Babcock? You know
uDn uu : wish TO be hard on the poor man
sl Az. want, want Is fair compensation fOl
the mischief dope.V