The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1886-03-12

Il don't know as | ever heard that the
law makes exceptions of people that arc a
little clus, . he observed.
Mr.. Talcott gaspcd His hard, round
checks were red with resentment: his sharp
eyes blazed.
''Your strike, Talcott, said Mr.. Nc
Quirk, shortly; he had spent several mo-
ments aiming for the middle wicket, and
had failed TO go through
''Gou better jest think over about this
fence, said Mr.. Long as he turned stifly
away.
Mrs. Talcott had come out Of the house
with a little bowl in her hands; thin
woman, with pleasing remains Of sandy
haired prettncss.
81 want you tie take in some of my ris-
ing to Hannah" she said They had
known each other by their first names for
some fifty years.
When Mrs. Long opened the kitchen
door at o'clock the next morning. and
stood looking out at the early August day
i'll the moment before the fried pork had
sized itself quite brown, and the coffee
come to boil-her faculties concentrated
themselves upon an unexpected circum-
stance just beneath her eyes.
ELIAS" she said, ''hes tearing down
the line fence. Hes got Job Dryer help
ing him." She was devoid of suspicious
concerning the fact; her voice was merely
inquiring.
Mr.. Long came to the door rather slowly.
He stood there rubbing his chin doubtfully;
and then went down the steps, and toward
his neighbours yard.
Mr.. Talcott was working energetically.
pile of worm-eaten posts. pulled up by
the roots, and broken pickcts lay before
him A little further down job Dryer
was amassing a similar heap.
Mr. Talcott appeared unaware of his
neighbours presence. He snapped off
another picket without speaking He
wore forbbbing look which set strangely
on his ordinarily good-humored face.
81 thought likely you'd think better of
ii, Mr.. Long observed, W 18th his eyes fixed
warily on the other This fence has been
wanting fixing for quito a spell. ! don
know rs it's worth while tearing it down;
| thought, mebbe, a little fixing up'd do
it. But I'm willing to do my share. if you
be calculating to build new one. After
an unresponsive pause: you re calculating
to build new one, spose!'
Yes | be- Mr. Talcott reioined, with
acrimonious promptness. Jest fetch up
that crowbar, job. This post seems to a
took root
Something in his voice shook his neigh
boris composure. But he carried off his
discomtorture creditably.
"Well,'' he said. ''it'll be a good thing.
s'pose it ought to have been done before =
lie pulled a grass and chcwed it undaunt-
eddy for two or three minutes before lie
went into the house.
s'Well >" said his wife. as she set the
dish of pork on the table.
Giles set out to build new line fence, "
said Mr.. Long, taking his seat and shov-
ing his knife up and down between the
tines of his fork.
His wife turned to look at him. Her
sharp intuition rooted ont the dark side of
the statement.
"You hain't had words with him,
Elias ," she said, quick alarm in her
pleasant face. ''Now you didn't have no
trouble with him yesterday about them
hens -
Il told him." said Mr. Long, reaching
for the coffee pot ''hS hens had been
making tol'able free in my garden. and the
fence better be fixed mp If he's a mind to
flare mp like fool, | don't know as it's
any Of my concern.
He took swallow from his cup. His
wife watched him wistfully. She looked
dazed.
''You hain't ever had no trouble with
him BEFORE she said She did not eat
any breakfast.
Mr. Talcott and job Dwyer worked
fast. By night the old fence had been de
molished and carted into the wood house,
and new boards stood leaning against the
well stone. BY noon the next day the
posts and scantings were up and yard of
the fence done.
Mrs. Long got up from the dinner table
to look at it, and turned blank face upon
her husband.
ELIAS, she said she's got it more'n
two yards high
Mr. Long stared at her Then he re-
covered himself.
ut don't make no sort of difference to
me how high he's got it, +" he snapped.
Il don't know what to make of it." she
said coming back to the table, anxiously.
81 don't know why little low picket like
theold one wouldn't done jest as well. You
could look right through it jest as though
there wasn't nothing there; and it was
handy to hand things across.
She went about the house that day with
an uneasy apprehension in her face.
81 don't know what to make of it, She
kept thinking in troubled way.
She knew the next night. The new
line fence was done. 1t was seven feet
high There was nothing to be seen across
- o~oo,,t ,bn ,.una,. half of Mr. Taleoft's