The Washington critic., 1886-11-24
JOSHUA TRUE'S EXPERIMENT.

OuClc JOsHud lTuc uuu DOlOulOu
Baskins lived in the double house on
Cedar street. "No roof Is large enough
10 cover two families" this case
there were children, and the tenements
were not properly separated. The Trues
had to enter the Baskins "part" to go
down cellar; the Baskins the True's to
COUP stairs; one could always gaze
into the kitchen; the other did not
pause, but was sure to leave the cellar
door open, which caused "hard feel
ings' at times between the feminine
heads of the two tribes. Aunt True,
who was Immediately neat, was
especially tormented. The young
Basliinses revelled in her clean paths,
turned her front steps into mud-pie
bakery, and even Baby Baskins lolled
there when his attire was most disor-
dered
One would conclude that they be-
lieved in having call things in COM
mon," but just let them see Bert True
fill his pockets with Mei, apples! Then
the shrill cry was:
"Them's ourn - you've took 'em
from our sidel"
The discussion that followed was so
personal that 1t had to be silenced by
the parents, who did 50 from principle,
for each secretly inclined to "our side. "
Uncle True, who suffered most be.
cause the Baskinses were most, said:
"Neighbor Baskins, children as
young as yourn has got to be fenced
off, stands to reason" adding pacili-
cally, chow be they agoing to know
which is which,"
at amt all the children" put in
Mrs. Basliins. "Your wife didn't
know which was which when she used
out O. my firkin O. barberry sass all
last winter"
So the landlord divided them, from
the front gate to the double doors; from
the "stoops' in the rear straight
through the back yard. To be sure
there was in the True's cellar an open.
ing to q chimney that ran through "the
Baskins' part" but that seemed then
of no importance, for it was never
used.
After the bones of contention were
equally portioned both tribes fra.
ternized over the new back yard fence.
Said Baskins with great decision:
Just let me know If any of our
young ones climb over!" Adding
"What's the good of fence II 1t don't
mean nothing?"
This sentiment elected from Uncle
True fervent "That's so! And If
our Bert trespasses III be obleeged II
you'll tell mer'
The children literally "sat upon" that
fence for hours, covetlng forbidden
places. If the Baskinses played ball II
was sure to fall upon Uncle True S
green-surely 1t was boys high privi.
lege to scale fencel
AT length Sabbath dawned that
Uncle True never forgot. Something
-be thinks now 1t was Satan himself
suddenly prompted him to stay at home
'Guess won't 60 to meetin' to-day
Pamely," he said; I'm feelin' little
SLIM a favorite expression, although
he was very stout. "You and Bert &C
and fill up the pew"
Bert's health also had declined since
Saturday; so he demurred, and wa,
sternly rebuked by his father. Mrs
True also hung back, saying she wa'
not myself" but Uncle True per
sisted in thinking she was, and hi
chosen representative.
Because let up once in while III
no reason everybody else shouldG' sait
Uncle True. "lve got to watch thu
place; 'tother part'll be empty-Mis
Baskins has taken the baby to he
mothers and the rest are goin' tC
meetin."
1t took much urging to start Uncl
True's family OFF without him.
"Slrangel can't stay to home once
without working so hard for it," he
muttered as he elongated himself upon
the sitting.room lounge. "Bcen 'bou
as cheap TO have shaved up and gone
100"
But even now, despite the quiet
Uncle True could not rest. lie wen
into the yard, scarcely knowing wha
TO do with the sacred hour. HC
walked slowly down the little path
paused to solemnly inspect the up
springing lettuce, pondered before thu
hepnery Till the inmates were alarmed
at the unusual attention, fingered II
meditation sweet over the pigpen unit
the occupant rose from his Sabbath
nap and approached him with an in
terrogative grunt.
Suddenly something like smal
black cloud came between him and tn,
sun; Uncle True started guilLily-wa
nature about to punish him for cVad
ing religious privileges Then h
saw that II was swarm of bees hoy
ering directly over his bald pate
Uncle True covered it with both hand
and fled to the house Like liVini
ball they hung suspended a moment
then swept towards the housetop
alighting upon that unused chimney
Uncle True venlured out and eye(
them wistfnlly