Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1886-04-13
THE NEW LINE FENCE.

IF there amt them hens again" said Ella
Long, setting down the milk-pail on tn
kitchen porch with a jerk. The stout, pleas
ant-faced woman to whom he spoke pauset
in the doorway with her bare arms twistet
into her calico apron, and regarded tn,
offenders mildly.
They were struggling through one of tn.
numerous gaps in the broken down fenc,
which separated Mr.. Longs garden from thai
of his neighbor. Alvin Talcott-a procession
of nine, clucking in 2 grooming way ans
stepping high. They came on with compose
deliberation, pausing among the cucumber
with contempative air, skirting the radishe
after dissatisfied survey, and settling dow
at last among the tomatoes with a chorus Of
victorious clucks.
1T amt going TO do said Mr. Long
wiping a disturbed face with his old red sill
handkerchief. Il amt going to stand it,"
1T amt likely he's thought of it," said hi.
wife, TRANQUILITY.
He can't think of nothing but that pesky
croquet business, rejoined Mr.. Long, jerking
his head towards his neighbor's yard from
which the sound OF voices and the click o.
mallets proceeded
"Oh. laws. Elias" Mrs. Long began in
easy remonstrance: but her husband had
seized an old tin dipper from the porch-shelf
and was making for the tomato patch as fast
as his GO years would permit. There was q
wild cackling and scattering as he threw his
dipler into the midst of the scratching flock
pursued them unrelentingly to the farthes'
possible point, and leaned exhaustedly against
the sunken gate of the dilapidated fence. 1,
was sunken with the weight Of the many
friendly chats held across it since the long
ago period of its erection; chats held at all
times of day and upon all jects-politics
moving machines. fertilizers, sewing soci.
eties, crochet patterns, raised cake recipes, etc
Dir. Taicott's croquet-ground was before
him. Mr.. Talcott himself stood near, lean
ing the weight of his small and wiry person
on his mallet; his hat over one ear, his cheer
full, round face shining with eagerness, his
whole attitude expressive of watchful and
profound absorption,
Mr.. Long surveyed the scene with displeas-
ure He had. originally, strongly disap-
proved of Mr. Talcott's croquet- ground. He
had not been sure that croquet was not on a
level with "keerds- and gambling; and that a
deacon of the church and member of the
town council should countenance and encour-
age such iniquity was a subject for grave re
fiction
From this-after frequent glimpes and oc-
casional considerations of the game, over the
fence-he had softened TO the opinion that ii
was a waste of time and pack of foolishness
falling gradually into the habit, despite his
convictions, of observing it regularly-grad
uating from the fence to Mr.. TalcottS door
step, and thus acquiring tolerable knowE
edge of its baleful methods. He had even
been known TO manifest an interest in the
game, to tender advice in d crisis, to give
his opinion on a disputed point, to
join in applause of a good strike.
But he had always considered that his pres
ence was something of a reproof and re
straint Just now as he stood Towning
down the long bewicketed ground, nothing
could have convinced him that he had ever
retreated in the least from his primal attitude
of rigorous disapproval
Mr.. Long shifted his position nearer.
'You'll have to keep them hens Of yourn
to home" he said. They're spelling my
garden jest about as fast as they can manage
it
MIR. Talcott's smiling face hardened. 1t
was not the first time his neighbor had men
toned the hens: though never hitherto with
much decision.
Il don't really know as its any of my con
cern," he said; YOU can't jest expect for me
to be chasing hens everlastingly."
Il don't know but what You better be cha
ing hens than wasting time over this here"
responded his neighbor, surveying the
croquet ground with sternness in his long
featured face
Mr.. Talcott's small, bright eyes snapped.
"You h'ain't no call, as | now of, TO give no
opinion whatsoever he retortei.
Mr.. Long turned his eyes upon his irate
countenance He was slower to anger than
his neighbor. About them hens, he said. Il
ruther guess this line fence better be iixe,i up;
needs it. They couldn't get in then unless they
should go round by the orchard, and that
amt likely"
Il h'aint been calculating TO lay ont any
thing on fences jest at present" said Mr.. Tai
cott, bracing himself ON his short legs de
family.
Mr. Longs thin face grew grim. You
better Jest think over about this here fence
said he, as he turned stifily away
Mrs. Talcott had come out of the house
with little bowl in her hands: thin
woman with pleasing remains of sandy
haired prettiness.
Il want Won to take in some of my rising to
Hannah" she said They had known each
years.
When Mrs. Long opened the kitchen-door
at o'clock the next morning. and stood
looking out at the early August day in the
moment before the fried pork had sizzled il
self quite brown, and the coffee come TO a
bother faculties concentrated themselves
upon an unexpected circumstance just be
meath her eyes.
Elias" she said. hes tearing down the
line fence. He's got job Dwyer helping him"
She was devoid of suspicious concerning the
fact; her voice was merely inguiring.
Mr.. Long was tipped hack against the wall
studying the city paper TO which he sub
scribed He brought the front legs of his
chair to the floor at his wife'S announcement,
and came to the door rather slowly. He
stood there rubbing his chin doubtfully; and
then went down the step, and towards his
neigbbor's yard. Some inner consciousness
prompted him to make a careless and in
direct approach-to pause and inspect the
garden, and stop 10 tighten the empty clothes
line, and to bring up at the fence in an
accidental and unprecedented way.
Mr. Talcott was working theoretically. A
pile of worm-eaten posts. pulled up 10y the
roots, and broken pickets, lay before him. A
little further down Job Dwyer was amassing
4 similar heap.
Il thought likely you'd think hetter of it,
Mr. Long observed with his ewes fixed
warilv on the other. This fence has been
wanting fixing for quite a spell l don't
know rs its worth while tearing il down:
thought. mebhe. little fixing up'd do ii. But
I'm willing to do my share. if YOU be calci-
lating to build a new one After an unre-
sponsive pause: ~Nou'Te calculating 10 build
a new one, sposc:~
"Yes, l be-" Mr. Talcott rejoined, with
acrimonious promptneSs
Something in his voice shook his neighbors
composure. But he carried Off his discomfit-
are creditahly.
"Nell, +" he said, it'll be a good thing.
s'peSe it ough, 10 hcen dome BEFORE He
pulled a grglS, and chewed it undauntesily for
two or three minutes before he went into the
house
~Well." slid his wife as snc set The dish OF
pork on the table
Hes 81; cat Ia ba.id new Eac fease.@
said Mr.. Long, taking his SCAT and showing
his knife up and down between the lines o.
his fork
His wife turned to look at him. Her sharp
intuition rooted cu, the dark side of the state
ment
"you haint had words with him, Elias!'
she said a quick alarm in her pleasant face.
.Now You didn't have no trouble with him
yesterday about them hens"