Daily Yellowstone journal., 1886-03-21
THE NEW LINE FENCE.

II tnere am tnem mems again, SAID Elias
Long, setting down the milk pail on the
kitchen porch with jerk The stout, pleas
ant-faced woman to whom he spoke paused
in the doorway with her bare arms twisted
into her calico apron, and regarded the
offenders mildly.
They were struggling through one of the
numerous gaps in the broken down fence
which separated Mr.. Longs garden from that
of his neighbor. Alvin Talcott-a procession
Of nine, clucking in grooming way and
stepping high. They came on with composed
deliberation, pausing among the cucumbers
with contempative air, skirting the radishes
after dissatisfied survey, and settling down
at last among the tomatoes with chorus of
victorious clucks.
1T amt going TO do" said Mr.. Long,
wiping disturbed face with his old red silk
handkerchief Il amt going to stand it,
1t amt likely he's thought of it, said his
wife, TRANQUILITY
He can't think of nothing but that peslsy
crnquet business, rejoined Mr. Long, jerking
his head towards his neighbor's yard from
which the sound of voices and the click OF
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 90 years would permit There was a
wild cackling and scattering as he threw his
dipper into the midst Of the scratching flock,
pursued them unrelentingly to the farthest
possible point, and leaned exhaustedly against
the sunken gate of the dilapidated fence. 1t
was sunken with the weight of the many
-. LII Z,
ago period of its erection; chats held at all
times of day and upon all subjects-politics,
moving machines, fertilizers, sewing soci.
cites, crochet patterns raised cake recipes, etc.
Mr.. Talcott'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 eageness, his
hhole 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 eountenance and encour-
age such iniquity was n subject for grave re-
Election.
From this-after frequent glimpes and &C.
casional considerations of the game over the
fence-he had softened to the opinion that it
was waste of time and a pack of foolishness;
falling gradually into the habit, despite his
convictions, of observing il regularly-grad-
uating from the fence TO Mr.. Talcott's door
step, and thus acquiring a tolerable knowl-
edge of its baleful methods. He had even
been known TO manifest an interest in the
game, to tender advice in a crisis, to give
his opinion on disputed point, to
join in applause of good strike.
But he had always considered that his pres
ence was something Of a reproof and re-
straint. Just now, as he stood frowning
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,
Mr. Talcott's smiling face hardened. II
was not the first time his neighbor had men,
toned the hens; though never hitherto with
50 much decision.
II don't really know as it's any of my con-
cern,r he said; "you can't jest expect for me
to be chasing hens everlastingly."
II don't know but what you better he chas-
ing hens than wasting time over this here
responded his neighbor, surveying the
croquet- ground with sternness In his long
featured face.
Mr.. Talcotts small, bright eyes snapped.
You h'ain't no call. as | now of, to give no
opinion whatsoever" he retorted.
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 fixed 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 out any
thing on fences Jest at present. said Mr.. Tai
colt, 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 stifly away.
Mrs Talcott had come out Of the house
with little bowl in her hands; thin
woman, with pleasing remains of sandy
haired prettiness.
a want you to take in some of my rising to
Hannah" she said. They had known ecch
other by their first names for some fifty
years.
When Mrs. Long opened the kitchen-door
at o O'Clock the next morning, and stood
looling out at the early August day in the
moment before the fried pork had sizzled it
self quite brown, and the coffee come to
boil-her faculties concentrated themselves
upon an unexpected circumstance just be-
meath her eyes.
"Elias," she said, shes tearing down the
line fence He's got Job Dwyer helping him."
She was devoid of suspicious concerning the
fact; her voice was merely inquiring.
Mr.. Long was tipped back 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 steps, and towards his
neighbours yard. Some inner consciousness
prompted him TO make careless and in
direct approach-to pause and inspect the
garden, and stop to tighten the empty clothes
line, and to bring up at the fence in an
accidental and unprecedented way.
Mr. Talcott was working energetically. A
pile of worm-eaten posts, pulled up by the
roots, and broken pickets, lay before him A
little further down Job Dwyer was amassing
a similar heap.
II thought likely you'd think better of II,