The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1886-03-17
THE NEW LINE FkNGE.

nt-fasei Noalan To wSpm he spoke raised
the Doorway with her bare arms twisted
ITO her rairo apron, anil resarlel the
Fso6endefs milky
They wer. Struggling through one If the
Dumerous gap, in the broken down fence
which separated Mr.. Longs garden from that
Of his nei-kbor. Alvin TalcOtt-a procession
S Of nine, tlacsin, in 4 grooming way ard
stepping high. They came on with composed
elaboration, pausin:s among the cucunIbers
with contempla,iye air. skirtins the ra,tishes
after dissatisfied survey, and stirling down
at last among the tou,atcs with chorus Of
victorious eig, Is.
1t amt going 10 do" said Mr.. Long,
wipinS u disturbed face with his Old rel silk
handkerchief Il amt going To stand it,"
= at amt likely he's thought If it," sail ins
J wife. TRANQUILITY.
He can't think Of nothing hut tina, pcSky
croluet business" reto:fl,si Mr.. lniis, Jerllir;
his head towards his aeighbors yard from
which the sound Of voices and the click OF
maliets proces,lei.
~Oh, laws, Eliasr' Mrs.. Lon; hogan, II
easy remonstrance: but her h.shand haI
seized al oil tin dip;er from the porch shelf,
VIII wa fii0hAite iot tiA' lssNN - - ''NN
as his % years woulI permit. There Was Il
wild cackling and s.atterin, aS h. threw his
,lipter into the midst Of the scratching flock,
pursued them unrelentin,iy 10 the farthest
rsssiblc point, ami leaned exhaustedly against
the sunken gate Of the dilapliated fens. IL
was sunken with the weight Of the naay
friendly chats held across il since tn" long
ago Ieriul Of its erection; chats he'll AT all
times Of day and upon all subjects politics,
,.iOwing- machines, fertilizers, sewing soci-
,,ies, Crushct patterns. raised cake recipes, etc
Mr.. Taicotts crrluet ground was before
lin Mr.. Tulcott himself stood near, lean-
ing the weight If his small anil wiry rr'on
on his nalct. his hat over ono ear his cheer
full, round face shining with ca-s riirss, his
whole attitude expressive of watchiul ami
profound ABSORPTION,
MIR. Long surveyed the seen" with displc;ls-
urc. lie hal, originally, strongly diSale
proved Of Mr. Taiu,t's cr"quet- ground lie
had not bccn SUR that cropht was not on u
level with "keer,ls" and gambling, and that Il
deacon II the church ani II mmtrr ct tho
town council should countcna,co ami cnrvur-
age such iniluity was y subject fnr grave re
fiction
From this--aftcr frequent Elimpes and o.
c,isional CONSIDERATION Il thr L t.t", over tho
fence--h had >ott,ncd Ia ta' uplSioa that 1t
was vast of time and apac's OF fuolishnes
falling gra.lually into the habit, dc.pitc his
convictions, Of observing il rcsularly-gra
uating from the fence e. Mr.. Talcott's door
step, AMI thus acquiring n toltrat,l" knoNE
edge Of It's halcful methods, He hal even
tsen known ~ manifest IN interest in the
game, to tndcr advice in a crisis, To- give
his opinion on "a disputed point, TO
join in applause Of good strike.
But he hal always considered tina. his PRES
ence was something Of rcproof AMI re-
straint Just now. rs h. stood frowhns
down the long lewcketcl ground, nothing
could have convinced him that he had ever
retreatei in the least from his primal attitude
Of rigorous ,liapproval.
Mr. Lorg SHIFTED his position nearer.
"You'll have 10 keep them hens Of you,n
70 home" h. .aid. They're sp"iiing my
garden Jest about rs fast as they can manage
IT,"
Mr.. Talcott's smiling face hardened. 1t
was not the first time IN, nrighlor had ricn-
toned the hens; though never hitherto with
50 mucs decision.
II don't really knew ~ It's any Of my con
cern," he said; "you can't jest expect for mo
to l.. ,E.lsng hens cverlasiingly.'
al lon't know hut whl. You better I've chas-
ing hens than wasting tune over this here,
responded his mighlor, surveying tho
rrsIiet ground with stornnc.s in his lon;
fraturesl face.
Mr. Tal,ott's small. bright eyes snapped
"You lant M call, ~ now of, Ia giyo no
OPINION VIII ,,,1'yrr," hr retortci
Mr. Long turned hi eyes upon his irie
countpn,,nce lie was slower to anger than
his neighlor About them hens, hc sla Il
ruther guess this line fence letter bc fixed up,
needs it. They couldn't get in then unless they
should 20 round by the orchard, AMI that
ain't likely"
~ h'ain't been calculating to lay out any
thing on fences .st at present said Mr.. Tai
colt, braciny himself on his short lss de
family.
Mr. Longs thin face grew grim. YOU
better jest think over about this here fence,
said he as h. turned sttly away.
Mrs. Talcott had come ont Of the house
With little bowl in her hands; n thin
woman, with pleasing remains Of sandy
haired prpttiness
II want You to take III some u my rising to
Hannah she said They had known each
other by their first names for some fifty
years.
When Mrs Long opened tho Eitrhpn-1oor
at 0 o'clock the next morning. and stood
looking out at the carly August day in the
moment before the fried pork had sizalcd it
self quite brown and the coffee come to a
boil-her faculties concentrated Themselves
.pon nn unrHIe, t,l circumstance just 10
meath her eyes.
Elias" she sail, 'le's tearing down the
line fence He's got job Dv,nr helping him. "
She WIS devoid of sns;iaion. concerning the
fact; her voice was merely iuiuiring
Mr. Long was tIpp-l back against the wall
studying the city parr {" which he sub
sribol. He brought the front lrgs Of his
chair to the floor at his wIi.'s announcement,
and came to the door rather slowly. He
stood there rubbing his chin douhtfuly; and
then went down the steps. and towards his
neighbors yar,l Some inner consciousness
prompted him 10 make careless and in
direct aJprnaahto raliN' AMI inspect the
garden, and s.JI, to tighten the empty clothes
line. and to bring np at the fence in all
accidental and unprecedented way
Mr. Talcntt was working cnergptically A
pile If worm eaten posts, pulled up ly the
roots, AMI broken Jickets, lay bf0re him A
little fu-.her down Job Dryer was a'na,sins
similar heap.
al though, likely you'd think bettor of it, ~
Mr. Lnr: o.y"ru'.. with his eyes fixed