Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1889-03-29
l'ENGE1NCE is NINE.

I'ENGE1NC,E is NINE.
"Agrippina's my dawg"
"She amt ~
| "She is ~
"She uint"
This little neighborly chat transpired
across fence which was as much sub
ject of dispute between the combatants as
was Agrippina the dog.
The line had never been actually deter
mined, not because the science of survey
ing was unknown to them but because
Miss Holcomb was too "close" and Miss
Newbury was too obstinate. Miss Holcomb's
aunt had left her her property, and Miss
Newbury's father had left her hers. Moth
ing was said about the line in the deeds, and
1t is probable that the former owners lived
amicably. Not so Miss Hocomb and Miss
Newbury. And now Agrippina was born
| IN the vicinity Of this very liue of dispute.
| The kennel of Beauty her mother, had
been put there to satisfy both parties Miss
Newbury paid for the lumber, and Miss
| Holcomb furnished the paint. Before the
kennel was thought of Beauty was discov-
cred one morning sitting on the line, with
face turned toward Miss Newbury, but
| with tail resting unquestionably upon the
| premises of Miss Holcomb. 1t was suf-
| NiNublN pltdodll ppoiAlpn lOI l1cdulN W Dt
in, but it was excessively trying to the la
dies on either side of the line who saw her
there. Unmarried and childless, each had
the organ which served for a heart, and
| which iiuttered with parental instincts. To
possess something living, something that
came to one unsought, had been the voice
less desire of each for many a year Cats
might be bought for a quarter, and birds
for a trfe more; "but ddrg' said Miss
Holcomb, and "oh, dog' said Miss New
bury, was creature worthy OF its name.
Therefore, when Beauty rose on their
horizon, with paws. both fore and hind
| placed in provoking exactitude along the
line, but with face toward Miss Newbury
and tail toward Miss Holcomb, these ladies
were thrown into an agony of contention
never before experienced. The matter was
at last adjusted, after a fashion, by Miss
1olcomb claiming her mornings, and Miss
Newbury having the exclusive right to af-
ternoons the evenings Beauty herself set
tied by going to sleep on the line.
And now came Agrippina, slim, silky
daughter of Beauty, and the battle waged
afresh.
'Agrippna's my dawg ~ screamed Miss
Holcomb.
''She amt ~ retorted Miss Newbury
and so on through the clinching encounter,
when suddenly Agrippina ran into Miss
Holcomb's arms, causing that lady's eyes
to flash with triumph
There - she exuted.
"She smelt the meat, " asserted Miss New |
bury, after a moment of acrd silence.
You've got some meat in your pocket"
But Miss Holcomb shook out this recepta-
Gle to declare its innocence
"She came because she belOnqS to me-" |
she asserted, vehemently. dogs know
more than folks"
"Sone folks" sneered Miss Newbury,
significantly.
"Shes lovely dawg," cooed Miss Ho-
comb, passing her hand over the shining
coat. Il shall call her Agrippina.'
"Why do you call her by that heathenish |
name = inquired Miss Newbury.
Now Miss Holcomb was all befogged in |
historical research, but she explained to
Miss Newbury: "Agrppina was a heroine |
of the French wars. She was slave, and |
died on the grave of her mistress Agrp- |
pima, she continued, addressing the dog, |
promise that you will die on my grave
But Agrippina made no promises She |
stood regarding Miss Newbury, on the op- |
poste side of the fence, with gentle com
passion.
Tears sprang to Miss Newburys eyes
You always take everything Rebecca |
Holcomb, she complained Last year it |
was them two little guinea chicks that |
Matched under my stoop, You said they |
Matched in your yard but you'd say so if |
they was Matched in the Injun Territory. |
You'd begredge me an angle-worm if it was |
to come out of your dirt. There amt cru
eler woman living" And indeed the cold |
acquistive expression of Miss HOcombs /
face verified this charge. The next thing |
that sets foot or tail in these two yards I'm |
going to take" g." added Miss Newbury with /
unexampled firmness.
"Well so You can, agreed Miss Holcomb, |
who happened to know of a parrot about |
to be presented to Miss Newbury by a friend, |
and TO which Miss Holcomb could lay no le- |
gal or arbitrary claim-''so you can
Give me them words in black and |
white,n demanded Miss Newbury, in the |
flash of a curious premonition. "I'd rather |
have em in black and white" Miss Hol- |
comb drew out the little blank book where
in already appeared many a written agree
ment between these two. set it down |
like you always do" persisted Miss New
bury; "'I, Rebecca Holcomb, swear by |
every living hair on my head that any crea-
ture, dead or alive, that shall set foot or
tail in these two yards (Rebecca Holcomb's |
and Elizabeth Newbury's), between now |
and set of sun, shall belong to said Eliza
beth Newbury and her heirs for evermore >"
"Well, | hope you're satisfied, said Miss |
Holcomb, putting back her pencil into the |
loop and returning the book to her pocket. |
LET me see it !" demanded Miss New
bury sceptically,
'Oh, of course you think I'm mean |
enough to lie !" flashed Miss Holcomb, slap |
ping the book down on the fence,
Yes, do answered Miss Newbury, |
unblushingly There you didn't sign |
your name. Put it down this minute !"
Her enemy wrote, "Rebecca Holcomb.n /
'She's a lovely dog, =" she remarked again, |
gathering Agrippina in her arms and walk |
ing into the house.
"She certainly is" thought Miss New .
bury with a sigh "But always did think .
before that dogs were intelligent. She amt, |
or she'd never so much as pick the crumbs /
up from Rebecca Holcomb's table. Dear .
dear have awful bad luck 1 suppose
it'll be a lame peddler that II come into my |
yard first thing, and then won't that WON /
an laugh | can hear her now calm it .
over the fence You and your heirs kin |
have him : Gracious do wisht hadn't |
had her write it down
Miss Newbury seated herself with a
troubled heart. She cast her eyes about I.
her Giving room, neat, silent, unadorned .
Miss Holcomb had two chrOmos of laugh I.
llB hahlea uhoNo utl hlkh Hlhibul Aoieep |
and Awake" cut into the frames, describ- |
ed their condition. Such things had never /
fallen to the lot of Miss Newbury yet she |
admired them more than Miss Holcomb ev-
er could. She thought of Agrippina, seat
ed now, perhaps under those very pictures, |
maybe licking Miss Holcomb's hand
Tears fell into the pan Of green peas that |
Miss Newbury was shelling.
''For he that hath, to him shall be given
and he that hath not from him shall he
taken even that which he hath. IL was a
hard saying, aud the first 10 which Miss
Newbury would have called the Masters
attention had he stood beside her.
Yes, she reflected, with a kind of pa
tient bitterness, 81 suppose, even il she
had let me have Agrippina, somebody would
have pizened her the next day. Things
eem 10 go that way with me always. |
wonder why it is She's "A dreadful mean
woman, that Rebecca Holcomb. I'd say il
| if | was to die the next minute. She'd
come and laugh at me if | was in my cof