The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1889-09-11
WHOLE NO. 1890.



those who live in thecountry. Owing to
the nature Of the farmers business, and
the isolation that life in the country
imposes on the farmers family, country
neighbors bear an important relation
toward each other A man in the COIN
try with his land joining that Of others,
if he is Indifferent to bis neighbor's rights
and his deziings sith bis felioE-man can
make life 3 series ofannoyances to those
living near him.
There is a class Of men who have Just
one idea in lifs-to forward their 0xn in
terests. regardless Of the interests or feel
ings Of others. some Of these are so in
tensely selfish that they become blinded
to everything except their own side in
the case and Others, through their ex-
ceeding carelessness, cause much injury
to befalI their neighbor. The annoy
ances that rise from poor fences through
which cattle escape, from sheep-killing
dogs, and similar grievances, breed an
endless amount Of hostility among coun-
try neighbors.
We once lived neighbor to a man
whose land for long distance adioined
our own. According to law it was his
dGty to build and keep in repair half Of
the fence But this man was a person Of
habitual slackness in all his ways. conse-
quently his share Of the fence was
always in iicxety condition. The harm
became doubly great since his land vas
a pasture and ours a field. The annoy
ance endured from that neighbor's cattle
breaking through and destroying crops
was incaIerlable.
Year after year it continued. Each
spring the man would patch up the old
fence, and each summer the trouble
would be repeated On one occasion q
fine cabbage crop was one of the prodGc-
tons in our field Hundreds Of fine ear
y heads were just ready for market at a
good price. One night number Of this
mans COWS broke through the fence, and
trampled all through the growing crops
until they found those cabbages. The
condition Of them the next morning was
enough to arouse all the ire in any mans
nature. There were but a few heads un-
touched Many had just bite taken
out Of them, but we're spoiled for sale.
Some one viii say go to law with
such men and make them pay damages"
Resorting 70 law is unsatisfactory. Many
time the damages received do not cover
the loss. Neither does it make restitu-
ton for injured feelings. or for the blight
ed hopes Of the farmer.
Another man I knew was Of a most
parsimonious nature. ANY opportunity
for him to save penny never went un-
improved. He had an old horse that for
sbrewdness Ofeharactsr was excelled only
by its master A local law permitted
animals to run in the public highway.
This man would rise between three and
four o'clock on summer mornings and
turn the old horse into the road to get its
breakfast. TIE farmhonses were near
together at that point, and this horse
would find its way into fenceless door
yards, trample over fower-beds and break
down shrubbery. He would jump over
low fences and stone walls II order to
reach good feed. Tha entire neighbOr-
hood had to guard against the depreda-
tions of this old beast, and when one
day it happened to get on the railroad
and its meddlesome career was ended
no one grieved except It's owner. The
owner of the horse well knew what a
mischievous animal be was vet, IN order
to save little feed. he would turn it out
to become a nuisance to his neigh5ors.
The man became an object Of universal
dislike just on aecoudt of such inconsid-
crate action toward his neighbors.
Perhaps TO other one csinse has pro
duced more hostility among neigh bors
than that Of farmers having sheep killed
by their neighbors' dogs. This is really 50
t.
one, the writer would be glad to see the
law step in and place 50 heavy tax on
dogs as would DO away with the entire
dog creation except the needed valuable
ones. There are thousands upon thou
sands Of the most worthless eurs through
out our agricultural district that every
year causes a great loss to the farmers.
They are kept by men not interested in
sheep, and in their indifference to their
neighbors' welfare they persist in keep
ing these worthless animals.
Occasionally the loss from this sDurcs
Is 50 great as to quite balance the profit
on a small farm A neighboring farmer
and sheep raiser keeps no dogs himself,
but has several neighbors who own dogs.
In one season he had nearly a hundred
dollars worth of sheep and lambs killed
by dogs. He was unable to designate the
guilty animals, and as usual each dog
owner defended his dog against the
charge. In such cases it Is isnpossible to
get redress in any measure, and The sheep
raiser is compelled to endure the wrong
and suffer the loss
In one instance & farmer found his
neighbours dog chasing his sheep in the
daytime. Hastily procuring his rife he
killed the dog. Even under such circuu-
stances the shooting Of it caused hostile
feelings between the two families, who
had hitherto been on the most amieable
terms. The owner tof the dog claimed
that it was simply in play that it was af-
ter the sheep.
Occasionally man is found vitn s1f-
ficient justice TO enable him to see both
sides Of the case, even though ne is
concerned party. An acquaintance once
purchased a valuable Newfoundland dog
aud paid express on it for aIongdistanee.
After the dogs arrival several sheep in
the neighborhooi disappeared The
neighbors we're 10th to belive that so no.
hle looking dOgof 50 noble breed would
be guilty Of such a deed. But finally his
guilt became unmistakabIe. and the own
er took its life. The good will Of his
neighbors and their interests were Of
mere value to him than the keeping OF a
dog merely as a matter Of pleasure.
In this great human family it IS irnpos-
sible for people to live wholly to them
selves There are times when individual