Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1892-05-14

farm in the angle formed by the junction
of Salt Creek aud Lane River. Aoner's
farm was just above Josiah's on the bank
of the river. Both farms were for
the most part what is called "bot-
tom land" and subject to overflow
during protractcd rainy weather ~
Besides being sometimes flooded by the
river, Josiah's farm was occasionally in
undated by Salt Creek, the turbulent lit
tie stream which flowed along his south
ern boundary line. Salt Creek seldom
rose very high, but when it did so its
rapid current wrought much greater
damage than the rises Of the larger but
more sluggish Lane.
This river would have been more des-
tructive had it not been in some degree
controlled by great levee on the farm
Oext above Abners This levee acted in
such way that the water from the Lane,
when IL did cover the lands of Abner and
Josiah, spread over wide expanse and
moved with very little current
But even slight current will carry
wooden things long distance. Abner's
rail fences, together with brush, logs, and
debris from his woodland, were some
times lifted by the water of the Lane
River and set down on various parts of
Josiah farm. Then Abner would haul
his rails back and rebuild his fences,
while Josiah would burn the debris.
But one unlucky spring, when Josiah's
corn had just appeared above the ground,
the Lane came over its banks and wrought
unusual harm. Not only were Josiah S
fences removed and Abner's brought into
their places, but Josiah's cornfeld was
Tricky strewn with treetops from the
great quantity of timber that Abner had
cut on bis farm during the winter.
After the water had subsidized, Josiah
was looking about his cornfeld one
morning. Tree tops, logs, big chips
long sections of bark, fence rails, all
covered with slime and mud, were re-
posing on his newly sprouted corn,
Many days of hard labor would bt
needed to cut and pile uD all this drift,
wood, which would not burn for weeks
Much of his CORP, which had been thu
finest in the neighborhood, would b.
ruined. Aud by the removal of Abner',
fences much of Josiah's corn would be
trampled into the ground.
No wonder Josiah was out of sorts.
If he had been left to himself al
might have been well, and l should have
had no story to write. But as JOSIAH
was gloomly viewing his flooded prop
Crty, Abner came across the field.
"Mornin' ST."
81 grunted.
"Things looks kind o bad, don't
they, Si2"
81 said nothing.
"How soon kin l come an get m,
rails2'
"Don't know as yen get EN- at all,
said Josiah
II thought them was mine over van
der" Abner pointed to mass of rail
and cernstalks which were undeniabl,
his.
"Ain't them yourn, too, then, an
them, an thema' Josiah pointed
eloqueHtlY to the mud coated logs anC
treetops.
"B'leeve they air, 81, most of 'em.
"Wal, when We take the last one o
EN- eff o my corn we'll talk about let
tin you take them rails, too"
Abner was astonished.
II don't mind helpin' We clear off tina
mess, 81, eff We ask it, But I'd like :,
come in to-morrer or mex day an gi
my rails"
81 forbid ye settin' foot on my lane
agin" shouted Josiah. "If I've got tel
do all yer log-rolin' fer ye, an do in my
own cornfeld to boot, I'll just keep tht
good along til the trash
"I'll sue ye then" said Abnet
angrily.
"Sue an be hanged I'll sue ye fel
damage fer lettin yer trash in here, an
fer ruinin my corn, if ye come IN afte
yer rails"
Abner did not bring suit as he haC
threatened, for he saw that the expense
would outweigh the profits. He mad,
new rails and rebuilt his fences.
Josiah rebuilt his own fences from the
rails brought down from Abner's farm,
together with those which remained o.
his own. For weeks his cornfield wa
in fog of smoke from the Shiny log
heaps, and in the autumn his crop wa
far below the average.
During all this time Josiah aud Abnel
shunr ed each other. Their wives and
children were not allowed TO exchange
visits.
One night of the following spring Sal
Greek rose to a height many feet abov,
any point it had ever reached in the his
tory of the valley. There had been
week of rainy weather. so that the tur
bulent stream was much swollen, and OF
this particular night there was a tire
mendous rainstorm.
As the Lane River was swollen greatly
there was no adequate outlet for th,
tnrbid food which swirled and rushed
down the Salt Creek valley. Conse
quently, the current of the Lane was no
only stopped, but turned back, so thai
for some hours the river actually flowed
up stream.
Then the brawling little stream, like 6
person of passionate impulses, GAINED
down almost as quickly as it had risen