The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1893-01-07

! Millic, this side of the hedge, her dress
torn her face ami hands scratched, ana
the tears rolling down her checks. She
had pierced the hedge.
Aunt Nancy, Aunt Nancy! The
house -afirc- Bcnnic-' was oil she
could say.
Nancy Mott was never able to tell
Just how she did it. But she forgot rheu-
matism and neuralgia pains. The axe
was sharp, the place the child had in
stinctivelv chosen was the thinnest-
! Nancy dimlv recollccted that the men
said it would not grow so well on the old,
beaten pathway-and the tough stems
! fell before even her weak, awkward
strokes.
She soon had made an opening large
enough to crawl through; and leading
Mile by the hand. she dragged her trem-
bling limbs to the house.
Sheets of flame poured from the CHM
ney, and the house was fairly enveloped
in a pail of smoke. In the kitchen the
atmosphere was thick with smoke and the
odor of burning wood and sweets
As soon as she could see clearly she
discovered Bonnie upon one foot, hob
bling about, frantically pushing back
great pieces of burning SCOT which fell
behind the old "tireboard," or dashing
water from the bucket upon the board it
! self, which now and then burst out into
blaze.
! 4 roaring fire in the stove was keeping
up the contagration, while the contents
of burning kettle of molasses added to
the smoke and smell.
Nancy hastily threw aside the stove
covers and tossed handy bowl of salt
upon the tre-bowl and all Then set
/ ting Bonnie down, his foot bleeding
afrcsh from his excrtions, she took from
him the old iron rake dragged out the
burning board from before the old fire
place. delugcd it with water and pushed
back the falling SCOT to die out upon the
stone hearth.
Then when the roaring and cracking
began to cease. she sat down on the old
board in the midst of SCOT and water, and
cried.
1t was forlorn group that Obed and
his wife found an hour later when they
entered the smoke bcgrimed kitchen.
: Then came the children's confession as
to the origin of the trouble; they had
built a''big enthusiastically fire. Nancy.
too, explained why she was there, and
rose TO go.
You'd better stay-now you re here"
said Obcd's wife. not unkindly.
There amt no body there" Nancy
answered, in a tone of utter hopelessness;
IAN Neps gone lame an the cows dead.
I've got to go
Obed looked at his wife. 81 guess
Ill 90 an see" he said, nodding at her.
Nancy turned toward the back door,
though her brother had started toward
the front door.
why, which way did you Gomez" he
asked.
Aunt Nancy cutted the hodge, she
did," cried Mile.
Cut the hedge calculated Obcd.
"Ies, did,
Nancy dropped down on the horse
block and Historically wrung her wet
apron. AN, Obcd. go get somebody to
cut it all down, an put up a picket
tence-anything but a hedge tween us,
Obed-l cant stand it any longer!''
People were surprised when the tall
young trees went down. A few DAYS
work undid the growing trouble of years.
But people were still more surprised
when Obed calmly dismissed Ike, and
again took charge of Nancy's place.
Then Nancy. the strain and worry re-
moved, took to her bed, and for ten long
months lay racked by inhammatory
rheumatism.
1t was midsummer again before she
left the west room where she had lain,
and again looked over toward Obeds.
1T seems good to STE over there" she
said putting up her glasses as they
wheeled her to the window "Why, L
told you to put up a picket fence, an
you've let the cd hedge grow up agin."
There's picket fence enough" said
Obed's wife; and Nancy's eve. following
the direction in which she pointed. roved
down the smoothly clipped green tops of
the ncw-grown fence to where q neat
gate had been let in; and over it two
young Usage >apiings had been twined
ill IL living arch of foliage.
I'VE might just as wcll've had it so
years ago, she went on to say, "only
we didn't start out right to have moth
ing
"'Cept Il hedge fence" added Obed,
loosely.
AN it takes just scch starts to get
just scch hedge fence as We got" Nam
cy significantly replied.
1t was the last reference, either direct
or indirect. to the old trouble. Obed
carried on the farm once more, and peace
rpi hot
Youths Companion.
E;,l, W:xl:.,