The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1895-05-07

were out of doors much of the time,
they occasionally exchanged glances
which were more significant than any.
thing they could have said.
When Mrs Burnett put out her wash
ing. she knew that Mrs. Deakin was
watching her and counting the number
of pillow slips and tablecloths.
When Mrs. Burnett came to the back
toor and called out, Come, Alice,
dear, and practice your music lesson"
it was equivalent to saying to Mrs.
Deakin, AHA, we have a cottage organ
in our house, but you haven't any in
yours
Mrs. Deakin had frequently informed
Tom that the Burnett organ was a
cheap secondhand thing.
One day, when Mrs. Deakin came
home from a funeral in a covered car.
riage, there was CONSERVATION in the
Burnett family, and accounts were not
fairly balanced until a new coat Of
paint was put on the Burnett house.
The Deakin children told the Burnett
| children all that their mother had said
about the probable character of Mrs.
Burnett. Likewise the Burnett children
repeated to the Deakin children all that
they heard at the supper table. Mrs.
Burnett knew that she was being report
cd to Mrs. Deakin, and Mrs. Deakin felt
it her duty to learn what the viperish
thing had been saying. Frank Burnett
and Tom Deakin became convinced each
that the others family was probably
more to blame over the fence, clothes
line and garbage box issues.
Allie Burnett started to run across
the street one day in front Of q delivery
wagon. She fell, scrambled to her feet
again, and the horses knee struck her
in the back. She fell OF the block pave
ment and lay quiet.
Mrs. Deakin saw it all from her front
window. She ran into the street and
gathered the muddy child in her arms.
The frightened driver had left his
wagon, and he followed her timidly to
the front door Of the Burnett house.
Mrs. Burnett screamed, and then be-
gan to cry.
run for a doctor, you loony!" said
Mrs. Deakin to the driver as she placed
the limp little body on a bed and then
ran for cold water and cloths.
When the girl opened her eyes, she
found her mother on one side, Mrs.
Deakin on the other, while q reassuring
physician smiled at her over the foot.
board.
"She's a little jolted up and bumped
her head when she fell, but it was
mostly shock" he said.
Law me- gasped Mrs. Deakin;
"when I saw that child fall, my heart
Just went into my throat! Don't cry,
Allie; you amt a bit hurt. The doctor
says l car put some more poultice on
your bad old bump"
"I'll get it," said Mrs. Burnett.
"No; you sit still. You are as pale
as q ghost"
That is how it happened that Frank
Burnett, coming homo from the works
by the back way, found in his kitchen
the hated vixen, the trainer of crimi-
nails, the woman without character
Mrs. Deakin.
She told him what had happened and
begged him not to brighten his wife, as
there wasn't any real danger.
MI. Deakin was likewise surprised
upon arriving home. Supper was not
ready, and his wife had gone over to
the enemy. He went after her and was
taken in.
Mrs. Deakin told him she couldn',
come home because Mrs. Burnett was
all upset, and some one would have tc
take care of the child. So Mr.. Deakin
and his two boys ate a COLD lunch with
Mr.. Burnett and his boy.
MI. Burnett sent Morton out to gel
two cigars, and while the women sal
by the bed in the front room the men
sat in the back room and smoked, while
the three boys, awed by the revolution,
kept very quiet.
IF Morton ever bothers you, Mr..
Deakin," said MI. Burnett, "you just
let me know, and I'll tend to him."
Il was just going to say to you that
Larry's apt to be too gay now and then,
and if l ever hear Of him picking on
your children I'll make him remember
it,"
In the front room Mrs. Burnett was
thanking Mrs. Deakin, who was hoping
that her children had never bothered
Mrs. Burnett very much. The little girl
went to sleep, and the Deakin family
went home.
That was the end of the feud. In
each household there was q general or.
der that in case Of a neighborhood riot
punishment should be visited upon
those nearest at hand.
Those two houses, side by side, be.
came the peace center of the west divi.
sion.
The Deakin children were at liberty
to 60 over and thump on the Burnet,
cottage organ.
But who ended the feud-the men,
the women or the 6-year. old?-Chicage
Record.