The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1895-10-23
" A BIT O. MEADER." F"
By LOUISE II. BAKER.


house, to take in a sweep of the corn
waving IN the summer breeze, to
watch the flock of turkeys summing
Themselves in the lane-all these
things we're enough to make nm old
man laugh, but Davy King was look
ing inside the house as he stood in the
kitchen doorway
They're thinkin' about bringin'
the subject up in meetin'; what you
think o that, mother? Better be
conccntratin' their thoughts on git
tin the wheat crop stacked before
the rain, hah? Howsomever, they got
plenty o time a-Sundays." Again
the old man laughed.
Some one inside the kitchen
laughed, too, shrill, contagious
little laugh.
'Ha, ha, hal" roared the old man.
'He, he, he !" shouted little Davy.
Mrs. King did not speak until little
Davy's laugh had died away in the
kitchen; then she said decidedly, as
she took two apple pies from the
cupboard and laid them upon the
brown table cloth spread for the mid
day meal: 81 don't see the sense o.
neighbors continually peckin' an
bickerin' at one another fer nothin',
and it don't do no good, fur's / can
see, to learn little feller five years
old ter like sech things. Some folks
say as it'll be all the same in hun
dred years, anyways"
"Wal," remarked old Davy, dryly,
81 reckon even in hundted years
once upon time Davy King will
have had the biggest right a-goin' in
the biz o. meader yonder, hah?"
"'Twouldnt hurt to give 'em the
road," said Mrs. King.
"They can drive through it; amt
a-hinderin' but the gates is got to
stand"
"Sam Dove, he's willin' to give the
road through the whole of his farm,
didn't you say?" inquired Mrs. King.
"Yes," replied old Davy, "Sam's
ready to act the big man all round.
He lied on me up to the polls; give
it out as was thinkin' one way and
votiu' t'other fer spite. 1 reckon as
I'm thinkin' and actin one way about
the road; I'm thinkin' they will run
no public road through the meader,
and I'm fxin' up the gates; them two
things correspond purity good to-
gether."
"You amt goin' to give 'em the
road, are you, grandpapa?" cried little
Davy's shrill voice.
"You hear that!" exclaimed Mrs.
King.
"He's a chip O. the old block, sure,
the boy is," said the old man proud
ly. "After my time you amt gunno
let 'em have it neither, air you,
honey?"
"You bet / amt, said little Davy.
"The neighbors is Godfearin' lot
of customers, little Davy," said the
old man, solemnly; ''and they've got
prominent matter to bring up at the
next meetin'. Has a old fool named
King right to prevent public roat
from goin' through his bit O. meaderi
The county amt much bent on pa
tronizin' such a road, but they're
thinkin', no doubt, about kickin' olC
King out O. the meetin' house /; they'r,
wantin' lively time a-Sabbath vel
as on Saturday night"
Snow, to come to the pint unde
discussion" continued tho old man
"Your grandmother thar, little Davy
thinks as the old fool ought to hant
over the land and run fence on t,
t'other side to keep the stock off tn
new public road. What do you thin
OF it?"
I'd keep my bit O. meader," sal
small Davy. bringing his hands to
gether with an enthusiastic clap. 60
wouldn't let the cap'n ride over me
grandpap."
The old man had showed back hi
chair from the table; he was standin
in the door again; the expession {
his face had changed somewhat;
it had assumed that gentleness thi
one one likes to see in an old man.
"Wal. / dunno, Davy," he sal.
"as I'd be SO hard on the folks il Sal
Dove weren't in it. Two lived anon
'em ell my life and sia Of ems gunr