The Penn's Grove record., 1895-11-29
k7aN Msadsf. NufYhf6f f6hnt i've

biScsE MsGdsf. Busshf6f edhn6 1--WE
/ piece O. road that's a. necessary as
the whole big bit, and have II said that
Dove give the people the road
sHe's mighty little and peaked; Is
that what you're thlnkin' Of, fatherY'
Mrs. Kings calm voice somehow
seemed to startle the old mo-
he cried roughly; II amt thinkin' O
nothin' o the kind. He's big enough
fer 5 years old"
Johnny were bigger" said Mrs.
King. "He had stouter limbs and
weren't so puny in the body. Davy
most skeers me when he's undressed-
Johnny were bigger In every way"
awaai, you didn't raise him." said
the old q bluntly. 'This n 70 big
enough fer me, and a mighty spunky
little Teller. Bless you. no. he ain't
afreerd O. nuthin'. He took the stick
to Dawes dog. II that dog had . bit
him" The old mans face took on
It's expression of hate and rage.
Claws, 1t didn't bite him." cried Mrs
King. .John Peters says he believes
the dog was laughin'. You never was
70 down on anybody as you are on
Dove. II he has got an ugly. temper
he ain't the only man round fxed that
away
mo" said old King. "and he amt the
only man around has got some say
lbout q public road fer the church go
ers. II you think this here little Teller
lint strong, hadn't you better put him
IN that lounge yander, away from the
|draft7 John Peter says as he puts him
In mind o. Benjamin Stone; he says as
Stone we're the ~littlest, peekedest Teller
be ever seen. You wouldn't know 1t
aow; weighs $50 pounds and is a-gunno
rit to Congress-"
Mrs. King gathered the little boy into
her arms, the old man helping her ten
ierly. "He's a mighty light weight"
she said, anxiously: "mebbe as Ben
'Iamin Stone were this Always; I dunno;
Il think eff l was you and wanted to
false the boy I'd let 'em have the bit o
meadeR."
The old man closed his lips tightly for
an Instant; then he spoke grayely:
You've got a lot Of foolish notions in
rer head, mother" he said. II humcr-
I'd you morn once. but it didn't do no
rood. 1 let Jim Coombs have them
- x~bar 7 tpnwad ha xuarantt
xunpo pay fer 'em. and l got that there.
bigger of without a trial. But you
iidn't raise Johnny"
"He weren't SO little and peaked as
I.his'n," said Mrs. King, ~unreasonably.
"Waal, mother. I amt gunno do no
manner o. foolish things skeerin' my
,elf about the boy" said the old man.
Impatiently. 1.-THE Lords give him to
as, whether to keep or not / can't say;
but 1 know for one thing. that Sam
Dove amt gunno pint no fun at me
ibout the meader road on account O. q
little Teller like that. No. they amt
gunno git the bit o. meader that away
through little Davy. Mebbe after a
while, as they can put in q good 1yin'
machine to carry them owe and the
eap'n can give the whole Of the road
sure enough and run the fyin' machine
into the bargain"
You're bound fer to keep the Durm
In the meader?"
To this question old Davy answered,
f, testify .sThe Durm's got as good a right
to the meader as you and / have to the
house. l don't buy animals to put 'em
ap In the barn or stake 'em round the
place. The headers a mile long. and
Il thar amt room In 1t fer the Durm
and the road too. why the road can go.
il Amt too much fer accommodation
anyhow. Them dogs o. Doves II
worry the bull mad some day. I'd a
,hot the hound dead II he'd a bit Davy."
"He weren't thinkin' O. bitin' the
! child" repeated Mrs. King. John
Peters says as he believes the dog were
,aughin'."
The following morning. old Dayy bus
led himself measuring the bit Of mea-
low in order to satisfy himself in re-
gard to the exact amount of land that
his neighbors coveted. He was greatly
amused by the gracious good-mornings
Of the passing neighbors, their gay re-
marks about the weather and the gio.
tious promise in the waving wheat.
"They think I'm measurin' 1t fer the
ase o the public, Jest to see how much
I'm a-handin' over" said Davy to the
little white-haired boy, who kept close
1t his heels. ut Amt sech a bit after
lil. Davy. There's two hills in 1t and
4 holler."
.And a crlck," said Davy, enthusiasts
ically.
eyes, and a crick that can rise and
spite the whole road fer q SPELL" said
The old man cheerfully. ""Tain't sech
1 little thing, nehow. The road commits
ILoners would have to put up a bridge,
the county a-payin' for II. WAL, wal,
the cap'n may help along his man run
min fer office, but Ill keep the county
nom a-layin' out a pile O. money OF d
new public road"
Two hills and a hollow and q creek
were indeed to be found In the bit Of
meadow land that the church people
were thinking Of talking over In meet
ing. with the minister hot on the side
Of the new public road.
Old King got in the habit of paying
daily visits to the meadow. He liked
to make out who the people were who
quarreled every time they had to shut
the gates, and he liked to see them stare
about to see IL the Durm were In sight,
for tales had been growing in regard
to the Durm.
"Just about as playful as q calf run
ain round its mother" soliloquized
Davy. Sr.. watching his property down
In the meadows e~nveloped In a cloud Of
dust Of his own raising. "He ain't
Iafeered o. nothin'. but thar won't be no
body to keep the Durm back eff the dogs
Us In his way. Them dogs Ia worth q
heap o money. the cap'n brags. but the
IDurm amt gunno stand back fer that.
II reckon he thinks he's wurth morn
= emery dog"
The old man was standing at the out
ler gate one day when he beheld his
enemy lead his horse through the outer