Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1895-12-04
" THE BIT o. MEADER. -

Old Davy King stood in his doorway
laughing. To look at the broad wheat
fields surrounding the farmhouse; 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 were enough to
make an old man laugh. but Davy King
was looking inside the house a. he stood
In the kitchen doorway.
They're thinkin' about bringin' the
subject up in a meetin', what you think
O. that, mother? Better be concentrat-
in their thoughts on gettin' the wheat
crop stacked before the rain, hah? !?
Howsumever, they got plenty a-time a.
Sundays" Again the old man laughed.
Someone inside the kitchen laughed,
too, a shrill, contagious little laugh.
'Ha, ha, ha!' roared the old man.
''He, he. her, 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 apples from the cupboard and
laid them upon the brown tablecloth
spread for the midday meal, Il don't see
the sense o neighbOrs continually peck
in and bickerin' at one another fer
nothin', and ii don't do no good. fur's
i can see TO learn a little Teller years
old to like sech things. Some folks say
It'll be all the same in a hundred years,
anyway"
"Waal," remarked old Davy. dryly.
81 reckon even in a hundred years once
upon a time Davy King will have had
the biggest right-a-goin' in the bit o
meader yonder, hah?"
"Twouldn't hurt to give IN 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. SANS
ready TO act the big man all around He
lied on me up to the polls: give it out as
/ was thinkin' one way and votin'
't'other fer spite. l reckon as I'm
thinkin' and actin one way about the
road; I'm thinkin' they will run no pub
lie road through the meader. and I'm
fxin' up the gates. Them two things
correspond purity good together"
sam Doves a foolish man when
he's angry" said Mrs. King. placidly.
'but he amt the only man thataway.
All the church people wants the road
we'll as Sam Dove"
That's So" said old Davy, content
edly, "they all wants it. How many
O. the church people stuck up fer me
around the polls? How many O. 'em
weren't a-clamorin' on behind Sam
Dove?"
"You amt goin' to give 'em the road.
are you. Grandpa?" cried little Davy's
shrill voice.
"You hear thatT exclaimed Mrs.
King.
Here's n chip O. the old block, sure,
the boy IS" said the old man. proudly.
"After my time you amt gunno let 'en
have 1t, neither, air you, honeyT
You bet / amt" said little Davy.
You'll let 'em pass through fer ac-
commodation. mebbe, but you'll keep
the gates whar grandpa put 'em, eh,
honeyf'
"Yes. sir-ree," said little Davy.
Little Dayy was SO very small that
when he sat up at the table his mouth
was hardly within sight, but his clear,
china blue eyes smiled at his grandpa
during his homely meal, and his little
white head bobbed under the table ev-
cry now and then In full appreciation
of grandpa's jokes.
You'll bring the boy up In sech way
that he'll think all the neighbOrs Is
FOOLS" remarked Mrs. King. reproving-
TO you fer that"
The old man had showed back his
chair from the table; he was standing
In the door again; the expression of his
face had assumed that gentleness that
one likes to see in an old man.
WAL, 1 dunno, Davy," he said, "as
I'd be so hard on the folks II Sam Dove
weren't In 1t. I've lived among 'em
all my life and six Of ems gunno carry
ME to the grave. But they've sort O.
took up Sam Dove as leader. Hullo,
thar, you shet that gate!'
The old mans voice rose In q perfect
roar as he uttered the last words and
his eye grew furiously angry. You
shet that gate" he called out again,
cor go round by the pike; that amt no
public road"
Hes done shut It," said the small
boy. peering down toward the meadow.
Can you make him out, honey?"
asked old Davy. zone O. the cap'n's
men, weren't he?"
NO" said the small boy. truthfuIly.
at wasn't nobody but niger boy"
q thought you was gunno raise the
roof off the house the way you holler-
I'd" remarked Mrs. King evenly. III
Dove can spare a two-mile road, l
should think you could let the bit o
meader go; besides, folks is feared to
pass through on account of the Durm.
"The Durm amt gunno to hurt no
body" said old Davy, than amt no
more harm in him than a colt. If they
set down on the Durm at the meetin'
I'll have my say about Doves dogs"
The old man was sitting in the door
way now. the small boy close beside
him. Little Davy's head was resting on
his grandpa's knee; his china blue eyes
were closed; his breath was coming
soft and evenly. Old Davy looked down
1T the little face, and then his gaze
wandered toward the wheat fields, yel-
lowing so rapidly, took in the sweep OF
eorn. saw the turkeys hunting worms
In the lane. WAL" he said, speaking
10 himself. "leavin' the cap'n out, they
hint a bad set O. folks. Ell they'd been
katisted with the fust arrangement,
lnd takin' nothin' but the strip O
woods + ,eN Dove, they could g had .