Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1896-09-10
.Do WON menn Rill Lenkins2e


wore n ever old Spiowles' WINS. and l
wont use no tar, neither" And old man
Hawkins rose up his full, brawny height.
He brought down his great, bony fist on
the wall of the shed with such force that
it split the siding.
Silas Hawkins was noted throughout
the county for his great strength and nm
fiinching courage. He had served through
the war; and after its close, for many
years. he had travelled with an old-fash-
Toned circus. Sleeping out of doors, driv-
ing tent-stakes, and lifting heavy weights
had hardened his muscles and strength
| ened his sinews till he had become u
| marvel among his fellows. BY dint of
hard work and careful living, he had saved
up enough money TO purchase this farm,
where he had lived now for over fifteen
| years, steady, Industrious valuable man.
| He was always on the side Of peace and
4 order. and had served the community in
| various official capacities where courage
and determination were required. At
present he held the Office of road super
| visor, and had aroused no small amount
of antagonism by strictly enforcing the
law prohibiting stock from running at
large on the highways. "'Twa'n't no odds
to him." he said, ''if folks was SO mean an
shiftless as to let their cows 20 wanderin'
round the country, breakin' down fences
and destroyin' their neighbors' craps. As
for him. bis fences were alters up, m fer
keeps, too. There want no COW In that
quarter-section us could push 'em down.
neither. But If the people wanted their
cattle runnin' round loose, what N Sam
Hill was there a law ag'in' II fer? Cord
in to his way o. thinkin', laws was made
to be kept; and, as ii was his dooty to en-
force that one, he was goin' to do it, in
spite of hell r high water"
And he did.
Notwithstanding all protests and abuse
cattle We're impounded and people fined. 10
the great relief and satisfaction of many
farmers, and to the bitter wrath of others
Unfortunately, there was large number
of these others,-a rough, improvident, and
lawless set, who were accustomed to ex-
press their disnpproval of u mans ac-
lions by nocturnal visits in Disguise and
the preparation of deeds of violence Sew
eral attempts had been made TO break up
the gang, but they We're numerous and
had many sympathizers: SO that up to the
present all such efforts had been without
avail.
Ever since Mr.. Hawkins had begun his
crusade against the livestock nuisance.
it had been whispered about that the old
man had better be pretty careful how he
played the boss. The community want
no circus caravan, to be driven by the
likes o him. But it was not generally
thought that any one would dare to modest
old Hawkins. The whitecaps had so far
never appeared in bands of more than
fifteen or twenty, and then at remote
farm-houses where there was little or no
danger of resistance. II was a sure thing
that If they, or any one else, attacked the
Hawkins place, some one would get hurt
The old man was not easily terrified
When he found the first notice of the
: regulators fastened to his barn door one
sunny morning in April, he looked upon
it as pure bluff, and said nothing. In
May there came another; but the time
that had elapsed since their first warning
was SO much greater than usually inter
; vened between their notices that he CAV,
, it no second thought, after remarking t.
his wife that he had heerd from them var
mints ag'in, but guessed they dassent d.
very much for they didn't seem TO be il
|, no great hurry. And now. late this after
noon, he had found third notice witt
every indication that it would be followe,
I up by visit before morning, for thei
| pAepniutiohs Ht WIN
and the tar were significant. NobOd,
d could tell what they might not do abou
g the place: uproot. the garden; drive off thu
:, stock; burn the barns: there was no wi
n lany at which they would stop
The old man walked around the house
8 and when he returned to the kitchen hi
l. mind was made up on few points.
Them fellers will come In a body
e they'll come by the road, and from tn
south. too; see If they don't"
e What makes you think SOP" asked hi
Ie wife.
'e We'll, it's easier goin' in the road afte
@, dark than clim'in' fences cross countr,
y as they'd have to do comm from the eTst
IS besides goin' through that piece o timbe
S, and crossin' the marsh: and there ain
II anywhere to come from on the west nm
Vi north They'll meet down there nea
a. Leukins' place, and come up here afoo
The north side the yard is well 'nuugh prt
IS tected by that hedge. All we've got
NJ look out for is the other three sides; and
Ill guess ! might s well be seem about
or now"
IN He started out, but on reaching the doc
er he turned.
as Mandy, shall want to use some
your clothes-line. Is this it hangin' hel
r, in the shed?"
a She said il was.
te And, Mandy, wish you'd have a lit
melted taller fer me when come in; boz
ok as much as | use fer greasin' boots"
rs 'All right" she answered. But VIII
I'd on earth he wants o melted taller is b
ct yond me- she thought. as he went out.
en- Slas Hawkins's methods of defcn
es were certainly original, hut none cotl
ne have been better adapted to the circur
IN stances. The houselst fronted west ,
as the road To the north was an enormo
nd wheat-Geld, separated from the yard by
at thick hedge of Usage orange, that Meth
yit man nor beast could penetrate. The O
man was clearly right when he said Il
b. place was protected on that side. On Il
er south was u large hay field. extendil
back below the barn and surrounded
nd an ordinary board fence. Back of Ii
III house and separated from all else by
on high rail fence was the gardcn-patch, al
Ter between this and the meadow on I
at, south ran the little lane from the doc
to- yard to the barn.
ie- In the shed We're two big rolls of barb
iot wire. to be used in the autumn for ne
W fences. Old Iawkins's mouth stretch
'. out in broad grin as he lifted these al
Did ''toted' them over into the meadow, whe
sit he unwound them. starting from the no
TX. and going hack almost 10 the barn, lea
IT. ing great, loose coils of the wicked ST
f,,f tt,..h tTr1t III, 4.