Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1898-08-19
A BARBERRY HEDGE.


The front porch Of the Lloyd farm
house faced the east. Therefore, at
three o'clock on a Sunday afternoon
in July, 1t lay in the cool shadow of
the great white house. Seated among
the gray cushions of the hammock was
Patty Lloyd, the only child and the
heiress of the broad acres. Patty was
a pretty dimpled blonde of twenty. In
a soft, white lawn, with her chestnut
hair curling away from her low brow,
she made a charming picture.
The other occupant Of the porch was
John Manchester, the son of Richard
Manchester, whose well-tilled fields
Joined Lloyd farm. He was tall, stall
wart and dark, while his thoughtful
face betokened a mind alert and cul-
.ured.
The air was heavy with the scent of
the hellotrope growing on a flower
stand at Johns right The beds of
geraniums and nasturtiums made
glowing bits of color on the velvety
green sward. In the branches of a
great apple-tree a mother robin chirp-
ed drowsily to her brood. All was
peaceful and free from discord.
But there was a serpent even in
Eden. AS Seth Lloyd, the father of
Patty, came strolling around the
house. coatless and his face flushed
with the heat, he bore little resemb-
lance to the traditional tempter of our
common mother. Still, his entrance
upon the scene was almost as fatal to
peace and harmony.
Mr.. Lloyd sat down upon the steps,
tanning himself with his straw hat
"Hew! Hot weather this, John"
Eyes, it's good for corn" John re-
piled, affably. He did not particularly
enjoy the society of Mr.. Lloyd, but he
was Patty's father.
"Yes, but somehow it don't seem to
bring on that air piece of yourn over
there" pointing off to the north, where
a corn-field belonging to the Manches-
ters was in sight. Poor lay for crop,
that. What ails it? You progressive
farmers don't seem to have very good
crops a1ter all your talk.
The hot blood colored Johns cheeks.
Mr.. Lloyd was always sneering at his
and his fathers farming. Perhaps II
would be as we'll to speak out concern
ing the corn. In the young mans
vexation he forgot that this disagree
able neighbor was the father of the
pretty girl opposite.
"Oh," he said, defantly, that's plain
enough. AS long as that hedge oi
yours stands there we can't expect
much of crops in the field next to it.
Your own suffer some, but the wind
favors you"
"Eh, what's that? What do you
mean?" and the old man sat bolt up.
right and glared at John. "It must be
your college learnin' has gone to youl
head"
This thrust did not quiet John. His
attendance upon the state Agricultural
College had before been ridiculed by
Mr.. Lloyd.
81 don't think it has. 1t may have
opened my eyes to the cause of wha
you are pleased to call our failures
You may not know, sir, that research
has proven that the pollen of the bar
berry-bush is hurtful to many growing
things. Professor Lutz touched OIL
the subject while / was at college, anC
/ have this summer corresponded will
him about this very hedge. He as
sures me that 1t is a damage to M
fathers farm, and could be so proved
in court. Botanists claim that thi
variety of the barberry, the Berberida
eae vulgaris, is"
Here a strange noise interruptel
him. 1t was a cross between a snor
and a growl. Only establishment hai
kept Seth Lloyd quiet thus far. Tn
Latin words, however, restored hi
power Of speech. He sprang to hi
feet with remarkable agility, consider
ing his sixty-hve years.
you fool!" he shouted. "Yor
blamed idiot You never had an,
more brains than your father, and tina
air schoolin' has spilled 'em. 1t is
lie, every word of it."
John, too, arose. Before he coul
speak Patty's soft voice recalled him t
himself.
"oh, papa, how can you, and on Sun
day, too! He don't mean it. John,
know he don't"
John hesitated. Yes, it was-wel
injudicious to say the least. to ange
Patty's father. He bit his lips an
turned half apologetically to the oil
man, but the mischief was done.
you keep still, miss" to Patty. "A
for you. young man. you walk. Don
you never put foot on my farm ag'il
Hedge hurt your eornl That hede