The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1898-08-06
SAWED THE HOUSE IN TWO.
The Equitable Division of a Cottage
Owned Jointly by Two
Chicago Aldermen.

Recently Alderman William I. May
pole and his family and John Lyke and
his family occupied the same cottage
on the Ingleside shore of Fox lake.
Each occupied half the structure. Each
still occupies half.
A few mornings ago Mr.. Lyke was
awakened by the rip, rip of big saw,
and a stream of sawdust fell on the
Turkish rug in the center of the floor.
The worthy man looked up and saw
thin line of daylight along the middle
of the ceiling, and through the aperture
was working the flashing blade of a
saw.
Two or three seasons ago Alderman
Maypole and Mr.. Lyke, also a Chicago
citizen, decided to build cottage at
Fox Lake for their mutual occupation.
They were great friends, and they knew
it would be pleasanter for both If they
should pool their interests in the mat
ter of summer living.
The cottage was built, barn, an ice
house, chicken coops. and all the nee
essary buildings for a summer home
was erected, and the joint owners sur
| veyed their work with pride.
| The warm weather came and the fam
lilies moved in, each occupying half of
the premises. 1t was fine arrange
ment for time. Mrs. Lyke and Mrs.
Maypole borrowed sugar and raisins OF
each other, and the husbands traded
cigars, which they smoked on the
veranda in the warm evenings. The
cottage was the first to be built on that
side of the lake, and they had no neigh
bors to encroach on their privacy.
| At first the fact that the Lykes were
of religious turn of mind and loved
quiet and Sabbath calm, while the May
poles liked dancing and games and all
joined forces in singing the popular
songs of the day, did not mar the hap
piness of the flock The relations were
cordial and the exchange of cigars and
raisins and laundry soap continued.
In time, however, the likes and dis
likes of the families began to jar.
Sometimes Mr.. Lyke and his family
would be tired ard retire early, only
to have their nerves jump in tune to
"There'll Be Hot Time in the Old
Town Tonight" or 'My Gal Is High
Bon Lady," And in time, too, there
came gentle suggestions that early
hours and much quiet were best for
city jewellers who were seeking rest
and health in the country. On the
other hand, there were as covert sug
gestions that there was no need fol
persons to be mummies simply becaus:
they were in the rural districts.
The rag-time melodies continued to
make the shore CT Fox lake echo, anC
the Lykes continued to retire early an(
court elusive Morpheus or seek the sub
stance of Fox's Martyrs at distance
of is feet from rousing chorus. &C
companied by piano that was work
ing overtime.
The thread broke at last and the at
mosphere about the Maypole-Lyke cot
iage became such that the icehous'
went into disuse. If either side wished
to have ice cream or sherbet for Sun
day dinner it simply set the mixed in
gradients on the front porch and il
five minutes the stuff was ready for thu
table.
Last season Mr.. Maypole and his fam
lily left the cottage for the sole use o
the Lykes. They spent the hot month
elsewhere. The alderman thought .lons
over the proposition, and, as shrew'
business man, came to the conclusion
that it was poor policy to have vacan
property on his hands. Under thi
train of thought result was sool
reached, and the next day local car
pentering firm sent force of men t
Fox lake with full kit of tools. Tn
carpenters waited until the gray daw
appeared, and then they mounted tn
roof of the mutual cottage.
They began to saw. Rip, rip, wen
the blades, and they did not stop unit
they had made halves of the structur
from roof peak to basement. The
they began on the barn. That was d
vided, and the icehouse ard chicke
coop suffered like fate. Not hair
breadth from the center of the buildin
did the carpenters digress. The alder
man was fair man, and he only wan
ed his half. Every movable thing o
the place was sawed in two before tn
workmen ceased their abors.
The halves have been moved fey
feet apart and sided up, and now tn
Lykes and the Maypoes occupy thei
, several portions in peace.-Chicag
Journal.