Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1898-07-08
~ x = HEN Joe Peterman and
wv Polly May get married."
was q standing jest In

wv FOLLY May get married
was a standing jest In
Pineville.
Joe and Polly lived on adjoining
fve-acre lots, with only a fence be-
tween them. 1t was not a very high
fence nor a strong one either, for 1t was
almost rotted down in many places.
1t was said that years a@O Joe and
Polly had been sweethearts, but that
they had quarreled about some trlling
matter, and that they had not spoken
to each other since that day.
Jonessy had just been elected justice
OF Pineville, and was looking around
to see where the fees of the office were
to come from.
AS there was nothing for him to do in
the office, he thought that it was his
duty to go outside of 1t and hunt up
something. In debating the question
with himself as to what would be most
likely to bring him in a fee, his mind.
OF course, turned to marriages.
when Joe Peterman and Polly May
get married." he repeated to himself,
smiling. We'll, it Is a duty l W to
this community to end that quarrel Of
theirs the first thing, and it Is a duty
l owe to myself to see that they get
married as soon afterward as posi-
ble."
SO Jonessy took a walk out to Joe
Peterman's place. and found the latter
at home.
joe" he said. after some talk on
subjects in general. Joe, l came out
to see you on official business"
Joe's eyes few wide open.
u haven't been doing anything
wrong, have II" he asked, with trem-
bling voice.
The truth was that Joe had thrown
a brickbat ut Polly's cat the night be-
fore, and without really intending to do
so, had hit her and knocked her u of
his favorite peach tree, and had felt
rather mean about It ever since.
well, don't know Jonessy replied,
cautiously, for he could see that Joe
had something on his mind, and
thought to draw him out. "You see,
Joe, the right and the wrong generally
depends on the circumstances attend
Ing the case"
That's what I reckoned," said Joe.
You see l saw her coming through
the fence, and tried to make her go
back"
And she wouldn't go?"
mo"
What did you do neXtY'
"Soon as | spoke she ran up that
peach tree, and went to clawing and
scratching the bark"
"She did, eh?'
"She did. Then I got mad. like a
fool" said Joe, hanging his head. Il
picked up n brickbat and threw 1t at
her, and down she came, kicking her
legs like drumsticks."
Didn't she say anything?" asked
Jonessy.
'Who?"
why, Polly May, of course"
You didn't think that it was Polly I
treated that way, did you?" asked Joe.
NO, hardly. But who was it,"
ut was Polly's cat. JoneSsy. l thought
that perhaps Polly had seer 1t, and
gone to you and entered n complaint
against me-"
mo, she hasn't done 1t yet. Joe, but
there Is no telling how soon she may do
So said Jonessy. Then he added. con-
tdentially, If I were you I'd go over
IN see her and settle the whole thing
out Of COURT
After Jonessy left him Joe stood and
scratched his head for some time. The
whole thing was a puzzle to him. Had
Jonessy known more than he pretend
ed? If so, had Polly told him? And IL
Folly had, was 1t at her suggestion that
Jonessy had come and told him to 90
and see her2
TT is ten Years since we spoke" he
unused, with n sad smile, while a mock
ing bird was singing blithely in a tree
close by.
Then suddenly he burst out laughing.
1.-The idea of Polly climbing a tree he
cried. And me throwing brickbats Mt
her, and she falling-ha-ha-ha"
But Jonessy walked homeward In
quite n different mood. Somehow he
felt that his mission had been rather n
failure. Still. every once in awhile, a
CLEAN Of hope darted upward and he
thought that he could see n fee of office
afar off.
As he walked along, musing and