Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1899-11-24
No Signs of Peace
War Is SSH Raging in the
Auoeriy FLATS

| \ building presented an imposing
md unbrolen front to the world. The
| doorway in the middle of it was wide
and beautifully arched, all the windows
we're trimmed with stone carvings, all
The window shades were alike The
landlord had carefully seen to the latter
point; he said that it made the building
look more like e private house, al
though not even a Klondike millionaire
would have been likely to build a palace
as large and impressive as the Auberly.
But the landlord made great point of
the private-house-like appearance of the
great building; he rented several fats
annually solely upon this ground.
The back OF the Auberly building,
however, was less imposing. Long,
skeletonlike porches stretched along it
at every floor, and these porches were
not divided Of into sections as were
the fiat to which they belonged. If
they had been so divided various things
would never have happened which did
happen. But the only point of division
which broke the long line OF the porch
on each floor was strip of two-inch
boarding which marked the place at
which one section OF veranda territory
vas merged into the next. And it was
this little strip of boarding which
caused an the trouble between the Hal
la1ns and the McEaughtons.
Mrs. HaIlam, to begin with, instruct
ed the man who sometimes worked for
her to build u support Tor her porch
boz, of flowers with this strip of plank
for a foundation, and she quite forgot
to mention the matter to Mrs. Nc
Naughton, who occupied the next fiat
on that floor, until the box was in
place. Mrs. McNaughton. in spite of the
summer-long friendship between them,
was inclined 30 look upon this pro-
seeding with disfavor.
"Such impudence!" she exclaimed 10
her husband, as they sat at dinner. TO
put box on top of my boarding with
but even consulting LIE. I'll just wait
until tomorrow and see what she says;
that's ALI"
Mrs. HaIla1n, however, being annoyed
in her turn by the diSdainful glances
she had received from Mrs. McNaughton
upon the occasion OF their stepping out
upon the back porch simultaneously,
said nothing whatever, and Mrs. Nc
Naughton's anger increased nightly.
The next day, aided and abetted in her
decision by the gossip of the building,
Mrs. Brewer, who zealously famed the
, fame Of the growing disagreement, she
ordered the man who occasionally did
little work for her to take down the
, box, lift it over onto the Hallam side Of
, the dividing line and remove the sup
port upon which it stood.
Mrs. HalIam, bitterly indignant, Or
dered her man to rebuild it and went to
81, a., ~,
She returned to find the support once
: more demolished and to hear Mrs. Nc
Naughton exultantly relating the story
to Mrs. Brewer by means of the air
shaft. That evening the two husbands
were called into the quarrel and each
instructed to settle the matter. They
met, practically at first, upon the back
porch and argud the question across
, the miserable bit of boarding around
, which the trouble had grown.
At heart each man was more than
, willing 10 let the matter drop, each
considering the quarrel silly in the eX.
. IRENE; upon The surface, however. each
was determined to uphold the dignity
Of his wife and TO maintain her undis-
! outed right to the possession of that
strip of planking. The consequences OF
, several. The first and most noticeable
was that the two wives, who, from be-
hind their respective screen doors, lis
tened eagerly to the affray. were pres
emily imploring them to stop hammer
ing each other.
Dent notice him, dear; he isn't
worth it, screamed Mrs. Hallam, wild
. ", rushing out and selling her husband
, by the tail of his coat.
, 81 wouldn't bemean myself by touch.
: ing such a mani" Mrs. McNaughton
shrieked, catching hold of her husband.
arm.
They managed to stop The fight, after
:. much persuasion and entreaty, but
y after this incident the two men, whC
n had gone to the city together and re
turned in company every day since NOV
ing into the building, only glowered al
each other when they met on the rail
;. way platform and took opposite sides OF
the pavement as they went to and from
q the depot. Nor did they longer go arm
in arm to the suburban lodge to which
both belonged. The lodge met upon thG
evening following the battle upon the
. porch, however, and both attended. 1
. was while they were absent from home
for this reason that the next develop
ment of the affair took place.
Mrs McNaughton. entering her kitch
: en- for a glass of milk before retiring
e was startled to see reaching forth out
: in front of her window a hand. whicl
!, CLEANED whitley out of the surrounding
s darkness. The superstition which Mrs
e McNaughton has inherited from hel
great-aunt upon her mothers side as
4 serted itself instantly, and she screamed
so loudly that Jennie, the hired girl
= came running I'D from the court. whers