The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1901-11-08

! rected the earth all 10 be dug away
and the pipe examined. Everything
was found TO bc all right; no defect
anywhere.
Finally an engineer from the neigh
l"noring city was engaged. After care
| fully examining the line he decided
that, the spring being so much higher
than the trough, the water came with
such force that II had no time to stop
at Farmer Stones place.
Some were so scepticai as to- this
mans judgment, however, that anoth-
or engineer OF still higher reputc was
summoned His verdict was that the
spring, instead OF being higher than
the trough. was, In fact, lower, there
fore there was no force to push the
water up to the faucet
Now, it's my turn to see what the
lawn do" the farmer said. "Thcy
promised me water; they've got 10
furnish IT,"
Some one reminded the old man that
furnish the trough and the faucet; the
water was not In the contract
Ii was n novel situation. The town
must either be deprived Of water or
the trough must he supplied with II.
and Farmer Stone brought suit against
the town officers.
And now Joshua and Mcttie were In
trouble again. What would become
Of their hopes and prospects II things
went on like thsr
II know there must be some way TO
get water into that trough" she de
clared. "If | had half the knowledge
some folks think they have it seems to
me 1 could fix it,"
Mettie suddenly developed a dccld-
cd taste for studying water In It's re
lation to supplying cities and towns
through the medium Of the gravity
system When all the others were
sound asleep she would be poring over
books bearing on the subject, borrowed
from the city library.
Then she made numerous visits to
the spring and another larger spring
several rods higher up the hillside M
accurately as she could with her eye.
Still further To cOmpliCatc matters
Farmer Stone forbade Joshua ever 10
visit Mcttlc again.
I'VE will have nothing TO do with
them" he said "Thcy're a bad lot
| don't know as | ever really heard of
anything mean Luke done before this,
and | used 10 think I'd like well
enough to have Mcttie for a daughter.
but this things enough to convince
me that you never would have min
utes peace If you married her. Chip
of the old block"
Luke in the meantime declared that
Joshua never must darken his doors
again.
Good enough fellow; but what's
bred in the bone will tell"
So matters stood for several weeks,
until Il was almost time FOR the trial
of the suit.
On the night preceding the day f
the trial Farmer Stone was very rest
less, lie had ,boastcd that he had
never sued man or been sued. Now
the record was 10 he broken.
Tossing on his pillow not long after
the clock struck twelve a peculiar
noise broke on his ear.
The oftcner il came the more mysti-
fed he grew.
The moon was shlnlnA aud by its
beams he could distinguish mans
form standing near the spring on the
Ia. 1,n. a..
the sounds which had disturbed his
dreams.
Dressing rs quickly as he could he
went out and skulkcd along the fence
until he was within carshot.
Nov, Mettic, it is time you got out
OF that ditch" voice said. It's too
hard work for you"
"All right. Joshua, but your hands
are too sore to dig any more"
"I'll bet yours are blistercd all over.
This old ditch Will kill us all, | guess"
They'll get over it If they are bills
ditch, clear and strong. I'VE will see
the end of this before We sleep"
Farmer Stone sprang toward the
spot and looked down with astonishcd
face into the ditch. There Mcttic
stood pick in hand, her face flushed
rs red as fire.
"ln the name of common sense,
what's goin on here" he demanded.
There was little scream from Met
tie and Joshua made dying leap
down the hill.
There seemed TO be no such way OF
escape for the brave Mettie. however.
and she leaned against the bank OF
earth, her hands still grasping the
breeze. The long line OF fresh earth
which stretched away up the hillside
showed the wondering farmer that q
new trench was being dug from the
large spring To the end OF the pipe
which supplied the village.
"Oh. Mr.. Stone" Mettie began. and
something marvcllously like a sob
found its way along with the words.
'you will not be out of patience with
Joshua and me. will your It's all my
fault. anyway. couldn't think of
letting that miserable law suit go on
over this trough. Ii has worried all
OF us most TO death. have studied all
the books In the city. guess; and fin
ally thought l would just use little
common sense. Ii seemed TO me that
there must be some reason why the
water wouldn't run up into that