Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1901-03-30

{ The Man Over the Fence,
x

M vi NS>t'l 'iih' ~ ;, WYNN w nv ~
gardening, in an irreprOach-
able frock coat and pepper
andSalt trousers. lie also wore a
straw hat, with Il black ribbon round
it, and Il black tic. II" seemed to be
about the medium height, was clean
Shaven, and had Il skin rs yellow as
old parchment But the peculiar
thing about him WAS, no matter the
kind Of dny-no matter whether the
sun screamed down Oh him or the sky
raincd ,ears-hc invariably took off
his hat wnrn he entered The littlc gar
den, stuck ? spade in the ground, and
hung The hat on The top of the spade.
His gardening WAS very peculiar, for
he dug up III" same patch every day,
although II" knew that ia" dog would
trampic ii down before night. There
were few flowers or shrubs in The gar
den. aud all iii" Way round it the doc
had made Il narrow track.
As for myself, | had Il somewhat un-
easy feeling abou, This intensely rr-
spcctablc-lGoking nciyhDor. Perhaps
ii was his yellow skin, perhaps his
noiSclc%S movements frightened me.
but when | looked up and found him
stcalthily regarding ulc dixie the
ancient mariner, he had g!itering
eye, something unpleasant seemed to
pervLhc my spine ana send Il cold
shvcr down it. One Gay he dropped Il
big handful of salt on the back OF my
neck ana anXouslr pCcrrd over the
top Of the fence 10 see what would
happen to me.
AS ! wiped away the salt (sOmc Of
it had fallen below my collar and
made me smart considerably it sud
denly occurred 10 me that my ccccn-
trio ncighbor was an old scientific gen
tlcman who had noticed the way |
treated slugs in my C0arSer moments,
when the lust for slaughter boiled
within my veins. He waited to see
whether | should also dissolve, and
leave mot Il Wrack behinu.' 1t seemed
to me, however. that even though the
man over the fence was actuatCu Ivy 4
feeling Of scientific research. he might
nave gone through the formality OF
asking my permission before he tried
his experiment. Twice that morning
| noticed him look fllrtivcly over the
fence in evident disappointment that
was still able to continue my WORK.
When | said good day to him, just to
show that | bore no malice. he hobbCd
guiltily down and continued die ging
To make friends with him. and to III
ducc him to refrain from further OK
perments Oh the back of my neck, |
presented the old gentleman with Il
handful Of china aSter plants; where
upon he went into the house, returned
with plate of bread and butter, and
swallowed the plants with great gusto.
| was so dumbfOunded by this cX-
traoriinary proceeding that l stared
at him with all NJ might. Perhaps an
emctic might save him; but when l
suggested it, lie waved his hand and
continued to eat the last plant.
No one had seen me give him the
plants, so | hoped that the coroner
would bring in Il vague verdict. Later
on in the day, as looked out of the
window, ! saw that he had another
handful OF salt and WAS evidently ~
ing in wait for me.
But as time went on my rcpugnancC
to the Old man over the fence gradu-
ally diminished, and when had moth
ing better TO Go | CMUScd myself by
putting my hat OH Il stick and moving
it gently along little above the fence.
Then tie old gentleman would stalk
it with handful of salt, and chucklc
with satisfaction rs he continued to
dig up the track made by the dogs in
dcfatigahlr Feet
one MOI ming. however, I WIS amazed
at seeing the old nIan pushed hastily
through he FrcNch window leading to
his garden. III" landed on the gravel
pali in somewhat bcwilderCd fashion
and remained there until he WAS fol.
lowed by Il sanhy-haircd young man
who sat down on the one Garden cha il
and began to ill Il very big pipe. Some
one within the huuSr quickly locked
and fastened the Frc.cl! door.
The old man stood looking nj ii 70.
some minutes, ana furtively glanced
at the man who was filling up the biz
pipe. still keeping his eye on The
man with the pipe, he stretched out
one hand for " spade. which leaned
against the wall close by.
ia drop that if was YOU" said
the m'n with the pipe 'Dyou hear;
Drop it,
The old gentleman Immediately with
drew his hand from the spade and
taking hoiu Of the door handle. hcga,
to shake II gently.
drop it, said tho man with thc
I pipe, after the old gentleman had
Shaker the door for five minutes.