The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1901-04-15

The Man Over the Fence.

gardening IN ah ffepfoach-
able frock coat and pepper
and-salt trousers. He also wore
straw hat, with a black ribbon round
IT, and a black tie. He seemed to be
about the medium height was clean
shaven, and had a skin as yellow as
old parchment. But the peculiar
thing about him was. no matter the
kind Of day-n0 matter whether the
sun streamed down on him or the sky
rained tears-he invariably took OF
his hat when he entered the little gar
den, stuck a spade in the ground. and
hung the hat on the top Of the spade
His gardening was very peculiar. for
he dug up the same patch every day.
although he knew that the dog would
trample It down before night. There
were few flowers or shrubs in the gar
den. and all the way round it the dog
had made a narrow track.
As for myself. had a somewhat I'M
easy feeling about this intensely re-
spectable-looking neighbor. Perhaps
It was his yellow skin, perhaps his
nolseless movements frightened me-
but when / looked up and found him
stealthlly regarding me dike the
ancient mariner, he had a glittering
eyel something unpleasant seemed to
pervade my spine and send a cold
shiver down IT, One day he dropped
big handful of salt on the back OF my
neck and anxiously peered over the
top Of the fence TO see what would
happen 10 me.
As. wiped away the salt lsOme Of
Il had fallen below my collar and
made me smart considerably It sud
denly occurred to me that my eccen-
trio neighbor was an old scientific gen
tleman who had noticed the way
treated slugs In my coarser moments.
when the lust for slaughter boiled
within my veins He wanted to see
whether / should also dissolve, and
leave mot q wrack behind 1t seemed
20 me, however. that even though the
man over the fence was actuated by a
feeling Of scientific research. he might
nave gone through the formality Of
asking my permission before he tried
his experiment. Twice that morning
l noticed him look furtively over the
fence IN evident disappointment that
was still able 90 continue my work
When ! said good day to him. just to
show that / bore no malice. be bobbed
guiltily down and continued digging
TO make friends with him. and to in
duce him to refrain from further ex-
periments on the back of my neck, |
presented the old gentleman with a
handful Of china aster plants; where
upon he went into the house, returned
with a plate Of bread aud butter, and
swallowed the plants with great gusto
I was so dumbfounded by this ex-
traordinary proceeding that / stared
at him with all my might. Perhaps an
emetic might save him; but when ]
suggested II. he 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 a vague verdict Later
on IN the day. as I looked out cf the
window. ! saw that be had another
handful Of salt and was evidently Iy-
ing IN wait for me-
But as time went on my re0agnance
20 the old man over the felee gra6u-
ally diminished. and when I had moth
ing better 20 do I amused myself by
putting my hat on a stick and moving
II gently along a little above the fence.
Then the old gentleman would stalk
81 with a handful Of salt. and chuckle
with satisfaction as he continued TO
dig up the track made by the dogs in-
defatigable feet.
One morning. however. I was amazed
at seeing the old man pushed hastily
through the French window leading 10
his garden. He landed on the gravel
path IN a somewhat bewildcred fashion
and remained there untii hc was fol
lowed by a sandy-haired young man.
who sat down on the one garden chair
and began to dll very big pipe. Some
one within the house quickly locked
and fastened Ulot French door.
The old man stood ieoking At &C for
some minutes. and fuftirely glanced
az the man who was filling Up the BIG
pipe. Sim keeping his eye on the
man with the pipe. De stretched out
one hand for a spade. which leaned
against the wall close By
I'D drop that 81 ] was you" said
che man with the pipe ~D'you hcars
Drop itf'
The old gentleman Immediately with
drew bis hand from the spade. and.
taking bold Of the door handle. beea,
70 shake Il gently
Drop itf said the man with tile
pipe. after the old gentleman had
shaken the door fof eve uiEutes