The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1901-12-13

when, the next day, Farmer Stone al
lowed that he guessed they might go
ahead with their line.
The water trough was duly installed
in the barnyard. The faucet was at
tached. Then, when all was ready, on
a certain day the water was let into
the main. 1t leaped into the main. It
leaped into the pipe and went sweep
ing down to give joy to the townspeo-
pie, but not a drop came through the
half-inch pipe which rose up from the
main FIVE feet below to the trough In
the barnyard.
Farmer Stone knew it was n con-
spiracy against him. They never
meant to do as they agreed. Luke
Mathers always was a rascal. He
might have known better than to trust
him.
But 1t was just as much Of a puzzle
to the water commissioner as to Farm
er Stone himself why the water went
so scornfully past the water trough.
He went all over the line, peering into
the faucet and listening with his ear
close to its mouth in the vain endeav-
or to solve the problem.
To satisfy himself that the work Of
laying the pipe and making the con-
neetion had been properly done, he di-
rected the earth all to be dug away
and the pipe examined. Everything
was found to be all right; no defect
anywhere.
Finally an engineer from the neigh
boring 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 it had no time to stop
at Farmer Stones place.
Some were so sceptical as to this
mans judgment, however, that anoth-
er engineer Of still higher repute 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
lawll do" the farmer said. "They
promised me water; they've got to
furnish it,"
Some one reminded the old man that
the commissioner had only agreed to
furnish the trough and the faucet; the
water was not in the contract.
1t was a novel situation. The town
must either be deprived of water Of
the trough must be supplied with it
and Farmer Stone brought suit against
the town officers.
And now Joshua and Mettie were il
trouble again. What would become
Of their hopes and prospects if things
went on like this?
Il know there must be some way t
get water into that trough" she de
clared. IF had half the knowledge
some folks think they have it seems t,
me could fix it."
Mettie suddenly developed a decid
ed taste for studying water in it's re
lation to supplying cities and town
through the medium Of the gravit,
system. When all the others wer
sound asleep she would be porting owe
books bearing on the subject, borrowe
from the city library.
Then she made numerous visits t
the spring and another larger sprin
several rods higher up the hillside a
accurately as she could with her eye
Still further to complicate matters
Farmer Stone forbade Joshua ever t
visit Mettie again.
eve viii have nothing to do wit
Them" he said. They're a bad 10
l don't know as I ever really heard {
anything mean Luke done before thi
, and used to think I'd like we
enough to have Mettie for a daughte
; but this things enough to convinC
| me that you never would have mil
2 ute's peace if you married her. Chi
t Of the old block"
t Luke in the meantime declared thi
: Joshua never must darken his doc
again.
r Good enough fellow; but what
bred in the bone will tell"
/ So matters stood for several week
until it was almost time for the tri
q Of the suit
e On the night preceding the day
the trial Farmer Stone was very res
S less. He had boosted that he b,
t, never sued q man OF been sued. No
the record was to be broken.
n Tossing on his pillow not long aft
r the clock struck twelve a peculi
= noise broke on his ear.
. rho offo,,o-. IL oa7,,o tho ,,,o.1 NV.