Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1902-02-13

hog lot. were thoroughly repaired. and
for four weeks the porlSers had to
make the best of their sad lot Then
Josh left the bars down one night, and
as the widow was getting breakfast
she heard the crack of rifle. Half an
hour later Mr.. Chisholm appeared to
say:
Good morning, Mrs. Jason. Those
wretched hogs of yours rooted up my
garden last night, and this morning l
killed another of them. If you want
another lawsuit, I'll drive you to town
in my own buggy"
"And you-you've shot another?" she
gasped.
II have"
"Then I'd like to shoot you! You are
the meanest man in the state of Ohio"
"Yes'm," he replied, with a bow as
he turned away.
Widow Jason drove to town to con-
suit her lawyer again. There was $40
In it for him, win or lose, but this time
Mr.. Chisholm was arrested for mali
cious persecution. In his testimony he
referred to the plaintiff as that lady"
and exhibited no animus whatever, but
he also proved that he was the one per-
secuted. The widows hogs would not
let him alone. She was beaten again,
| and this time a stout pen was built,
and the hogs were shut up. The farm
ers had of course taken sides. Some
| contended that Chisholm had exhibited
mean and unneighborly spirit and
others that the widow had been dere-
lict in not mending her fences, and
there was much talk and discussion
1t occurred now and then that the two
principals met on the highway or at
| the crossroads meeting house, but
while Chisholm lifted his hat and bow
ed as if there was nothing on his mind
the widow, except for her blazing eyes,
seemed carved Of stone.
That pen held the hogs for long
six weeks, but hogpens have their
weak points, and patience and perse-
yerance will seek them out. The hot
sun warped a board and made an open
Ing, and the Industrious swine enlarged
it until one night they all passed out
| and headed straight for the next farm.
They fetched up among the cabbages,
| pumpkins, sqIashes, melons and car
| rots, and during the long hours of
darkness they ran riot They were
| missed from the pen early next morn
| ing, and the widow sat down on the
doorstep and cried. She cried because
| she was veXed, and she cried because
she was q woman. Every minute she
expected to hear the crack Of CHS
bolm's rifle. and she fully realized that
any further appeal to the law would
be wasted She was vexed at the
hogs, at Josh and at Chisholm. Her
tears were still falling when the new
neighbor stood before her and bowed
and said:
''Mrs. Jason, those blamed hogs of
yours damaged me hundred dollars
worth last night"
"And how many more have you kill
ed" she asked.
"None. I've just driven 'em home"
"But why-why"-
Because l see how it is. l must
either kill off your whole drove or
build a pen myself. shall come over
tonight to talk to you about it,
| He appeared an hour after supper,
and 1t was II o'clock before he went
home. Even then the talk" was not
finished. AS a matter of fact it re-
| quired great many evenings and was
only concluded one winters night
when she laid her head on his shoulder
| and said:
IF you are really sure that you love
me, then the farm, the hogs and are
yours, and We'll be married New
Years day."