Morgan County democrat. (Versailles, Mo.) 1900-1906, 1904-01-15
II you married her. Chip OF the Old

again.
Good enough follow, but what's
bred in the bone will tell"
So matters stood for several weeks,
until il was almost timc for the trial
of the suit. On the night preceding
the day OF the trial Farmer Stone was
very restless. He had boosted thai
he had never sued a man or been sued.
Now the record vas to be broken.
Tossing on his pillow not long after
the clock struck ~, q peculiar noise
broke on his ear. The oftener it came
the more mystilied he grew. The moon
was shining, and by its beams he
could distinguish o. mans form stand
ing near the spring on the hillside,
while from the ditch camc the sounds
which had disturbed his dreams.
Dressing AS quickly as he could, he
went out and skulked along the fence
until he was within carshot.
Nov, Mcttie, it is time you re, out
OF that ditch" a voice said. cts too
hard work for you"
"All right, Joshua, but your hands
arc too sore TO dig any more
"lll bet yours are blistercd all over.
This old ditch will kill MS all, | guess"
They'll get over 1t, If they are blis-
tered came back the voice from the
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 Mcttie
stood, pick in hand, her face flushed
red as fire.
I'm the name of common sense,
what's goin' on here" he demanded.
There was a little scream from Met
tie and Joshua made a flying leap down
the hill. There seemed to be no such
way of escape for the brave Meitic.
however, and she leaned against the
bank of earth, her hands still grasping
the pick, her head bare to the night
breeze. The long line Of fresh earth
which stretched away up the hillside
showed the wondering farmer that a
new trench was being dug from tho
large spring 10 The end of the Pipe
which supplied the village,
"Oh, Mr.. Stone" Mettic began, and
something m~arvelously like "A sob
found its way along with tho words,
"you will not be out of patience With
Joshua and me, will you? It's all my
fault, anyway. | couldn't think of let
ting that miserable lawsuit go on over
this trough, II has worried all of us
most to death. | have studied all tho
books in the city, | guess; and finally
| thought | would just use "A little COM
mon ems II seemed to me that there
must be some rca,On why the water
wouldn't run up into that trough. I
made up my mind that If there could
be n little more force behind the other
spring. that would be all that was
needed. So Joshua and | have been
digging this ditch. We have a pipe
down as far as we have gone. Now
we arc almost To the spring II you
only hadn't come just now" Mcttic
turned her face and dropped the pick.
Come, father; go back to bed and
let us finish the job" Joshua pleaded,
recovering from his surprise. even
have the water running intO the trough
In half an hour. All W. have to do is
tn make the connection between the
pipes in the lower spring" "You 90
to bed yourself. I'll not let Mcttic dig
here in the dark any %longcr!' And
Farmer StOne sprang into the ditch
and lifted her gently out of the narrow
quarters in which she had been toll,
ing so hcroically. A few minutes later
the work Was completed. Tho two
pipes were joined by Joshua, who had
provided himself with a rude Kit of
tools for that purpose. Then they all
three FASTENED down to The water
trough in the barnyard. With fingers
which trcmblcd a little Mettie turned
the faucet. a gurelc Of JOY greeted
her ears and "A moment afterward the
water trIcklcd through the pipe, then
fairly gushcd out in a stream. She
had solved the problem which had
deiied the ingenuity Of her father and
all the rest of the wise men of the vi
entity. They stood watching the water
for a few minutes in silence. Then
Farmer Stone tOOk Mcttle by tho hand.
Nov you go home and sleep good"
ne said. you've won two suits fair
and square"
And that was the end Of the trOu-
Bile. But the town board did a fine
thing for Joshua and Mettic, when, a
few months later, they set up the fam
lily hcarthstOnc. At the next meeting
OF that august body one of the mem
bcrs made n motion that n pipe be
laid from the village main to the farm
ward of these worthy OnDulc SuUUlyiny