Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1904-10-01
A FEUD

"Ill tell you, Frank, it's got t.
the point where something must b
DONE" said Mrs. Burnett, and as sh
spoke she raped at the small knuc
kles that were moving toward tn
sugar bowl. Morton, aged nine
jerked his hand out of the way anc
laughed at his mother, who purse(
up her lips to conceal smile.
'Don't do that, Norton" sale
Mr.. Burnett. Then, turning to bis
wife, he asked, "What have they
been doing now"
'"That boy and some more Of his
crowd put tin cans along the top OF
lthe fence and then threw at them to
knock them off. About every other
stone went over the top Of the fence
and went sailing across our back
yard. If one of them had struck
anybody he wouldn't have known
what hurt him"
The Deakins lived next door, and
>although there was a dividing fence
st had not kept the two families
apart.
In the year during which the two
households had dwelt side by side
there had been a growing enmity.
Yet Mrs. Burnett had never spoken
a word to Mrs. Deakin, and her hus-
band knew nothing Of Mr.. Deakin
except that he worked with his
hands for {; living and spent great
many evenings at home.
There were two Deakin children
Lawrence, or Larry, aged ten, and
little Willie, who at the tender age
of three had learned to regard the
Burnett tribe with scorn and hatred
and suffer to some degree under the
indignities heaped upon his family
by that arch fend Of juvenility,
Morton Burnett.
For when the Deakins sat around
the supper table and cast up the ac-
counts of the day it was Larry who
posed as the prosecuted and abused
chld, while Morton Burnett was
pictured as an infant of dark in
tents, headed straight for the BRIDE
well.
'If I was man, Tom Deakin,"
said the wife, 'EI'll warrant you I'd
go over to that house and give no.
tice that things are simply going too
far. Today that boy got up on the
fence and called Lawrence all kinds
of names"
"He said that his mother had said |
that ma didn't have clothes fit to |
wear" suggested Lawrence, who
had begun to breathe hard during !
the recital of his grievances.
Anyway, I don't try to make
myself look like a peacock every
time [ start to church," said Mrs.
Deakin.
This comparison of Mrs. Burnett
to peacock tickled the children,
and they laughed immoderately.
Tom Deakin restrained them with
quiet Cut, tut~ and said that the
proper way to get along was to pay
no attention to the neighbors.
"Pd like to know how you can
help it" said his wife. 'That boy is
up to some mischief every hour of
The day, and his mother seems to
encourage him in everything he
does. He throws things over into
our yard, leases Willie and makes
faces at him."
Next time I see him pick on Will
lie I'll give him another licking"
suggested Larry.
"You'll do nothing of the kind"
exclaimed his mother. "Don't you {
remember the talking to I gave you !
he other time you had that f ght
With him ?"
= Lawrence remembered the mild '
ebuke, and his inward resolution /
as not changed. Tom Deakin went /
on bis pipe, oppressed with the 2
hought that he had been very un- |
ucky in his selection Of neighbors.
These complaints had come to e
I'M day aItap Jay from the down Q
rod5sD members of his family. 7
eSne feud had grown from thou U
and aggravating circumstances.
Suppose Morton Burnett to he O.. :
he fence. His mother y'o"lG "-@~~ q
he back door and say loudly c2olg!!
0 make herself heard through t., g
pen windows Of the D;.aEin holSy I
Morty, get down from ti..,t :@:::>c2'
Haven't l told you alb, t hat:' n
Mrs. Deakin would near an! t:::i- =
Ierstand. Then she We uid wait hec
opportunity to appear on the bac..
toop and retaliate A
In summer time, when botA wor@