The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1904-12-14


thing, and what's more,
It never win be-"
Farmer Stone stood looking down in
evident disgust at the water trough
and faucet which had just been placed
by the town officers IN his barnyard
Not drop Of water came through the
faucet. although Ii was wide open
When the town officers of Southvllle
had applied TO Farmer Stone for per-
mission TO dig ditch and lay water
pipe through his land on the way
from the springs above to the village
below. he had told them that he did
not need any of the water and he
could not see why lie should have his
farm all dug up to benefit somebody
else unless he were TO receive an ade-
quate return.
The water commissioner OF the vii
lage. sturdy Luke Mathers, declared
that he would take the law 10 Farmer
Stone" TO which he had just replied
that he might take the law and wal
lop him as much as be pleased"
Then Luke did go 10 the law. and
found that Farmer Stone was correct
The right OF way across private prop
eriy had value which must be CON
sldered before entering upon 1t. But.
Ike many another man, Luke was
stubborn. and he did not want TO ap-
pear 10 have yielded In any way what
ever.
Sitting on the fence he had argued
with Farmer Stone the better part
of day on the wonderful benefit It
would ba to the people Of the village
and that nothing Farmer Stone could
do would bring him so many friends.
He would be a public benefactor The
village was poor and could not afford
to 20 10 great extremes In the matter
OF right Of way.
Arguments were useless. Farmer
Stone said. The farmers were swis-
died on every hand by nfeelIng cor
porations: and he'd be just rs foolish
as the rest OF them II he followed their
lead Ike a "passel o. sheep"
It was just at this juncturc that n
would-be arbitrator arrived on the
scene, the very pretty daughter Of
Luke Mathers. so fair and so sensible
that Joshua Stone. the stirring son Of
the man who owned the farm. had
been suspected Tor more than a year
or caring more FOR her than for any
other woman In the world.
One afternoon not long after her
fathers failure TO come to terms with
Farmer Stone she rode over TO the
scene OF coatention with her father
and sat Tor n long time In the carriage.
listening with sorrOwful countenance
TO the conversation OK the two uncom-
promising men. Then she made
proposition.
-Alr. Stone" she said very sweetly.
al the town would put a nice water
trough here IN the barnyard and furn-
ish il with a faucet. so that you could
haze all the water you need the year
round. would you not be willing to
let the line go through your landf"
Farmer Stone thought Mettie never
looked prettier But he was not so
easily captured. II be wanted n water
trough he supposed he could put it
there.
'But you haven't got the spring.
have your Mettie innocenty oueried.
And this settled that part OF Farmer
Stones argument 1t was a fact that
his farm was destitute OF springs; and
when. as always happened In dry sea
sons. the wells on his farm failed his
place was as dry as the desert OF Sa-
Lara.
"Well. I'll have 10 think about Il. /
amt one OF the kind to make up my
mind IN n hurry. You'd be willing to
do that. wouldn't you. Lukes"
why, it's more than l ought to do:
but II you'll say right now that tharll
be satisfactory l think we can close
the bargain. Tomorrow I might not
want to do It. It's making a great
concession on my part-a great con
cession."
But Farmer Stone knew his advan-
tage and be pressed It.
"All right So fur as I'm concerned
It don't make no difference"
There was tone Of independence In
his voice which At once brought the
commissioner to terms
Il didn't propose It. but always
did stand by what Mettie says must.
and will now"
Joshua felt his heart leap within
him when Mettie gave him one OF her
most approving glances as the car
riage drove away. All that evening.
while the two were doing the chores.
Joshua labored with his father in be-
half Of the water trough.
1t was joy to both the young people
when, the next day. Farmer stone al
lowed that he guessed they might 20
ahead with their line.
The water trough was duly Installed
in the barnyard. The faucet was M.
tached. Then. when all was ready. On
n certain day the water was let into
the main. 1t leaped into the main. II
leaped into the pipe and went sweep
ing down to give joy to the towlispao-
pie, but not a drop came through the
half-ineh pipe which rose up from the