Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1905-08-08
A WIRE FENCE.
BY FLORENCE v. DILLON.

I
when we bought this house last
spring, one of the most delightful iea-
lures, to our minds, was the absence
of fences and sheds in the whole block.
You know the back yards of the houses
on all four sides run together and form
one beautiful green lawn. Nothing 10
disfgure the open sweep Of velvety
sod. and the pride we all took in our
yards was really distressing. II any
one had mentioned fence he would nave
been Immediately mobbed. And our
yard 1t was just bower Of roses anu
vines and flowers of every description
We worked early and late, with mower
and hose and weeder and rake, Win
Billy. the baby, beside us in his peram-
bulator. but this spring we found we
had very different phase OF the ques-
ton to deal with. Baby is year older
and of a very investigating turn %
mind. Instead of quietly lying IN ms
buggy kicking his feet and waving MS
fat little hands in the air, there Is
something doing. He is the busiest
baby that ever breathed. And from
pink checked, plump young mother
became gaunt and hollow eyed IN
vain endeavor to keep my son OH Ol
my neighbors flower beds.
"By some irresistible attraction as
soon as the door opened, out poppeu
his fat little body and straight lu'O
some ones hotbeds or tulips, and oy
the time the early spring flowers were
through blooming 1 almost had merry
GUS prostration. When he WASH ue-
smelling the plants he was digging
among the newly planted SEEDS OF
down the terrace and away. The only
peace l had was when the little reno"
had his nap. and then l teVerlsnly
rushed through my daily housework
that might be on guard at MS nrs'
waking moment
rThis went on for some time un1ll
one night in a solemn council Oh war
Mr.. Blithers and / decided 1t woulo DC
either a fence or sell out and move
We could noh make up our minds 70
that. so it mad to be the renee nu'
how? Fate aided us. Mrs McC'orKie
sent out invitations for musicale ana
Billy took the whooping cough. Don
laugh. now. You see we had to scheme.
IF we could once get the fence up we
would be safe, but it was the getting II
up that bothered.
at happened that we had a roll oil
wire netting in the basement pur-
chased for vines and things, so JACK
measured and painted and sawed MS
posts and we waited for the night OF
Mrs. McCorkle's musicale. Babys
whooping cough, of course, was our ex-
cuse for remaining at home, and my,
how we worked. Everyone In the
neighborhood went, so that we were
safe for two hours at least. Jack dug
postholes as if he were hunting Tor
buried gold on a time limit, while l
held a little dark lantern. We felt like
| thieves in the night once I thought
| I saw the red end of cigar in the dark
and we scampered for the house like
frightened mice. It's funny to tell OF
it"now. but it was most exciting then,
! and deadly serious too l can tell you.
well, we finished in safety, but we
we're up at daybreak to see now II
looked, and really it wasn't half bad to
see. Jack had painted it all a nice
green so that it didn't disfigure much.
Nevertheless he took the first car that
morning so that he might escape his
| neighbor's reproachful looks, and
didn't peep my nose out of doors for
two whole days until the indignation
should cool down. OF course they all
had a good deal to say, but that fence
was up to stay, for year at least.
Now, in our back yard, instead of
making a speciality of monthly roses
and rare flowers, we have in full bloom
a large sized sand pile, miniature
tent. a wheelbarrow and spade, and the
healthiest happiest baby in the neigh
borhood. And why, I'm living tes-
timonial to the good services Of the
fence. The neighbors are getting to ap-
preciate it, too. Every day some
mother comes to corral her baby while
she has something special to attend to.
| And here am | sitting as peacefully
| and comfortably as possible with the
knowledge that my boy is safe and out
of mischief.
"Who is that coming up on the
| porch pOllCSihan WY "N"' Va
earth does he want?"
"If you please ma'am, I've brought
back your boy. We've been ridin' him
on the horses, ma'am, down at the
station, but thought maybe you might
be wantin' him"
"My boy! The fence" Mrs. Blithers
made a dash for the back yard, fol-
lowed by her four sympathetic friends,
the policeman and the baby.
An incredibly small round hole in
the meshes of wire eloquently told the
story of the squirming escape.
"Girls, IT'S to the basement with iron
bars next" and Mrs. Blithers' lip |
auivered perceptibly.-Kansas City |
Star.
Gear as an Insurance Risk.
4. ~