Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1906-04-05
On theFenCe
BY DONALD ALLEN

y oJ DOAN<1LD <AALLAN
! Copyright, 1906. by f. C. PARCELS
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All the farming population for five
miles around said that it was good
match. that between Burt Adams, son
of Deacon Adams, and Eunice Taylor,
daughter of the Widow Taylor. The
young folk had known each other as
children. The parents approved the en-
gagement, and the deacon went as far
as to take his son by the hand and say:
My son, she is n fine girl, and you
will make no mistake in marryin' her.
/ shall feel toward her as my own
daughter
The engagement was announced and
the wedding day set. Everything went
well until the deacon's brother out in
Wisconsin died and left him a legacy
of $4,000 in cash. The deacon, who
had lived without any of The luxuries
of life was stunned for a time by the
size of the legacy. He felt that it made
him ore of the millionaires of earth.
The money would have made some lit
tie difference to any man, no matter
how level headed
1--WE are on q different plane now,"
he said to his old wife, "and we must
conform 10 the new circumstances.
Yon won't wear calico any more and
shall have a hired girl. and l shall do
no more work except boss the hired
man.
"And what about Burt?" was asked.
HE must go to college and become
laTrer or doctor"
"Bvi he and Eunice are to be mar
ried, -ou know, and l don't believe
he'll want TO put 1t off,
Look here, ma" said the deacon aft
er thinking for awhile, 1--WE can't let
Burt throw himself away on no such
girl. 1t might have done passably well
when we were poor, but now we can
buy out the whole county and have
money left. He can't afford to tie him
self to any such wife. To begin with,
she don't look arlstocratic."
"But do we:"
''Of course we DO. Any one would
know to look at us that we had blood
and money. In the second place, she
has no style about her."
"And have we gotf"
Heaps of it. In the third place, she
hain't got no eddicatlon."
''But you and me never went 70 any
thing bettern district school," protest
ed the wife, "while Eunice attended
seminary for two whole years.
thought she knew more'n all of us put
together"
"But she don't. At the seminary she
Jest chawed gum and played the pi-
amer. We hain't been braggin' around
any, because that amt the way of the
Adamses, but we've got eddication
huff to pass in any crowd. When l
talked with the governor at the county
fair two years ago l felt perfectly to
home. l must have a talk with Burt"
81 don't believe he will give her up.
You know how obstinate he is about
some things If Eunice would give him
up
by thunderw interrupted the deacon
as he brought his fist down on the
kitchen table with bang.
"What is IT."
'1've got an idea, ma-one of the
brightest ideas ever had. Keep mum.
Don't say q word. I'll tell you all
about it tomorrer or next day. Don't
say single word to Burt, and don't go
around lookin' as if you had somethin'
on your mind"
"Xau-you hain't goin' to do any
thing desperate?" stammered the wife,
"Of course not. I'm simply gain' To
work out my idea, and when 1 get
ready to tell yeu you'll say am about
IS sharp as they make 'em. S-s-sh!
Keep mumw
The above conversation took place
one evening, and at @ o'clock the next
morning the deacon was knocking at
ine door of Widow Taylors farm
house. Eunice had driven 10 the vii
lage to do some trading" and the fat
and mQtherly widow was just finish
ing up the last of her mornings work.
"Why deacon. Is this you?" she
asked as she nswerei the knock and
held out her hand. Il hope none of the
folks are sick:'
mo. The folks are all well.'
"None of the cows ailing|
Nope"
"Well ypu ought 10 be thankful for
that. Won't you come in and sit DOWN.
"No, guess not, The fact is, wild
to YOU
''Well say on
ITS about Burt and Eunice. You
know am rich now Cot $4,000 in
cold cash-$14,000, I'm the richest man
in Plum county"
"Wen?r
"WaaL | want to say that l want
Burt to so to college and become a
great lawyer or doctor l don't want
him to marry for three or four years
yet, and when he does I'd like the wo-
man to be-to be-
ITO be somebody better than Eunice
Taylor" finished the widow as the
deacon hung fire.
II hain't sayin' that exactly, but you
know that the eagle and the crow
can't mate"
1--WE heard that they couldn't. Is
that what you came to say?"
Yes, that's about aii.'
''rhen you have finished and can go.
Good morning, Deacon Adams"
The widow turned away, and there
was nothing for the deacon to do but
go. He had got off better than he
hoped for He had expected to have Il
row, and he was elated that the widow
had taken the matter so coolly. In
coming he had come by the highway,
but in returning he decided to take
short cut across the fields. To do this
he must climb the fence of the wild
ow's barnyard, and when he reached
the top rail he sat for moment to
look around, slipped and found him
self caught by stout silver and hang
ing haze downward, lie couldn't lift
himself up. and the. silver wouldn't
give way TO his wiggles, and there was
nothing to do but call out. He called
Justify, and in about five minutes the
widow appeared.
rs there something you forgot to
sayf" she asked as she came up.
"You see I'm caught on the fence"
he replied.
"Oh, that's it? It's singular what