The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1907-10-18


place. The mean man of New Joppa
was middle aged person named
David Smell, who had come from the
city fifteen or twenty years before,
and lived on small farm, where he
raised a great deal Of fruit and kept
good deal Of poultry.
There was "A sort OF tradition that
when Smell first came to New Joppa
he had tried to establish friendly re-
lations with the people, but his ways
were queer. He went contrary to all
the advice that everybody gave him
about running his little farm, and
did the most unheard-of things.
He used TO walk much Gbout the
country, although he had good
horse, and this fact gave him at once
a reputation for stinginess. He some
times spent half a day in watching a
toad or tumblebug, and this led the
people TO regard him as half-crazy.
He ne"er borrowed any ,ools of the
neighbors, and IL was generally un-
derstood that he was not entirely
good-natured about lending his own
tools, which were always kept very
bright and sharp.
People began 10 let him alone, and
although the women at rare intervals
called to see his sister, who kept
house for him, and who was regarded
as a pleasant little body, Smell lived
more and more by himself, and ac-
Cepted the rank which was accorded
a G a Of
He began almost to think that it
was his duty to deserve the reputa-
tlon.
He was out i'm the woods and fields
great deal, and as no one knew
what he was Going on these eXpedi-
tions, the younger members OF the
community began TO imagine that he
was up to some mischief. and to glare
at him suspicously when they met
him.
One evening in late autumn, just as
1T had begun TO grow dusk, Silas
Barstow, whose farm lay just beyond
SHELLS, and who, with his son Walter,
was doing chores in his barnyard,
saw man passing through the cor
ner of his orchard.
who's that?" asked Barstow.
IL guess it's Dave Smell" said
Walter. ut looks like him."
whats he dolng?"
81 guess he's just crossing through
the orchard. | saw him just after
dinner, sitting on a stump up in the
woods"
HUM" the farmer grunted in dis
satisfaction. What is he up to?
wish he'd keep out of my orchard.
Then Barstow went into the house.
- and as he went in, Prince, the shep-
herddog which belonged to the Bars
tows, came snarling out, seeing the
figure in the orchard. Walter, yield
Ing to a passing impulse, and not
really believing that the dog would
attack Smell, hissed, Sick him." un-
der his breath; and away the dog
went into the orchard, and fell fierce
ly upon the man just as he was get
ting over the fence.
Silas Barstow came out and called
the dog off, but not until Smell had
been quite badly bitten. Naturally
he was indignant, and said some
sharp words. And then Barstow ex-
claimed:
We'll, what business have YOU in
my orchard at this time of night"
L was crossing from the woods"
said Smell. DO YOU suppose | would
do any harm to your orchard?"
We'll, i don't know" said Bars
tow
With a strange look, but not an
other word, Smell limped away. lie
took no steps to obtain any redress
from Barstow for the injuries he had
received. The Barstows regarded
him now as mortal enemy, although
he said nothing TO any one about the
affair.
He'll get even with you some
how, the neighbors said to Barstow.
Within few days heavy snow
fall came in New Joppa. That was
followed by another 1t was a harder
winter than any one remembered.
Not, indeed, until one day early I'm
April did Farmer Barstow, who had
a good deal of pride i'm his orchard.
20 through it. Then he found, 10 his
astonishment and furious indigna-
ton. that every one of the one hun
dred and twenty young trees-chieny
Northern Spies. Baldwins Golden
Russets and Tolman Sweets-had
been "girdled" not more than six
Inches above the ground.
There was excitement all about the
town when the news of this discovery
spread. Now anG then, once in a gem
Grafton, perhaps, some evil-willed.
oark-minded person i'm our country
districts has been known to revenge
himself upon an enemy Ivy going into
his orchard at dead OF night and cut
ting round each tree a ring clear
through the bark. For n season the
tree lives on-perhaps II has leaves
second season; and then, at least.
the girdled tree dies.
crime Of this sort always pro-
vokes Indignation in the country: but