The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1908-08-19
!; A MATTER OF NATIONALITY
BY E. MIRRICLEES,

v w v - - - " ~ ~ N)VC
Lafe and l began prosecuting the
Norwegian almost as soon as he set
tied on the opposite side of the creek
only we did not call it persecution
in those days.
Nearly all children are provincials
at heart, and neither of us was lack
ing in our fair share of prejudice.
When distant observations showed us
that the newcomer was Enthusiastically
Scandinavian in type, we turned to
look into each others faces in dig
gust too deep for words.
"Well-if that isn't the limit"
Lafe burst forth, at last IF we had
to have neighbors, we needn't have
had foreigner! If father Just had
taken up that bottom the way he
meant to"
A brilliant idea broke off the
speech, and he clapped his hand sud-
denly upon his horses neck. II tell
you, Jim, let's run him Off"
l was Lafe's guest that summer,
and year or two his junior, and l
was aching for excitement.
"Let's!" I agreed, without second
thought, and we rode home. planning
our ways and means.
Naturally we said nothing 70 the
rest of the household regarding our
Intentions. Mr.. Bradley, Lafe's faith
er, seemed, after a single outburst
of disappointment, to forget the very
existence of the newcomer; and as
for Mrs. Bradley, woman who OBJ
5ected even to such innocent amuse-
ments as the riding of calves ami the
roping of chickens could not possibly
have sound views on the subject of
neighbors. INDEED, we had a shrewd
suspicion that / and not the Norwe-
gian would be banished If our pro-
duct came to light.
We needed no outside help, how.
ever, in devising means of annoyance.
The Norwegian's gates came open and
the wires came down from his fences
with surprising frequency; the water
at the head of his ditch was continu-
ally choked by driftwood, and his
cows, turned out to Craze in the
morning, by night were miles away.
For long time the victim of these
outrages seemed to lay them entirely
to natural causes. Then he must
have observed that the days we rode
through the hills surrounding his
claim were always the days of acci-
dent, for he accused us heatedly once
or twice of interference with his cat
tie, and the interference continuing,
complained to Mr.. Bradley, with the
result that we received orders to re-
main strictly on our own side of the
creek.
Though l know you haven't in
tentionally harmed anything of Oh
sons" Mr.. Bradley assured us. "I
told him you were thoughtless pair,
but you were honest, and want him
to see he's no better off with you
away"
That was what we wished also.
We echoed the last clause with genu-
ine sincerity, and were scarcely out
OF hearing before we began scheming
for ways to make it come true.
"Old meddler!" Lafe growled, un-
justifiably. He'd like to keep us
shut up in the barn-yard." Then
he flushed little. But l suppose
he's got right to play back" he
added, urged by late-born sense
of justice.
but he hasn't any right to drag
your father in," l pointed out. 1--WE
don't go finding fault to his wife,"
and both of us seized eagerly upon
this new reason for Indignation.
We were beginning to find it rath-
er difficult to keep up an active dis
like for the newcomer. He was
quiet, hard-working man. somewhat
past youth, and except for a slight
lengthening of the sibilant sounds in
his speech, with no mark of foreign
origin. Then, too. he was poor.
His poverty tugged at our SYM
pathfes more than once when we saw
him dragging wearily home at the
end of days work. or patching up
his ancient farm machinery to fit 1t
for fresh service. His house was in
view from the edge of the creek, and
most Of the fields where he worked.
After our prohibition We used to
spend hours wandering up and down
the creek bank, watching him and in
citing each other to extraordinary