The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1908-05-21

ever, she just leaned against the bank
of earth. with her hands still grasping
the pick. and her head bare to the
night breeze. The long line of newly
dug earth which stretched away up
the hillside showed the astonish"d
farmer that new trench was being
dug from the other large spring to
the end of the pipe which supplied the
village with water
"Oh, Mr. Hankins," Agatha cried, as
something very much like a sob found
its way along with her words. 81 hope
you will not be angry with Hiram and
me, will YOU? It's all my fault any
way. l couldn't bear to think of let
ting that miserable Old lawsuit go
on about the trough. 1t has worried
all of us most to death. | guess
have studied mostly all the books in
the city, and finally | thought would
just get to work at it myself and use
a little common sense. 1t seemed to
me that there must be some reason
why the water wouldn't run up into
your water trough, and | made up my
mind that if there could be a little
more pressure back of the other spring
that would be all that was needed. SO
Hiram and | have been digging this
ditch. We have the pipe laid down as
far as we have gone and now we are
almost to the spring. If you only
hadn't come so SOON And as Agatha
spoke she turned her face away and
dropped the pick.
Come, father, won't you go back to
bed and let us finish the job?" Hiram
asked, after recovering his surprise.
"We'll have the water running into
the trough in less than half an hour.
All we have to do is to make the CON
nections between the pipes to the low
er spring.
"You go to bed yourself, I'll not
think of letting Agatha dig here in
this dark ditch any longer" And
Farmer Hankins sprang down into the
ditch. lifting her gently out of the mar
row quarters in which she had been
working so herocally. In few min
utes the job was completed, and the
two pipes were joined by Hiram, who
had provided himself with a rude kit
Of tools for that purpose. Then all
three of them FASTENED down to the
water trough in Farmer Hankins' barn
yard. Agatha turned the faucet. her
fingers trembling little as she did so,
A gurgle of JOY greeted their ears, and
moment later the water came trio
/ lyIincy fbrnIuh thn pipa and tbou foi rl -
gushed out in stream. So that
Agatha's ingenuity had solved the
problem which had defied the knowI
edge and skill of the water commits
sioner and all the rest of the wise men
who had made the unsuccessful ut
tempts to run the water up through
Farmer Hankins' water pipe. All three
stood watching the water pouring out
of the faucet for few moments in
silence. Then Farmer Hankins took
/ Agatha by the hand and said: Now
/ you go home, little girl. and get good
nights rest You've won two suits
fair and square"
And that was the end Of the trouble
but the town officials rewarded Hiram
and Agatha for this little act. which
avoided so much trouble and unpleas
antness. when few months later they
set up the family hearthstOne
At the next meeting of that august
body one of the officials made mo
ton that pipe line be laid from The
village main to the farmyard of thh
worthy young couple and supply wa
ter for their stock free for all time
with a faucet at the back kitchen doe
within easy reach Of the charminl
mistress" And the motion was pass
ell and agreed to without IA dssentn.
voice.