The Democrat-sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1906-1935, 1909-07-01
WIDOW JASON'S
UNRULY HOGS,
The Way the Trouble Between
the Neighbors Was Settled.
By PAUL CAREW.

possessed Of She was still on the
brighter side of forty, fair to look up
on and was at peace with all her
neighbors until the one to the east Of
her sold out and Il stranger moved In.
He was II man of middle age named
Chisholm. and. being Il widower, his
sister managed the house for him. If
the Widow Jason was one of those
who wondered what sort of man he
was, she was the first to find 1t out.
Among her live stock that year were
"a dozen hogs, and 1t was the fault Of
her hired man that there were holes
in the fence through which they
made their way into the potato field
Of the new neighbor. She had just fin
ished her breakfast one morning when
Chisholm was announced. He had the
courtesy to lift his hat and give his
name. but he also had the bluntness to
add:
Madam, your Internal hogs have
rooted up half an acre Of potatoes for
me, and il you can't manage to keep
'em home I'll shoot every one Of 'em"
She looked at him and saw that he
| NuS uDoNt thc anu lSit lhut
had she been introduced in the conven-
tional way she would have been pleas
ed to make his acquaintance. But his
rude greeting angered her, and, being
woman with mind of her own, she
at once replied:
II can pay for all the potatoes on
your farm, and if you come here to
threaten me you'll find woman who
doesn't scarew
| well, you keep your hogs at home"
"And you keep yourself in the same
place"
That was the first tilt. The fences
We're mended and the hogs were in de-
| spair when Il high wind blew Il gate
| open. and the drove spent the night In
the same potato field. Next morning
! Chisholm drove ten of them home and
said to Widow Jason:
Madam. there are dead hogs be-
/ longing to you in my field. Will you
have them removed or shall l bury
them?"
You killed them, did you? she
asked.
II did. told you / would, and l
did"
"Then I'll have the law on you"
go ahead.'
She went to law and there was
suit and she was ingloriously beaten.
Womanlike. she felt pretty bitter over
it. but at the same time she had to
give Mr.. Chisholm credit for lack of
any bitterness. He stated his case In
the mildest manner and even spoke
highly of her as a neighbor. When
she returned home after the lawsuit
she said to her hired man:
Josh. if that man Chisholm comes
him off,"
"Yes'm, I'll do it." replied the sturdy
Josh.
L. wasn't fortnight before CHS
holm came. He was on his way to
the house when Josh headed him off
and ordered him back. He refused to
go, and Josh laid hold of him to do
the throwing act, but found himself
licked man in about three minutes.
While he sat OH the ground with a
handful of grass to his. bleeding nose
the victor passed on to the woman,
who had witnessed the fracas from
the front steps. Lifting his hat, he
said:
Madam, those hogs of yours have
been at 1t again-this time in my corn
field-and I've had to kill another"
"Have you dared to kill another of
my hogs?" she demanded as her
cheeks famed and her eyes flashed.
Il have. Shall l bury him?"
"Sir. you are scoundrel!'
"And you are a charming widOww
She drove to town at once to see her
lawyer. There was $40 in the case
for him win or lose, and he advised
her to sue. She sued and got beaten
again. The defendant referred to her
in the highest terms, but he also |
proved that her fences were out of re-
pair. The lawyer saw $40 more In it,
win or lose, and advised Josh to prose- |
cute for assault and battery. Josh |
brought his swollen nose and black |
eye into court and was beaten by sew
eral lengths. He had provoked the |
encounter, and, If he had got the worst |
of 1t, the law couldn't help him.
1t was n month before anything fur |
ther happened. The fences around the |
hog lot were thoroughly repaired. and |
for four weeks the porkers had to |
make the best of their sad lot. Then |
Josh left the bars down one night, and |
Ms the widow was getting breakfast |
she heard the crack of n rife. Half an
hour later Mr. Chisholm appeared to
say:
Good morning, Mrs. Jason. Those
wretched hogs of yours rooted up my |
garden last night and this morning |
Killed another OF them. If you want |
another lawsuit I'll drive you to town
In my own buggy"
"And you~-you've shot anotherW she
gasped
II have"
"Then I'd like to shoot you! You are
the meanest man In the state of Ohio"
'Yes'm," lie replied, with bow, as
he turned away.
Widow Jason drove to town to con.
suit her lawyer again. There was $40
In 1t for him. win or lose, but this time
Mr.. Chisholm vas arrested for mali.
cious persecution. In his testimony he
referred to the plaintiff as that lady"
ard exhibited no animus whatever, but
ha also DrnuaH that ba xyao tha nna |