Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-05-26
and hungry, and the young cabbages
and caulifloWers suffered.

and hungry, and the young cabbages
and caulifowers suffered.
The presumably irate, but outward
ly calm gardener let Mrs. Jones come
over and, with the aid of her Off
spring, remove the offenders, still
nibbling. She was flustered, and for
once her volubility failed her. Some
thing in the tall bachelors attitude
shamed her to partial silence. She
broke previous records by offering to
pay for the damage. She would buy
new plants for him. He said it would
be too late now-and he would use
the space for something else.
Joe was fascinated into deceE:y for
a week or two. He did not under
stand. And now, every few evenings,
Reuben would saunter over to the
widows porch and sit on the steps
and smoke. He got to exchanging
dry Jokes with Name, who was so ex-
cited about this wary new specimen
that she forgot to bereave Sadie Du-
gan, four doors on. of her latest beau.
1t was Reuben Farr's custom each
night to paddock his front fate-also
made Of wire like the fence. One
dawn, early In May, he arose to find
the gate wide open. The Jones's Jer-
sey was peacefully browsing on the
last of the young sweet corn stalks;
the Jones's hens were scratching IN
the beds, the rabbits were busy with
the clover planted to protect the
newly sprung up lawn grass. 1t was
pretty bad.
Farr called Joe over and sternly
III * <H0 ont
His eye was blazing, and his lips
close set. Old Dugan, who came
along, said he heard the outraged
gardener swear, but Dugan had
fine imagination.
This time, Mrs. Jones dared not
even apologize To do her justice,
she was stiff with fear. And the mis-.
chief was not all intentional. Piqued
by the paddock, Joe, like all boys, had
tried all the keys which he could
find, He had large assortment. One
of them did fit the paddock, which
opened with difficulty but which
would not lock again. He had shut
the gate, but the COW, pulling up her
stake, had pushed it wide. The boy
was frightened, and his under-exer-
cised conscience was working. he
kept himself out of the way the fol
lowing evening, being sure that
something would happen
It did; but it was not the expected.
Reuben Farr, after his supper, came
over to the Jones's house dressed IN
his best, newly shaven and smiling.
Name began something and got the
surprise of her life. He simply asked
Mrs. Jones If she would send the
children away while he spoke to her
moment. Angry and surprised,
they went, standing out of earshot,
but anxious as to what was going on.
The man talked, and the widow, from
a showing CT fear at first, began to
protest, then to laugh, and protest
again Finally he showed her paper
and Name held her breath. Had 1T
something to do with the law? They
continued to talk. Then the widow
went indoors.
Name followed. eagerly, but got no
word of an answer to her inquiries,
save a command to help her mother
get into her best dress. The girl had
an idea that her mother wished to
make a good impression on some
magistrate and did as she was bid
den. Joe had sneaked up behind the
house, peeping around to see what
had happened.
It was still broad light when the
widow and Reuben Farr went TO-
gether down the street. Sophie, at
safe distance, trailed them-and came
back to report that they had gone to
the pastors few blocks off, 1t
seemed that the church was to inter-
yene! The whole neighborhood, IN
shirt sleeves and dressing sacques
came out on the porches, and into the
yard, What had happened? Even Joe
regained his impudence, and in half
hour, or less, when in the first dusk
the two came slowly back, he waited
boldly in the front yard as. one who
stood on his native heath.
AS the boys mother and Reuben
Farr stepped into her yard, with the
eyes of the world upon them, young
Joe INDUCED in a gesture OF denance
and contempt. Then Fate descended
upon him. Reuben Farr caught the
unsuspecting youth by the arm, sat
down on the bottom step, laid MIN
over his gaunt knees, and gave him
the spanking of his lifetime. Joe
yelled in rage and grief, but the pun
ishment proceeded until even the
neighbors were fully satisfied. He
kept on spanking and the mother did
not interfere!
what right you got?" yelled the
boy.
And the answer was this
"The rights of a good, able-bod1ed
stepfather who knows that boys will
be boys! Tomorrow wen see about
selling off some superfuous animals
about this place."
There was nothing more to be said.