The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1910-05-13

dldIIu Ol MS WIG.
ELSA" he said with bitter en-
phasis, 1--WE will have nothing to do
with the new neighbors They are too
far beneath us. Remember. 1t Is not
enough that you do not speak to them,
you must not even look towards their
house"
But, John, she is a sick woman"
Never mind it. Her husband can
take care Of her. He can take care of
the whole neighborhood. He is great
smarty. Only he can't take care of
me-"
why, what has happened, John?"
"Never mind what has happened. 1t
has happened-thats enough. Now
we will forget it and the new neigh
bors, too. Bear it in mind, Elsa"
The next morning he did not pass
the Martin house. He stifly crossed
the street and walked to the car
through the park.
When he came home the next at
ternoon his wife met him in the hall.
John" she quickly said, there is
something going on next door and I
don't know what it is. That man has
been measuring and measuring, and
another man has been helping him"
Never mind what it u.s." said John
sharply. 1--WE are not interested
I'll am afraid we are" said Elsa,
but he did not ask for what she meant.
But while they were at breakfast the
next morning they heard the sound OF
hammers close to the dining room WIN
dows Before John could stop her, Ell
sa ran to the nearest window and eau
tiously peeked out.
There was load of fresh lumber ly-
ing on the ground near the Martin
house and four carpenters were busy
setting posts.
Elsa came back with white race
They are building a fence" she
said.
He gave little gasp.
TT is a spite fence!"
He stared hard at his wife and the
sound of the hammers seemed to grow
more continuous.
Il am so sorry" said the genrle Elsa.
What do we care?" cried John
fiercely. at will hurt him more than
it does u.s."
NO." said the practical Elso. at
hurts us much more. 1t spoils the
light of our dining room"
Anyway, the disgrace is u>s.'
mo doubt it is, John, but the dis
comfort is ours"
He folded his napkin. His appetite
was gone BY nightfall everybody in
the neighborhood would know about
the spite fence And many people
would laugh, and no doubt the news
papers would get the story and illus
trate it with pictures! 1t was too bad.
And he had never had difference
with a neighbor before.
He took his hat and coat and went
away through the park in very un-
pleasant mood.
That night when he reached home
and he purposely delayed starting I'M
til the sun went down-the spite fence
Ndo up-Ioo lccI VI IL. IL was loH lOol
high, and on the Martin side it was re-
ceiving coat of white paint.
John crept into the house. He was
and ashamed. That glaring
thing outside spoiled his appetite, it
spoiled his liking for life.
81 guess we'll have to move away,
Elsa he said that evening. Il don't
want to live here any more. That man
has spoiled the place for me-
Elsa shook her head
mo, no, John, we mustn't run
away. We are not afraid. We will
get used to it. Maybe the man will
think better of it. This is our hame.
am satisfied with it. l don't want
to make another"
John family smiled.
81 guess you are Drawer than l am
he said.
That night he lettered big square
of pasteboard. 1t took long time,
But it was we'll done. This was the
announcement it bore:
The Fence You See Here
was erected as
Mark of Neighborly Good VIII
by it's owner,
James Martin.
He liked this sentiment and read it
over several times.
That will make him sit up and
growl,' he said as he put the placard
in the closet.
Elsa
IT am going to nail this to a post
in the front yard" he said.
But Elsa shook her head.
mo, John, you mustn't she cried.
"You would put yourself on a level