Bisbee daily review., 1911-08-31
Cbe SHOPLIFTER By JAMES NORTON

on the Hudson. the most that his nearest neighbor knew of him was that he had retired from the army; that he was a widower: that he had a handsome daughter 20 years old who seemed devoted to him. that he was iraseible and cranky: that he disputed bis tradesmen's bills, and that he was fond of sailing catboat that he owned. On the major's part. all he knew about his nearest neighbor. who was the Widow Harper, was that she was very touchy about her hens, or his dog trespassing on her property. th>-ss she had a --en at enliese "a ID South Africa, he didn't care which; that she claimed that the line fence between them was a foot over on her land. and that on two separate and distinct oc- casions she had ordered a servant to scald his dog
 There was no neighboTing between the neighbors. In fact, they had not even seen each other at the end of those two months. The widow was waiting for her son Burt to come home from a trip to the west to ask him If the green apples that had fallen from her trees over on the majors land thereby reverted to him, and the major was waiting for his Gog to come home and complain of having been scalded while proving around the widows kitchen door Then any fuss he raised would Do sure to have the backing of his daughter. Edith, who knew his disposition thoroughly and had kept him out of many rows.
 On a certain August morning this was the situation on the Hudson. Major Hyde and his daughter were out in the catboat with a good breeze blowing. Burt Harper. who had ar rived home the previous afternoon and settled the green apple question, was out in his eatboat working up a mus cle. He had takensno particular notice of catbOat containing a man and a girl, and it's occupants had taken no particular notice of rowboat with broad-shouldered young man of 23 pulling the oars. At that point the Hudson is wide enough and big enough for a hundred catboats and rowboats to perform all sorts of maneuyers without colliding. but the unforeseen is always happening. The catboat was heading across the river with her star board Jacks aboard and the major at the helm, when Miss Edith gave sudden cry of alarm, and the next mo meDt there was a crash. Young MT. Harper, without any tacks aboard, but pulling for all he was worth to get the kinks out of his spine, had pumped into the other craft As he was talk ing course of law at Harvard. and had got as far as John vs. Doe. he could have explained matters had the major given him time But the major wouldn't. He had learned in war that the quicker and more vigorously you jump on your enemy the sooner you have him conquered, and he rose up and blasted the young man in the row boat. If any damage had been done it was 10 the latter craft, but that made no difference to the major. He did not swear in the presence of his daughter, nor did he pull on his coat and double up his fists. He simply used sarcasm that cut and hurt He had something to say about little boys being intrusted out in boats by their mothers, and dunderheads who thought they had the whole Atlantic ocean TO row in. and he politely in- quired # MT Harper intended to run down the Mary PowelP on her next trip up and drown all her passen- gers.
 Mr. Harper. turned red and apolo- gized. He looked from the major to his daughter and apologized again. It was his fault, and he admitted 1t. and he apologized some more. The ma jor had no pity, but the young man thought he saw a gleam of # in Miss Edith's eyes before she turned away her head. The soldier held him for five minutes, doing most of the talk ing and enjoying his confusion, and then let him go with the observa- ton:
 And now. sir, if you have got a mamma, and you think you can get back to her without help. I should advise you 10 head for shore ard spare any canal boat that may happen to get in your way"
 At that hour the Hydes did not know young Harper as Harper. and he didn't know them as the Hydes. He made his way to shore ia his leaky boat. and as he sat down on a stranded log he felt that he would give a thousand dol lars in cash to lick some one-scme one about the size and build of the maicr when he was in his prime. The words had hurt. but the fact that they had been spoken before the girl was hu1uiliating. He had decided from the first that they were father and daugh- ter, and after gritting his teeth for half an hour he made up his mind that nothing could be done in the case and went of home
 .Fatfer, think you were wrong" said Edith in Quief tones as the young man rowed away.
 Whats that? W-ong2 How can be wrong?~ replied the major
 According to sailing instructions. when you are sailing free other crafts must look out for you. You were not