The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1913-02-15
Hannah Payne's Mulberry Tree
A feud Between Two Friends
BY cLARissA MAckiE.

wide spread of branches, and wher
the large leaves were out they formed
a dense shade that quite hid the view
from Hannah payne's windows rs well
as Il deprived her left hand neighbor,
Abigail Hodson. of ANY glimpse Of the
village street
once several years before this story
opens Abigail had crawled through the
gap in the fence that divided the two
houses aud knocked at her friends
back door.
Hannah" she said. with note OF
complaint I'm her voice. what do YOU
think"
"Wellf' Queried Hannah sharply, for
she resented Abigairs complaining
! tone.
\ when | got up this morning l no
/ ticed the mulberry tree had leaved out
/ SO | couldn't see mite OF the road
IL makes IL dreadful lonesome not to
see anything AT all"
"Well?" repeated Hannah.
What are you going TO do about
III" demanded Abigail. with asperity.
Nothing" Hannah had said.
Il thought maybe you'd break of
/ long branch OF IL SOS | could have
view"
1T cuts off my view. too" returned
Hannah.
Il should think you'd want to see
the street. You always set store by
seeing the street." persisted the tact
less Abigail.
i've got enough work TO do with
out peeking at the street" said Han
nah loftlly.
That was the beginning Of the bit
terness between Hannah Payne and
her friend Abigail Hodson. From
cold nod the breach widened until they
did not speak at all, and then early
one morning Abigail arose and replaced
the three pickets that had been re-
nah heard the sound of the hammer
and came to the window. but she said
nothing, only the stubborn look remain
ed on her face.
Three years had passed, and the null
berry tree throve nightly. 1t sent out
broad green leaves that cast denser
shade over Hannah's house and kept
the sunshine from the rooms. She
had TO keep a keener watch over her
books and clothing, for the little house
seemed damp. and mold gathered quick
ly on different articles.
The fr,,tt ,ipanaA nm tho traa and
the birds came and carried it off. Dur
ing the season when the mulberries
were ripe the birds came in, fiocks to
feed upon them, but Abigail Hodson
would have scorned to touch one OF
the ripe berries, although in the past
she had been very fond of them.
On this particular summer morning
It was very dull In Green lane. where
the two women lived. Abigail had
finished her homework at . o'clock
and taken her sewing out To the front
porch. She could see Hannah Payne
rocking to and fro on the next porch,
but neither woman could see beyond
the low hanging branches of the null
berry tree.
al At bllAt lItlt Nbc tht oouhh Va
drum and fife and distant murmur
of voices from the street. Abigail rec
objected that small circus was TO pa
rade that morning. and in the evening
thNre was To be n performance in
tent on the village green. Abigail was
a Baptist and did not dream Of going
to the circus. but Hannah Payne
Hannah "a RnntiSf
were her forefathers. but they all
went to the circus.
1t was rather lonely there on Abb
gals porch. The honeysuckle vines
screened 1t well. and there was no
sign Of life except the frenZied dart
ing OF a ruby thronted cumming bird
among the flower trumpets. the buzz
zing Of bees and now the sound OF
approaching music.
II Abigail Hodson had not been so
proud she would have tossed aside her
sewing and FASTENED to the front gate,
from which point she might have look
ed down the lane and watched the cir
Gus parade go along the main street.
But she did not stir. III she had Han
nah Payne would know that Abigail
was suffering Inconvenience from the
obscuring mulberry tree. and that
would give Hannah Payne chance to
laugh at her one time friend. and that
privilege and advantage Abigail Hod-
son would not permit.
Abigail Hodson snapped a needle
and tossed the broken pieces into the
grass. II wish | could cut that old
tree down." she muttered. not know
ing that the same unspoken wish was
I'm Hannah's heart. not realizing that
her anger against the tree was slim
ulated by the feud 1t had caused much
more than by the lost view Of the vii
lage street
II wish I could cut the old tree
down." repeated Abigail again and