The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1913-01-24
Hannah Payne's
Mulberry Tree
A Feud Between
Two Friends
By CLARISSA MACKIE


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 and knocked at her friends
back door
"Hannah," she said, with a note OF
complaint in her voice, what do you
Think"
"Well?" queried Hannah sharply, for
she resented Abigails complaining
tone.
when ! got up this morning / no
tieed the mulberry tree had leaved out
80 | couldn't see a mite of the road.
II makes 1t dreadful lonesome not to
see anything at ALL"
"Well?" repeated Hannah.
what are you going to do about
itP" demanded Abigail, with asperity.
Nothing" Hannah had said.
81 thought maybe you'd break Off
long branch of 1t SOS l could have Il
view"
ut cuts off my view, too" returned
Hannah.
81 should think you'd want to see
the street You always set store by
seeing the street." persisted the tact.
less Abigail.
'J've got enough work to do with
out peeking at the street" said Han
nah loftily.
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 ana replaced
the three piekets that had been re
moved from the dividing fence Han
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 densef
shade over Hannah's house and kept
the sunshine from the rooms. She
had to keep keener watch over her
books and clothing, for the little house
seemed damp, and mold gathered quick
Iy on different articles.
The fruit ripened on the tree. and
the birds came and carried 1t Off. Dur
ing the season when the mulberries
were ripe the birds came in tiocks to
feed upon them. but Abigail H0dson
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 yet dull in Green lane where
Nhe tvs women lived. Abigail had
finishedN&er homework at 8 O'Clock
and takGl @er sewing out to the front
porch. She Mould 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.
All ut once there was the sound OF
drum and fife and a distant murmur
of voices from the street. Abigail rec
objected that small circus was to pa
rade that morning. and In the evening
there was to be performance In
tent on the village green. Abigail was
Baptist and did not dream of going
to the circus. but Hannah Payne
would go. Hannah was n Baptist, as
were her forefathers, but they all
went to the circus.
It was rather lonely there on Abb
CALLS porch. The honeysuckle vines
screened II well, and there was no
sign of life except the frenzied dart
Ing OF a ruby throated humming bird
among the flower trumpets, the buz-
zing of bees and now the sound OF
approaching music.
If 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 If 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 Mt her one time friend, and that
privilege and advantage Abigail Hod
son would not permit
Abigail Hodson snapped needle
and tossed the broken pieces into the
grass. 81 wish | could cut that old
ing that the same unspoken wish was
In Hannah's heart, not realizing that
her anger against the tree was slim
ulated 10y the feud 1t had caused much
more than by the lost view of the vii.
lage street
II wish | could cut the old tree
down." repeated Abigail again and
again. and with each repetition OF the
desire there grew upon her the convie-
ton that the tree must be cut down or
things would never be right for her In
the world
She sat ont on the porch until sunset
and then went In and prepared supper
but she did not eat any After supper
che went out and sat In the gathering
gloom of the porch she saw Hannah
Payne so away dressed In a white
gown. and she knew that Hannah was
going to the circus, Abigairs bitter
ness increased She yearned TO go to
the circus herself.
At last, when darkness settled over
Green lane aud the cricket orchestra
was in full swing, Abigail arose with
a determined air and walked around
her house TO the woodshed There
were no other houses In Green lane.
and she had the quiet little place to
herself. Deliberately she chose
Ratchet from the several that were
ranged along the wall and In the dark
ness tried its edge with her thumb.
Satisfied, she went out into the lane
and gained Hannah Payne's front yard
Under the mulberry tree it was very
dark, and Abigail knelt down and ran
her fingers around the trunk until she
found place where she knew the bark
was rough and scared. A horse had
nibbled the trunk when the tree had
been mere sapling
Then, TO the music of the circus band
playing down on the green Abigail