Bridgeton pioneer., 1913-01-30
Hannah Payne's
Mulberry Tree
A Feud Between
Two Friends
By CIARISSA MACKIE

II was a small tree, but II had a
wide spread of branches, and when
the large leaves were out they formed
q dense shade that quite hid the view
from Hannah Paynes windows as well
as 1t 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 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 l no
decd the mulberry tree had leaved out
SO l couldn't see mite of the road.
1t makes it dreadful lonesome not TO
see anything at ALL"
"Well7" repeated Hannah.
what are you going to do about
atr demanded Abigail. with asperity.
Nothing" Hannah had said.
"I thought maybe you'd break OF
long branch of 1t SOS could have
view"
EFT cuts or my view, too," returned
Hannah.
Fl should think you'd want to see
the street You always set store by
seeing the. street." persisted the tact
less Abigail.
ave got enough work to do with
cut 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 and replaced
the three pickets 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 mui-
berry tree throve nightly. 1t sent out
broad green leaves that cast denser
shade over Hannahs 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 fruit ripened on the tree, and
the birds came and carried 1t of. Dur
ang the season when the mulberries
feed upon them, but Abigail Hodson
would have scorned to touch one of
the ripe berries, although In the past
abe had been very fond Of them.
On this particular summer morning
1t wss very dull in Green lane. where
the tive women lived Abigail had
finished her housework at 9 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 mul-
berry tree.
All at once there was the sound of
drum and fife and a distant murmur
of voices from the street. Abigail rec
objected that a small circus was to pa
rade that morning, and in the evening
there was TO be q performance in
tent on the village green. Abigail was
"a Baptist and did not dream of going
ito the circus. but Hannah Payne
would go Hannah was a Baptist. as
were her forefathers, but they all
went to the circus
1t was rather lonely there on abb
gals porch. The honeyslckle vines
screened 1t we'll. and there was no
sign OF life except the frenzied dart
ing Of a ruby throated humming bird
among the flower trumpets. the buz-
~xing 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 so along the main street
But she did not stir If she had Han
nah Payne would know that Abigail
was suffering Inconvenience from the
coscuring mulberry tree, and that
would give Hannah Payne a chance TO
laugh at her one time friend. and that
privilege and advantage Abigail Ho,l-
-son would not permit
Abigail Hedson snapped a needle
and tossed the broken pieces into the
grass. q wish could cut that OH
tree down" she muttered. not know.
ing that the same unsposen wish was
sn Hannah's heart. not realizing that
her Snger against the tree was stin.
nlatea by the feud it had caused muci
more than ty the lostview of the vi
Ssge street
Il 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-
fion that the tree must be cut down or
things would never be right for her in
the world