The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1915-11-09
REPAIRING The FENCE
BY JOHN DARLING.


"Sayi" shouted a tramp over the
gate of the Mortimer place.
Miss Nellie Mortimer sat on the
veranda reading book.
"Sayi l say!"
The girl shook her head to signify
that there was nothing doing in his
line.
oh, I'm not after a hand-out."
Then go on!"
And / don't want to do that until
! have told you that there is hog
in the side garden out there, and that
he is roofing up things for fairiD
The hog again!" exclaimed Miss
Nellie as she started up.
"Yes'm-same hogl" grinned the
tramp.
But he must be driven out at once.
II you will drive him out, III"
"Oh, no, Missy" interrupted the
tramp as he began moving away, YOU
can't play that on me-"
Mr. Mortimer had an interest in a
business in the city and spent most
of his time there. On this morning
no one was at home except herself
and the cook, and as for the latter
she was fat and lame. That hog must
go out, however.
Miss Nellie drove him down the
road and found the place he had
broken in, and then it was hammer
and nails and couple of boards She
had got all the materials on the spot
when young man came along on
foot. She recalled that she had seen
him pass in an auto an hour before,
and was wondering If he had met
with an accident, when he halted and
raised his cap.
Had breakdown and am walking
back
She wanted to ask him why he
didn't walk on then, but she spotted
that hog coming back and uttered
muttered threat instead. This
caused him to notice the materials
and the hole in the fence, and he
continued:
'Ah. see! The beast has been
in the garden, and you are going
to secure the fence against him. /
have read that few women could drive
a nall
Il have read that same thing Of
the men!"
Here is the chance to test the mat
ter
He reached for board and knelt
down and held it against the fence
for her and smiled in superior way
and in anticipation. That smile set
tied the matter Miss Nellie picked
up hammer and nails and began driy-
ing.
There was smash and a yell!
The hammer had missed the nail and
hit the thumbI
.You-you-"
Il didn't do it," he protested.
But if you hadn't been here and
looking on it wouldn't have hap
pened!"
Nonsensel Didn't / say that a
woman couldn't drive nail without
MASKING her thumb?"
And didn't say that a man couIdn't7
You pick up that hammer and try it "
The board was held in place while
the nan was neatly driven, and the
young man turned to Miss Nellie with
that superior smile.
go ahead" she ordered. There's
three more nails to be driven yet
He started on the second. There
was smash and howl. 1t was more
than a howl. It was language lots
Of language. For moment the vic
tim thought himself far from the
haunts of men (and women). but then
he Gained down and said:
Il sincerely beg your pardon
1t was unfair Of you, when you
knew couldn't do the same thing.
How bad is it?"
He held out his hand for inspec-
ton. The blood had already begun
to settle under the nail.
And yours?" he asked.
It was as bad, and the girls face
had become very pale with the pain
of It. At that moment the cook came
limping out to see what had happened,
and they held out their bruised
thumbs to her.
Great cats and dogsl" she ex-
claimed. why both of you will sure
ly lose your thumbnaiIs, anyhow, and
it will be miracle if yon are not dis
figured for lifel''
The mashed" took seats on the
veranda and held on to their thumbs,
while the cook brought out bandages
and ointments by the handful.
Why did you go and do it?' asked
the woman as the last thumb was
cared for.
IF this gentleman hadn't come
along and butted in" began Miss
Nellie, when she was interrupted:
Whose name is Earl Bell. Excuse
me that / haven't given it before.
believe this is Miss Mortimer?'
And l believe that pesky hog has
got back into the garden againl Per-
haps you have also read that no wom-
an can drive hog?"
IF / ever find one Tll-Ill admire
herb
Well, want you to show me that
man can. I'll stay here and watch.
When that hog found that he had
a man TO deal with he quit his job and
made for the fence. and then the
young man left. Did he ever return2
Read what the cook said the other
day:
"Oh, yes, he returned and returned
and returned, and he's returning yet,
and If that hog don't bring about a
marriage and wedding trip, then IN
never go by signs again.
Copyright, by the Mcclure Newspaper
Syndicate)