Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1919-07-24
Out Of Spite
By oTILLIA FRANCES PFEIFFER
lcopyrLght, lel0. BY Western Newspaper Uni0n.l

tCopyrShL 1917 Oy western Ne"SPApe1 ONion''
sab couldn't do 1t nohow, Mistah
Brooke, spoke old Joe Ruggles, aud
lie shook his woolIy head resolutely
and his black. shiny face was solemn
and set.
Aren't you a carpenter? Isn't 1t a
simple bodybuilding a rough board
fence? What's the matter with you.
mani" and sthe self-wilted iraScibie
John West hared up like the spirit OF
intolerance and temper that he was.
"Ya'as, sab, a fence; but what kind
of fencel AS learn. sab, 1t am
to be a spite fence. cahn't engage
in dat soht of wickedness. ! cahn't,
indeed. De pahs0n would very much
reprehend me fob SIGH wickedness.
and my conscience wouldn't allow me.
sab. Moh'n dat, it's bad waste OF
good wood. Why, sab, dere's enough
lumber in dat heap to finish up our
new meeting house"
John West glared at the simple, but
clear-minded. cOIored artisan. II net
tied him to have his imperlousl will
crossed; # half shamed fully enraged
him to suffer reprimand from an In
ferior. Joe went his way with his
box of tools. Mr. West paced up and
down before his house. grumbling TO
himself and directing unfriendly
glances toward the one just north Of
1t. That was No. 2 WaverIy terrace.
and the last house in town. The Ma
sons, jolly couple with five children.
had recently moved into it. They had
become 4 thorn in the flesh of Mr..
West. Next south of his own home
was No. 6. From 1t then canies its
proprietor, Robert Taylor, vivid con-
trast in character and appearance TO
his technical, fault-fnding neighhor-
bluff, hearty, live and Iet-live adj
hcrcnt TO the core.
Mr.. Taylor viewed the great heap
Of boards and scantlings just deliv-
cred in speculative way Then he
shifted glance TO West which made
the latter squirm
Don't do it, West" advised Taylor.
"You'l be sorry later"
BORDERING me, are your Jared M
West.
"No; I'm only giving you wise coun-
seI You've nursed crouch against
that Mason family until your moral
sense is perverted"
rs that so! Well, l wish they had
let that dog Of theirs burrow up your
choice peonies and drag mud up your
steps"
'But they hive banished the Of
fender. West That ought to satisfy
you"
"Well, it's the children now. Five
of 'em. Rearing, tearing, wild Indl-
ans.
"Going to shut off their view down
the street, are your"
"Yes, am"
'Think twice."
II won't"
'Then I'll have TO do some think
ing in behalf of the general situation"
proclaimed Taylor, significantly, and
walked away.
Joe Ruggles, passing down Waverly
terrace two mornings later paused with
q wild stare as he noticed on the Tay-
Tor lot new pile of lumber. The spite
fence had been nearly built by another
carpenter. The new heap was sug.
gestive. Mr.. Taylor came out and
hailed the astonished Joe.
II want you to build fence for me.
joe" he announced, "just like the one
over there"
"Eh! You goin' to embellish de
property, tool l declare, sab, I'm
s'prised. But as told Mistah West.
l doan want to mix up with dis spite
prapagander, sab, If you'll 'scuse me.
You see. de moral function Of de pos
sibilities, sab"
"Oh, that's all right" laughed Mr..
Taylor. "You go right on with the
work, Joe. I'll guarantee you that
neither fence will be in evidence by
the end Of the week. In fact, don't
think you will be called on to ever
finish the fence for me. fancy a per-
son Of your intellectually can under
stand what I'm up to-"
"Ya'as, sab. Ha! hal Yose gwlne
to circumvent de enemy, l sunrise
hol hol ! knows you as a good man,
Mistah Taylor, and TIL begin at dose
post holes right away"
Mr.. Taylor went away, to return in
two hours. Joe was sturdlly digging
post holes, He was not perturbed as
Mr.. West stood near him, vociferOusly
demanding to know what his exertions
and the new pile Of lumber meant.
"Doan know, sab. unless Mr.. Tay-
lor is countin' on reserving de har.
monizin' Of de street with another
spite fence, sah.p
West ran up to Taylor. See here,
what you about?" he challenged, ex-
cltedIy.
''Nhy," replied Taylor, smiling
blandly, "Tve been thinking that a
good tight fence would shut of the
cold north winter wind. and that
would save fuel"
"But you also shut OF the sun from
my choicest flower bedsw fairly
hnv,Iad VVaet