Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1919-06-05
Out of Spite
Bv OTuLIA FRANCES PFElFFER

Copyright. 1919. by western Newspaper Union.)
"Ah couldn't do it nohow, Mistah
Brooke spoke old Joe Ruggles, and
he shook his woolly head resOlutely,
and his black, shiny face was solemn
and set.
. aren't you a carpenter? Isn't it
simple bodybuilding a rough board
fence? What's the matter with you,
man." and the self-willed. irascible
John West f1ared up like the spirit OF
intolerance and temper that he was.
"Ya'as, sab, fence; but what kind
of a fence? AS learn, sab, it am
to be a spite fence. l cahn't engage
i'm dat soht of wickedness. l cahn't,
indeed. De pahson would very much
reprehend me fob SIGH wickedness,
and my conscience wouldn't allow me,
sab. Moh'n dat, it's a 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, colored artisan. 1t net
tied him to have his imperious will
crossed it half shamed fully enraged
him to suffer a 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
it. That was No. Waverly terrace,
and the last house in town. The. Ma
sons, a jolly couple with five children,
had recently moved into it. They had
become thorn in the flesh Of Mr..
West. Next south of his own home
was No. g. From it then came it's
proprietor, Robert Taylor, vivid con-
trast in character and appearance to
his technical, fault-fnding neighbor-
bluff, hearty, live and let-live ad-
herent to the core.
Mr.. Taylor viewed the great heap
Of boards and scantlings just deliv-
cred in speculative way. Then he
shifted a glance to West which made
the latter squirm.
Don't do it, West" advised Taylor.
You'll De softly ldLcI.
BORDERING me, are you?" fiared up
West.
"NO; I'm only giving you wise coun-
sci. You've nursed a crouch against
that Mason family until your moral
sense is perverted"
els that so! Well, wish they had
let that dog of theirs burrow up your
choice peonies and drag mud up your
steps"
"But they have banished the Of
fender West That ought to satisfy
you"
"Well, it's the children now. Five
Of 'em. Rearing, tearing, wild Indi-
ans.
"Going to shut off their view down
the street, are you?"
eyes, I am"
'"Think twice."
81 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
a wild stare as he noticed on the Tay-
lor lot a 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.
81 want you to build fence for me,
joe" he announced, "just like the one
over there"
"Eh You gOin' to embellish de
property, too? I declare, sab, Pm
S'prised. But as l told Mistah West,
dOan want to mix up with dis spite
prapagander, sab, if you'll 'scuse me.
You see, de moral function of de pos
sibilities, sah-"
ooh, 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, l don't
think you will be called on to ever
finish the fence for me. fancy per-
son of your intellectually can under
stand what Pm up to-"
"Ya'as, sab. Ha! ha! Yose gwine
to circumvent de enemy, sumise-
no! no! knows you as good man,
Mistah Taylor, and I'll begin at dose
post holes right away"
Mr. Taylor went away, to return in
two hours. Joe was sturdily digging
post holes. He was not perturbed as
Mr.. West stood near him, vociferously
demanding to know what bis 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."
West ran up to Taylor. "See here,
what you about?" he challenged, ex-
citedly.
'Why," replied Taylor, smiling
blandly, 1--WE been thinking that a
good tight fence would shut off the
cold north winter wind, and that
would save fuel"