The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1919-07-17
i Of Spite

Cr-LiA FRANCES PFE1FFER


he shook his wOOlly head resolutely,
and his black. shiny face was solemn
and set.
Aren't you a carpenter? Isn't II q
simple bodybuilding a rough board
fence2 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. a fence; but what kind
of a fence? AS I learn, sab, ii am
to be a spite fence. | cahn't engage
In dat soht Of wickedness- / cahnt.
indeed. De pahsOn would very much
reprehend me fob sch 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 70 finish up our
new meeting house"
John West glared at the simple, but
cIear-minded. cOIOred artisan. Ii net
tied him to have his imperious will
crossed: il half shamed. fully enraged
him To suffer a repriInand 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. 2 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 a thorn I'm the flesh Of Mr..
West. Next south of his own home
was No. 8. From IL then came its
proprietor. Robert Taylor, a vivid con-
trast I'm character and appearance to
his technical, fault-inding neighbor-
bluff, hearty, n live and let-live -ad-
nerent to the core.
Mr.. Taylor viewed the great heap
OF boards and scantlings just deliv-
cred in a speculative way. Then he
shifted a glance to West which made
the latter squirm.
Don't do it, West" advised Taylor.
You'll be sorry later"
Ordering me, are your" Jared up
West.
mo; I'm only giving you wise coun-
sci. You've nursed a crouch against
that Mason family until your moral
sense is perverted"
''Is 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 your
"Yes, I am"
Think twice"
ST 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
wild stare as he noticed on the Tay-
lor 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.
81 want you to build a fence for me,
joe" he announced, "just like the one
over there"
"Eh You goin' TO embellish dc
property, tOof I declare, sab, I'm
s'prised. But as I told Mistah West,
prapagander, sab, IL 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. I fancy a per.
son Of your intellectually can under.
stand what I'm up to-"
"YS'as, sab. Hal hal Yose gwine
to circumvent de enemy, sumise-
no! no! / knows you as a good man
Mstah Taylor. and TIL 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 his exertions
and the new pile of rumher meant
"DOan know. sab. unless Mr.. Tay
Tor 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
,itPdly
Why" replied Taylor. smiling
bIandly. 1--WE been thinking that g
| good tight fence would shut off the
| cold north winter wind. and thai
| would save fuel"
| "Bur you also shut off the sun fron
| my choicest flower beds - fairly
hOwiPd West.
'Dun't your fence do the same thinl
| FOR rIlr noighbor. Nasnn?" inquired
Taylor. See here. West, don't vol
think we had better reason bit? Bet
| ter see the light before il is too late.