The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1920-08-05
BRIDGING A
CHASM
BY STANLEY WARNER

you about that wood lot you have
squabbled about for the last five
years"
Thus Alex Brown, local attorney, to
his client, Hugh Briston. The latter,
gruf, beard bristling, wrathy Of voice
and manner was not at all responsive
to the suggestion.
Does, eh?" he snorted. "Then he
Is either weakening on his grandstand
or has something up his sleeve In
either case | won't run after him. Let
him come to me If he has any propo-
sition to make"
"Manton is quite as stubborn as
yourself" explained the attorney.
Here you have litigated, never speak
ing to one another, since you had your
first quarrel. You've got to- give in
some, Briston. It's for your own in
terests."
81 WON'T" asseycrated his client
stanchly. 81 wouldn't step on his
ground for a fortune. He has penned
me in so I couldn't get out my chop
ping. He has spoiled two good sales"
"Wel, Manton wants to tender a
| proposition to adjust matters annie
ably"
"Then he can come and see me, l
won't go and see him, that is sure"
Lawyer Brown looked nonplused.
His mission BODIED failure. He did not
wish to lose a liberal fee, and besides
that he wished to see two old-time
crones and later enemies get back to
first principles like rational human
| beings.
Again, he had been approached only
| the day previous by the manly, stall
wart son of Hugh Briston. The law
yer had always liked the bright CHEEKY
lad, Sidney, who had come to early
manhood with everybody his friend
and we'll wisher, and especially Eunice
| MantOn.
"We1l take 1t for granted that we
like one another, Mr.. Brown" Sidney
had said in his clear, open way, "and
you may do me a great favor. I UNI
| derstand that there Is some chance of
father and Mr.. Manton getting to-
| gether on the subject of their law
suits. 1t means a lot to me if they
do, and to Eunlce also" added Sidney,
a slight flush coming to his cheeks,
"YOu needn't say anything, Sidney"
replied Brown. "How you have kept
your attentions to pretty Eunice from
the knowledge of her father and your
own shall not inquire, but l shall now
do double duty in trying to heal the
breach between two fire eaters"
And now, recalling his promise to
Sidney, the lawyer observed to the
father: "Well, l suppose you won't
object Manton half way?"
"What do you mean by half way"
growled Brston suspiciously. 81
! wouldn't cross his threshold for a for
tune and I'm sure he hates every stick
and stone about my place"
ooh, well, l may be able to think
out some method by which you two
stubborn old men may meet, without
either of you feeling that you have
lowered your dignity, or given in"
It was two days later when Lawyer
Brown called upon Hugh Briston.
'Well," he remarked brlskly, 1--WE set
tied 1t. Manton is agreeable to the
halfway proposition"
Huh! accommodating amt hep
shifted Brlston derlsively.
"Theres the old foot bridge cross
ing the river that winds in at the rear
of your respective holdings. He'll be
there at nine o'clock tomorrow morn
ing. Now then, be sensible and hui
man. Your principal source of anx-
iety is the wood-lot thoroughfare. His
is the new road. Give in if he does
shake hands, be friends and bury the
Ratchet"
Hell make the first advances" men
aced Briston. IF he don't, you're
wasting our time"
The old bridge spanned a creek
grown into river volume during recent
! spring rains, and on account of new
structure nearer the main traverSed
road and especially since the feud be-
tween Manton and Briston, 1t had fall
en- into dlsuse. At precisely nine
o'clock the next morning Slas Manton
advanced from his own land and care
| lessly lounged against the railing at
! the center of the decayed structure.
Brlston approached from his side. As
he stepped upon the planklng the
| weakened tlmbers creaked. Both
were heavy men. With a crash the
| whole rotten structure gave way.
| Amid swapping timbers the two bulky
enemies went down into mid stream
~ can't SWIM" yelled Manton thor
Oughly frightened as the eddylng cur
rent began TO bear him down stream
mo more can l." announced BriSton.
81 guess we're a-goner. Here, grab
the end of the plank I'm holding onto.
Hi there, oh Sldneyl Get us ont"
For Sidney suddenly emerged into
| view from near shore thlcket with
out his father even suspectlng TINT he
had purposely stationed himself there
! to watch the bridge negotiations.
"You first spoke the polite Sidney,
! and sprung into the water and towed
Manton ashore. "Now then, take 1t
easy" he added to his father, per-
forming the same operation for him.
"Say Brlston," spluttered Manton,
81 reckon we're pair OF fools. Sup
pose we'd drowned That wood lot
nuisance-have It your way"
"And about the road strip" snld
Briston. "I'll sign up for the right-of-