, 1922-09-21
Tom B~arringer's
Short Cut

By JANE OSBORN
90 by Mcclure Newspaper syndieateo

When adverse circumstances made
1t necessary for Grandmother Auden
to come back to the old Auden place
in Millville with her granddaughter
Laura. it was the grandmother whose
spirits ran high while Laura was de
pressed.
Just when most girls are having a
good time I'll have to bury myself off
in an old factory village where l don't
suppose there are any young people
any regular people would want to as
sociate with. And it's just because
Uncle Harry once lived there and
bought that house that no one wants
to buy"
Cheer up" said Grandmother Au-
den, a youthful young-old woman of
sixy-five. There are some nice peo-
pie. The Barringers-"
Pooh" shifted Laura. Don't I
know about the Barringers? 1t was
old Mr.. Tom Barringer that Uncle
Harry had the quarrel with. They
swore to be mortal enemies or some
thing. | vas introduced to that in
siderable son of his, Tom Barrlnger,
at a college dance. | told him that an
uncle of mine had lived in Millville-
that was enough. Mr.. Barringer looked
at me as If l were "A scorpion at least,
and never asked me for Il single dance.
l guess his father passed on his hatred
of II family to his son along with
his money when he died. The Bar
ringers and their crowd are the only
decent people here. and the head of
the Barringer family hates us. So
that's that
Perhaps your Uncle Harry was
partly to blame" suggested the grand
mother. "Fo my part 1 have no
grudge against the Barringers-only l
do wish they'd keep the smoke from
their old factory from Sitting in the
back windows"
That's the penalty we have to pay
for trying to live in u house that's
plumb up against the factory grounds.
No wonder we couldn't sell it. And
another thing" sputtered Laura, II
wish his highness, Tom Barringer,
wouldn't cut across our property.
Every morning, noon and night he
walks across the end of our place to
and from his old factory. OF course
it cuts Off three or four blocks, u if
he hasn't any use for us he ought to
keep off from our place"
Perhaps he doesn't realize that that
field really is part of our grounds
suggested Grandmother Auden.
well, he ought TO find out" snapped
Laura. IF he wants to make a short
cut through our place he ought to ask
permission"
Grandmother Auden smiled. She
smiled so long and so merrily that
Laura asked her, rather abruptly,
what caused her amusement.
81 was just thinking" was Mrs. Au-
den's only reply.
Two days later there were workmen
on the old Auden place. They were
driving stakes along the entire rear
and side of the Auden property. Later
1t became evident thai this series of
stakes was TO support wire fencing
six feet high.
While this work was still in progress
the uneXpected-or at least unexpected
to Manufactured. Claire Barringer
called at the Auden place. Claire Bar
ringer was Tom Barrlnger's elder
sister.
Those Audens are putting up n
fence her brother had announced.
IL wanted TO get out an injunction
against them, but my lawyer a
they've a perfect right to fence in
their own property. Now be an angel
and go over there and persuade them
to leave n space for my short cut. II
means precious minutes TO me every
day. If ! can't cut through their place
it will mean n good half miles distance
TO the factory. I'll have to use the
car. That's Il nuisance. Just run
along and fix matters up"
"But you didn't want to have any
thing to do with those Audens." sug.
gested Sister Claire.
OF course | didn't and / don't.
Harry Auden offended father and l
don't intend 10 forget II. But | can't
let a family feud stand in the way Of
n necessary convenience. You can
make 1t quite obvious that your call is
merely on business"
So Claire had consented. She used
tact and then persuasion. and finally
begged Grandmother Auden to leave
a gap in the fence for the convenience
of her brother.
II am sorry" smiled Mrs. Auden.
but our plan IL TO have Il continuous
fence. l have always priced privacy
above everything else. Really. 1 am
sorry"
And that was all the satisfaction
Claire got out of Grandmother Auden.
Two days later the fence was com
plete. and then Tom Barrlnger stormed
more thnn ever against the Audens.
He lost precious minutes each day. and
every minute counted In the career Of
nm ambitious mill proprietor.
You've got to go again." suggested
Tom huf Claire rofuead