The Washington times., 1937-08-09


horns for laying and Rhode
Island Reds for the pullets and
fryers. The biggest item in her
budget was feed.
mil Toothacre,' Herman had
told her, I'm lettin' you rob me
only because I aim to be a good
neighbor, but it amt a-gonna go
on. No, by hick'ry. I groWed
more corn than what I NEEDED
but amt got enough to bother
cartin' it to market and you
know it. So you're holdn' me
up. Plain Robin me-
GO long with you. Herman,
YOU old skinflint." Mil Tooth
acre retorted. Nobody ever
heard of you lettin' anything get
away from you without a profit
yet. Forty cents for your corn,
take it or leave it, and my hand
Herbert will move it off your
property"
So it began and so it kept up.
A year in and year out nelghbor-
hood feud, friendly enough, but
at the same time bitter enough
to preclude anything like ami
able relations between the hard
bitten farmer and his equally
hardbitten customer.
ANNUAL EVENT
Herman continued to raise
inst a little more corn than his
turkeys required and Nil con-
tinued to haggle him down a
couple Of pennies under the
market price, and it got so that
their annual back-fence bargain
ing became an event to which
both looked forward.
One fall day Herman Bucher
walked Nout of the long, low
building where he housed his
rabbits and observed an un-
wonted performance in progress
on Mil Toothacre's adjacent
property. Wagons were pulling
out of her barnyard to the main
boulevard that ran in front OF
both their places. Wagon after
wagon, each loaded with flutter-
ing poultry that croaked and
cackled their dismay at being
thus summarily uprooted from
their surroundings. Herman
wanted to ask what was going
on, but discretion got the better
of curiosity.
The next day WOrkmen arrived
and began tearing down some OF
Mills henhouses. Herman could
scarcely contain himself. Other
workmen came and erected
some small cabins. Trucks rolled
up and deposited bathtuos'
showers, sanitary equipment.
Herman stalked over to the
fence.
"Oh. Mil" he called.
well, what you want, Herm?"
Mrs. Toothacre demanded.
Have you figured how many
bushels O. corn you'll be needin'
his fall?"
Don't need ary bushel, just
as much obliged"
"Wha-what's that?"
You amt blind, be you.
Herm? Can't . u see I'm tearm'
away most O. my henhouSes?"
You don't mean you're sell
ing out. Mil?"
"Sellin' out? Nosiree, I'm
ouildin' me trailer camp, that's
what. Amt no more money IN
eggs. I rake and scrape and toll
and slave and the price O. feed
keeps mountin' up and I sell
fifteen hundred eggs a day for
practically nothin'. Amt no
sense to it, Herm, so I just de-
cided to quit and make some
money. Got my permit from the
county last week"
We'll, if that amt fine
trick to play on a rcighbor, 1
must say, Mil Toothacre. You
might at least have warned me-"
Warned you? How could I
warn you when I only just made
up my mind t'other day. You
take my advice, Herm. and lay
in more turkeys and rabbits.
You'll notice I'm keepin' my
eatin' poultry. With the crowds
O. folks I'll have stoppin' here
I'll make you rich"
Mil Toothacre was a good
prophet. Almost before the
workers had got through put
ting in her fancy outdoor kitch.
ems and barbecue pits the
trailer-minded public began
pouring in. She set aside five
acres on her property for the
camp and charged each trailer
So a week rental, made an ex''a
profit on their gas and electric.
ity, made them pay for their
showers. and operated a little
general store besides. Before the
winter tourist season got started
in earnest she had to hire man
to help Herbert and was so busy
she never had a minute to her
self. The whole country. it
seemed. had gone trailer,mad.
Everybody wanted to be on the
go.
BUSINESS TRIP
Herman Bucher shared in the
flood of prosperity that show.
cred upon her. He even unbent
to the extent of helping Mil out
in rush times and only laughed
when she wanted to pay him.
I'D do what l could any time
for a good neighbor like you,
Mil" Herman told her. He got
so he spent his evenings gossip
ing with the trailerites and
came TO share their enthusi-
asmS. The folks he liked best,