Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 117, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 May 1910 — BREAKING DOWN THE FENCE [ARTICLE]

BREAKING DOWN THE FENCE

Mothw Wa. a Maater. Hand at Making Neighbors. “And how are you getting on with you? new neighbor, mother?** Mrs. Dale’s married daughter asked, as she drew some work from her bag and settled down for an “afternoon home." Mrs. Dale reached over and took the little dress from her daughter’s hands. “I’m going to finish this,” she said. “If you didn’t bring work enough for two 'twill serve you right to sit idle. But that Mrs. O’Connor,” and a perplexed expression crossed her motherly face, "really, I don’t know what to say, Lucy. I’ve sent her in hot biscuit and honey and flowers, and she’s been real politeacting, but I haven’t seemed to get anywhere at all with her.” “Perhaps she doesn't want neighLucy suggested, wickedly. Mrs. Dale stopped sewing and pushed back her glasses. “Now, Lucy Prescott, you know that’s nonsense!” she declared. “Everybody wants neighbone—it’s part of being a human; and the folks that don’t know they want them are the very ones that want them most. It just makes me ache to see that child going round with her forehead screwed into a knot over something and I sitting here and not helping. I just want to get her in my arms and cuddle her up like a baby. I know ’twould do her good.” Lucy’s eyes were tender, although laughter yet lurked in them. “Well, mother. I’ll still back you,” she said. “If you can’t break down the fences, I don’t know anybody that can.” Mrs. Dale shook her head sorrowfully. “rm pretty nigh at the end of my tether/’ she declared. Discouragement, however, was a word not in Mrs. Dale’s vocabulary. When, a few days later, her daughter came down again, she was met with the challenge to guess what had happened. “Mrs. Connor has been over-’’ Lucy answered, promptly. “Well, there, I didn’t think you’d guess so quickly,” Mrs. Dale replied. “But that isn’t all. She’s been over every day, Lucy.” “Every day!” Lucy repeated in genuine amazement. “Well, you have really done it, mother!” Mrs. Dale nodded triumphantly. “Yes, and she insisted upon getting supper that first night, and she says she’s going to keep her eye on me now, and ” “Getting supper!” Lucy echoed “Mother, what have you been doing?’’ “It was nothing but a fall. It’s all right now’, only it shook me up considerable, and I didn’t know but I was hurt. So the Peters boy happened to be passing, and I sent him to Mrs. Connor. You’ve no idea how kind she was. And she is worried, poor child, for her husband’s lungs are weak, and I’ve promised her fresh eggs all the time, and ” “Mother Dale, did you fall on purpose?” Mrs. Dale’s eyes attempted to sustain her daughter’s look. “Of course I didn’t,” she declared, indignantly, “but,” and a little twinkle crept into her eyes, “mebbe I could have got round a mite sooner if I’d had to.”—Youth’s Companion.