er to the house or
land, was ever recorded; and it wasn't until after the society dissolved
that the question came up as to how the property was to be disposed of.
While the old deacons were carefully thinking it over, Jed-wort was on
hand, to settle it by putting in his claim.

"'Now, boys,' says he, 'ye see what I'm up to.'

"'Yes,' says I, provoked as I could be at the mean trick, 'and I knew it
was some such mischief all along. You never show any enterprise, as you
call it, unless it is to get the start of a neighbor. Then you are wide
awake; then you are busy as the Devil in a gale of wind.'

"'But what _are_ you up to, pa?' says Dan, who didn't see the trick yet.

"The old man says, 'I'm goin' to fence in the rest part of my farm.'

"'What rest part?'

"'This part that never was fenced; the old meetin'-house common.'

"'But, pa,' says Dave, disgusted as I was, 'you've no claim on that.'

"'Wal, if I ha'n't, I'll make a claim. Give me the crowbar. Now, here's
the corner, nigh as I can squint'; and he stuck the bar into the ground.
'Make a fence to here from the wall, both sides.'

"'Sho, pa!' says Dan, looking bewildered; 'ye a'n't goin' to fence in
the old meetin'-house, be ye?'

"'That's jest what I'm goin' to do. Go and git some big stuns from the
wall--the biggest ye can find, to rest the corners of the fence on.
String the rails along by the road, Stark, and go for another load.
Don't stand gawpin' there!'

"'_Gawpin'?_' says I; 'it's enough to make anybody _gawp_. You do beat
all the critters I ever had to deal with. Haven't ye disgraced your
family enough already, without stealing a meeting-house?'

"'How have I disgraced my family?' says he.

"Then I put it to him. 'Look at your children; it's all your wife can do
to prevent 'em from growing up in rags and dirt and ignorance, because
you are too close-fisted to clothe 'em decently or send 'em to school.
Look at your house and yard. To see an Irishman's shanty in such a
condition seems appropriate enough, but a genteel place, a house with
pillars, run down and gone to seed like that, is an eyesore to the
community. Then look at your wife. You never would have had any property
to mismanage if it hadn't been for her; and see the way you show your
gratitude for it. You won't let her go into company, nor have company at
home; you won't allow a hired girl in the house, but she and Maria have
to do all the drudgery. You make perfect slaves of 'em. I