66 THE FAT OF THE LAND 
and me. The men who cut the posts took the 
job of setting them, stretching the wire, and 
hanging the gates, for $400. This included the 
staples and also the stretching of three strands 
of barbed wire above the woven wire; two at 
six-inch intervals on the outside, and one inside, 
level with the top of the post. Thus my ring 
fence was six feet high and hard to climb. I 
have a serious dislike for trespass, from either 
man or beast, and my boundary fence was made 
to discourage trespassers. I like to have those 
who enter my property do so by the ways pro- 
vided, for “whoso climbeth up any other way, 
the same is a thief and a robber.” 
The ring fence was finished by the middle of 
October. The interior fences were built by my 
own men during soft weather in winter and 
spring; and, as I had already paid for the wire 
and posts, nothing more should be charged to 
the fence account. In round numbers these 
seven miles of excellent fence cost me $2100. 
A lot of money! But the fence is there to-day 
as serviceable as when it was set, and it will 
stand for twice seven years more. One hundred 
dollars a year is not a great price to pay for the 
security and seclusion which a good fence fur- 
nishes. There was no need of putting up so 
much interior fence. I would save a mile or 
two if I had it to do again; however, I do 
not dislike my straight lanes and tightly fenced 
fields, 
