A paling fence is described in the dictionary as, "a long narrow board, pointed at the top and used to build fences. A fence built of pales."

A drifter came through the community one day looking for work. He asked Huse Edgemon for a job and was turned away. However, he was not a man to be turned away easily. He insisted until at last in aggravation Huse said, "I will give you a dollar to go down this road about two miles until you come to a house with a white paling fence around the front yard. I am going to replace the fence and I want this one torn away. Tear it down and stack the pales under the big maple tree in the yard. Now let me warn you. The couple who live there are cranky, and they do not know that I am going to replace the fence. So when you start to remove the fence they will come out and try their best to make you stop. Pay them no mind."

The man proceeded down the country road and tore away the fence. The old couple complained grievously, but to no avail. They told the man that they owned the property and it did not belong to another, yet he worked on never knowing that Huse had played a prank on him, and had gotten even with a neighbor that he did not like.

Submitted by J W Henson

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