Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1847-05-06

and YOU have very little time to lose. 1t is a
had lob any time, but it will be still worse in
the dark Light or dark, don't ask yOnr
help replied Reuben emphatically Iwouldn't
help you out of the bog, the other day, when you
asked me- The trouble had in relieving my
moor oxen, teaches me to sympathize with others
in the same situation, answered Simeon
Don't let us waste words about it neighbor.-I
Il is impossible for me to go home and leave
YOU here in the bog, and night coming on,
The team was soon drawn out, and Simeon
and his men went away, without waiting for
thanks. When Reuben went home that night,
he was unusually silent and thoughtful. After
smoking awhile, in deep contemplation, he gent
" knocked the ashes from his pipe, and said,
with sigh, Peg, Simeon Green has killed mel
What do you meant said his wife, dropping her
knitting, with look of surprise You know
when he first came into this neighborhood, he
said he'd kill me, replied Reuben; land he has
done it. The other day he asked me to help
draw his team out of the bog, and | told him
had enough to do to attend to my own bust
ness To day my team stuck fast in the same
bog, and he came with two yoke of oxen to
draw it out felt sort of ashamed to have
linn lend me hand, SO told him didn't want
any of his help; out he answered, Just as pleas
an, as if nothing contrary had ever happened,
that night was coming on, and he was not will
ling to leave me there in the mud lit was
very good Of him. replied Peggy. lie is a
pleasant-spoken man, and always has pretty
word to say to the boys. His wife seems TO be
nice neighborIy body, too Reuben made no
answer hut after meditatrg while, he re-
marked, Peg, you know that big ripe melon
down at the bottom Of the garden? you may as
we'll carry it over there, in the morning. His
wife said she would, without asking him to ex
plain where 'over there was.
But when the morning came Reuben walked
back and forth, and round and round, with thai
sort of aimless activity, often manifested by hens
and by fashionable iders, who feel restless, anc
don't know what to run after. At length, the
cause of his uncertain movements was explain
ed, by his saying, in the folm Of question, .
guess may as we'll carry the melon myself, ant
thank him for his oxen! In my furry dowI
there in the marsh, didn't think to say wa
Obliged to him.
lie marched off toward the garden and hi
wife stood at the door, with one hand on her hip
and the other shading the sun from her eyes, t.
see if he really would carry the melon into Sim
con Green's house. 1t was the most remarka
bic incident that had happened since her mar
rage She could hardly believe her own eyes
He walked quick, as if afraid he should not b
able to carry the unusual impulse into action
he stopped to re- consider the question Whe
lie found himself IN Mr. Green's house, he le
, extremely awkward, and fastened to say Mr.
Green, here is melon my wife sent you, an
we reckon it's ripe one Without NANTES
ing any surprise at such unexpected courtesy
, the friendly matron thanked him, and invite
I him to sit down. But he stood playing with tn
! latch of the door, and without raising his eye
, said, May be Mr. Green amt In, this morl
1 mgr
d He is at the pump, and will be in directly
she replied; and before her words were Spoken
a the honest man walked in with face as fres
d and bright as June morning. He stepped rigI
e up to Reuben, shook his hand cordially, an
= said, i am glad to see you, neighbor TAX
char
: Thank you, l can't stop replied Reuben
]. He pushed his on one sde rubbed his hea
:. looked out Of the window, and then said SUI
e denly, as if by desperate effort, 'Thc fact
J. Mr. Green, didn't behave right about the o
il en-
j. Never mind, never mind replied Mr.. Gree
n Perhaps shall get into the bog again some
o these rainy days. i'll do, shall know whom
call upon
> Why you see,' said Reuben, still very muc
confused, and avoiding Simeon's mild clear ey
you see the neighbors about here are very ugl
e If had always lived by such neighbors as yc
l. are, | shouldn't be Just as am
y All, well, we must try to be to others VIII
II we want them to be to us, rejoined Simeon
II You know the good book says SO. have lear
r ed by experience that if we speak kind word
- we hear kind echoes If we try to make othe
=, happy, it fills them with wish to make us hal
py Perhaps you and | can bring the neighbo
d hood round, in time. Who knows? Let us tr
r Mr. Black, let us try But come and look at n
y OASLoiu' WullI W olOW yOu d lItC WHICH
have grated with very choice apples. If yc
l. like, | will procure you some scions from IL
stock
They went into the orchard together, an
> friendly chat soon put Reuben at his ease
When he returned home, he made no remarl
" about his visit for he could not, as yet, summo
j. sufficient greatness of soul to tell his wife that
IS had confessed himself in the wrong. A gu
It stood behind the kitchen door, in readiness
= shoot Mr.. Green's dog for having barked at h
e horse. He now fired the contents into the al
is and put the gun away in the barn. From tn
l. day, henceforth, he never sought for any prete
' to quarrel with either the dog or his master
short time otter, Joe Smith, to his utter astonis
: ment, saw him pat Tower on the head, an
heard him say, Good fellow ?
u Simeon Green was far too magnimous to r
s peat to any one that his quarrelsome neighbC
ct had confessed himself to blame. He mere
er smiled as he said to his wife, l thought "
ID should XII him, after a while