Hillsdale Whig standard. (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1846-1851, 1850-12-31
THE MAN WHO KILLED HIS NEIGHB0RS'
BY L. MARIA CHILD.

| Reuben Black was an infcstatlon In the
| neighborhood where he resided. The very |
sght of him produced effects similar to the
| illndoo magical tune called Rang. when Is
said to bring on clouds, storms and earth. j
quakes. His wife seemed lean, sharp ana
uncomfortable. The heads of his boys had
u brstling aspect, as it each individual halr
stood on end with perpetual fear The COW
poked ont her horns horizontally; as soon as
he opened the barn yard gate. The dog
dropped his tail between his legs. and looked
askance to see what humur he was in. The
cat looked wild and scraggy, and had been
known to rush straight up tue chimney when
he moved towards her. Fanny Kembe's
expressive description Of the Pennsylvania
stage horses was exactly suited to Reubens
poor old nag. His hair resembled an old
hair trunk. Continual whipping and kick
ing had made him such stole. that no
amount of blows could quicken his pace, and
no chiruping could change the detected
drooping of his head. All his natural Ian
quage said, as plain as a horse could say il,
that he was a most unhappy beast. Even
the trees of Reuben's premises had gnarl-
ed and knotty appearance. The bark wept
little sickly tears of gum, and the branches
grew away, as if taey felt the continual dis
cord, and made sorry faces at each other be-
hind their owners back.
His fields were red with sorre, or run o.
yer with mullens. Everything seemed as
arid as his own vsage. Every day he
cursed his town and the neighborhood. be-
cause they poisoned his dogs, aud stoned his
hens, and shot his cats Continual lawsuits
involved him in so much expense, that ne
had neither time nor money to spend on the
Improvement Of his farm.
Against Joe Smith, poor laborer in The
neighborhood, he had brought ;hrec suits IN
succession. Joe said he had returned spade
he had borrowed, aud Reuben swore he had
not He sued Joe, and recovered damages,
for which he ordered the Sheriff TO seize his
pig. Joe in his wrath, called him an old
swndler, and curse 10 the neighborhood.
These remarks were sOon repeated to Reu-
ben. lie brought an action for libel. and re-
covered twenty hive cents. Provoked at the
laugh this oc casioned, he atched for Joe To
pass by. and set his big dog on him scream
ing furiously call me an old swindler. will
youl An evil spirit is more contagious than
the plague. Joe went home and scolded his
wife ana boxed little Joe's ears and kicked
the cat; not one of them knew what II was
all tor.
A fortnight after, Reuben's big dog was
found dead by poison Whereupon ne bro
another action against Joe Smith, and not
being able to find him guilty Of dog murder
he took his revenge by poisining pet lamb
belonging to Mrs Smith.
Thus the brag game wont on with mutu-
al worriment aud loss. Joes temper grew
more vindctiye. and the love of tai ing over
his troubles at the grOg shop increased upon
him. Poor Mrs. Smith cried, and said 1t
was all owing to Reuben Black; for better
man never lived than her Joe when she mar
ried him,
Such was the state Of things when Simeon
| Green purchased the farm adjoining Reu-
bens. The estate had been much neglected
and had caught thistes and mullen from the
noghboring fields. But Simeon was dill
gen: man, blessed by nature with healthy
organization and genial temperament; and
wise and Kind education had aided nature
c in the perfection OF her goodIy work.
His provident industry soon changed the
aspect of things on the farm River mud,
autumn leaves, old shoes and old bones were
all put in requsition, to assist III the produc-
tion Of use and beauty. Fields OF grain
waved where feds had rotted Persian IL
lacks bowed gracefully over the simple gate
way Michigan roses Covered halfthe house
with their abundant clusters. Even the
rough rock which formed the door step was
edged with golden moss. | he horse, feeding
in clover, tossed his mane and neighed when
his master came near as much "s 10 say
THE world is all tue peasanter for having
you in it, Siemon Green! The old COW fee
ding her calf under tho great walnut treo,
walked up to him, with serious friendly
face, asking for slice of sugar beet no was
wont to give her. Chantceer strutting a
bout with his troop OF plump hens and dow
ny little chickens, took no troublcto keep out
OF his way, but tapped his glossy wings aud
erowed welcome in his very face. When
SIemon turned his steps homeward, the boy
threw up his cap and run out shouting ia.
theirs coming! and little Mary went todlng
up to him with dandelion blossom to place
in his button-hole.'
His wife was woman of few words, but
she sometimes said to her neighbors with a
Quiet kind of satisfaction, Every body loves
nv husband that knows him. They can't
help it.
Simeon Green's acquantances know that
he never quarrelled in his life; but they pre-
dlcted that he would find it impossible to a
void it now. They told him his next neigh
Dor was determined TO quarrel with people
whether they would or not-that he was like
John Lilburne, of whom Judge JudNins said,
IF the world was emptied Of every person
but himself, Lilburno would still quarrel
with John. and John with LIlburne.
lis that his character saldF Simeon. III
he exercises il upon me will soon kill him
;, la every neghborhood there are indlvldu-
ais who like to ferment disputes, not from
any definite intentional malice or mischief,
but merely because il makes little ripple of
= an excitement in the dull stream VI life, like
a contest between dogs and game cocks-
Such people were not slo" in repeating Sim
con Greene's remark about his wrangllng
neghbor. =,
'Kil me! will her exclaimed Reuben. Ho
said no more; but his tightly compressed
mouth had such significant expression that
his dog doged him, as he would the track oi
a tiger.
That worry night Reuben turned bis horse