Eastern times., 1856-01-03

| eagerly. w mere Is ne 10 uC III tilc IOUIu
The new friend smiled and told her that it was
music-box, and after while she opened it
and explained what made the sounds. Then
she took out pile of books from one of the
baskets of goods, and told Peggy she might
look at the pictures till she called for her.
The little girl stepped forward eagerly to take
them, and then drew back as if afraid. 'What
is the matter,' asked Mrs -Fairweather; Il
am very willing to trust you with the books.
| keep them on purpose 10 amuse children
Peggy looked down with her finger on her
lip, and answered in constrained voice, Aunt
Turnpenny won't like it if play
Don't trouble yourself about that, / will
make it all right with Aunt Hetty,' replied
the friendly one. Thus assured, she gave
herself up TO the full enjoyment of the picture
books; and when she was summoned TO her
work, she obeyed with a cheerful alacrity that
would have surprised her sterh relative
When the labors of the day were concluded,
Mrs. Fairweather accompanied her home, paid
all the hours she had been absent, and warmly
praised her docility and intelligence.
1t is lucky for her that she behaved so
we'll, replied Aunt Hetty; IF l had heard
any complaint should have given her a whip
ping and sent her to bed without her supper
Poor little Peggy went to sleep that night
with a lighter heart than she had ever felt
since she had been an orphan. Her first
thought in the morning was whether the new
neighbor would want her services again during
the day. Her desire that it should be so, soon
became obvious to Aunt Hetty, and excited an
underlined jealousy and dislike of person who
so easily made herself beloved. Without ex-
actly acknowledging 10 herself what were her
motives, she ordered Peggy to gather all the
sweepings of the kitchen and court into a small
pile, and to leave it on the frontier line of her
neighbours premises. Peggy ventured to ask
timidly whether the wind would not blow the
dirt about, and she received a box on the ear
for her impertinence. 1t chanced that Mrs.
Fairweather, quite unintentionally, heard the
words and the blow. She gave Aunt Hetty's
anger time enough TO cool, then stepped out
into the court and after arranging divers little
matters, she called aloud TO her domestic, SAL
ly, how came you 10 leave this pile Of dirt here
Did not tell you that Miss Turnpenny is very
neat. Pray. make haste and sweep it up.
wouldn't have her see it on any account.
told her would try 10 keep everything nice
about the premises. She is so particular her
self, and it is a comfort to have tidy neigh
bors.' The girl, who had been previously in
structed, smiled as she came out, and swept
quietly away the pile that was intended as a
declaration of frontier war. But another
source of annoyance presented itself, which
could not be quite so easily disposed of. Aunt
Hetty had a cat, lean, scraggy animal, that
looked as if she were often kicked and seldom
fed; and Mrs. Fairweather also had fat,
frisky little dog, always ready for a caper.-
He took distaste 10 poor poverty-stIlcken Tab
the first time he saw her, and no coaxing could
induce him to alter his opinion. His name
was Pink, but he was anything but pink of
behavior in his neighborly relations. Poor
Tab could never set foot out of the door, with
out being saIuted with growl, and short,
sharp bark, that frightened her out of her
senses, and made her rnn in the house, with
fur all on end. II she even ventured to doze
little on her own step, the enemy was on the
watch, and the moment her eyes closed, he
would wake her with bark and box on the
ear, and off he would run. Aunt Hetty vowed
she would scald him. 1t was burning shame,
she said, for folks TO keep dogs to worry their
neigbors' CATS Mrs. Fairweather invited
Tabby 10 dine, and made much of her, and pa
the same plate. But Pink steadily resolved
that he would be scalded first that he would.
He could not have been more firm in this op-
position, if he and Tab had belonged TO differ
ent sects of Christianity. While his mistress
was patting Tab on the head and reasoning
with him, he would at times manifest degree
the moment he-was left 10 his own free will,
he would give the invited guest hearty cuff
with his paw, and send her home splitting like
small steam engine. Aunt Hetiy considered
it her own privilege to cuff the poor creature,
and it was too much for her patience to see
Pink undertake TO assist in making Tab un-
happy. On one of these occasions she rushed
into her neighbor's apartment, and faced Mrs.
Fairweather, with one hand resting on her
hip, and the forefnger of the other making
very wrathful gesticulatious. Il tell you what,
madam, won't put up with such treatment
much longer said she; I'll poison that dog +;
you see if don't; and shan't wait long, Ell
ther, can tell you. What you keep such an
impu6ent little beast for, don't know, with
out you do it on purpose to plague your neigh
| bors'
am really sorry to behave so,' replied
Mrs. Fairwealher, mildly. Poor Tabl'.
| Poor Tab ! screamed Miss Turnpenny
'what do you mean by calling her poor! Dc
you mean to fling it up 10 me that my cat dom
have enough to eati
/ did not think of such thing, replied
Mrs. Fairweather. i called her poor Tab
because Pink plaques her so that she has nc
peace of her life | agree with Won neiphbol