Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1857-01-03

lnter for having you in it, Simeon Green y
The old COW, fondling her calf under the great
walnut tree, walked up TO him with serious
friendly face, asking for the slice of sugar beet
he was wont to give her. Chantclcer, slrulling
about with his troop of plump hens and downy
little chickens, took no trouble to keep out Of
his way, but tapped his glossy wings, and
crowed welcome in his very face. When
Simeon turned his steps homeward, the boys
threw up their caps and ran out shouting, 'Fa-
theirs coming and little Mary went toddling
up to him, with dandeion blossom TO place
in his button-hole. His wife was woman of
few words, but she sometimes said to her neigh
bors, with quiet kind of satisfaction, Every
BODY loves my husband that knows him. They
cant help it,
Simeon Green's acquaintances knew that he
was never engaged in a lawsuit in his life
but they predicted that he. would find it impos-
sibe TO avoid it now. Tney told him his next
neighbor was determined to quarrel with peo-
pie, whether they would or not that he was
like John Llburne, of whom Judge jenkins
said, III the world was emptied Of every per-
son but himself, Llburne would still quarrel
with John, and John with Lilburne.'
is that his character! said Simeon in his
smiling way. 'lf he exercises ii upon me,
will soon kill him
In every ncighborhood there are individuals
who like to fomeni disputes, not from any def
mite intention of malice or mischief, but merely
because it makes little ripple of excitement
in the duh stream of life, like contest between
dogs or eamc-cocks Such people were not
slow in repeating Green's remark about his
wrangling neighbor. Kill me will he!' en-
claimed Reuben. He said no more but his
tightly compressed mouth had such significant
expression, that his dog lodged him as he
would the track Of tiger. That very night,
Reuben turned his horse into the highway, in
hopes he would commit some depredatons on
neichbor Green's premises. But Joe Smith,
seeing the animal at large, let down the bars of
Reubcns own corn.fcld, aud the poor beast
walked in and fcasted as he had not done for
wears before. 1t would have been a great sat
sflclion to Reuben if he could have brought
law suit against his horse but as ii was, he
was obliged to content himself with beating
him. His next exploit was TO shoot Mary
Green's handsome chantlclecr, because he stood
ON the stone wall and cTowed, in the Ignorant
iuv of his heart, two inches beyond the frontier
that bounded the contiguous farms. Simeon
said he was sorry for the poor bird, and sorry
because his wife aud children liked the pretty
creature but otherwise il was no great matter.
He had been intending to build poultry yard,
with good high fence, that his hens might
not annoy his neghbors; and now he was ad-
moulshod To mike haste aud do H. lie would
build them snug warm house to rousi III :
they should have plenty Of gravel and oats,
and room to promenade back and forth, and
crow and cackle 10 their hearts content there
, they could enjoy themselves, and be out o
harms way.
But Reuben Black had degree of ngenui
, ty and perseverance,, which might have pro
duced great results for mankind, had those quail
ltes been devoted TO some more noble purpos,
D than provoking quarels y pear tree in hi
j garden very improperly stretched over a friend
d y arm iutn Simeon Green premises. Whelh
- er the sunny state Of things there had cheer
. ing effect on the tree know not; but II hap
. pened that this ovethanging bough bore mor'
S abundant fruit, and glowed with richer hue
a than the other boughs Oae day, little Georg
l. Green, as he was whistliug along, picked up
y pear that had fallen into his fathers garden
If The instant he touched it. he felt someihin
v on the back Of his neck, like the sting of
IS wasp 1t was Reuben Blacks whip, follow
is ed by such storm of angry words that tn
h poor child rushed into the house in an agon
id of terror. But this experiment failed als'
lie The boy was soolhed by his mother, and tol
IL not TO go near the pear tree again; and thel
ot the matter ended
in This imperturbabe good nature yexed Rel
Dr ben more than all the tricks and taunts he M
is from others. Evil efforts he could understar
and repay with compound interest; but he d
he not know what 10 make of this perpetual 70
in bearance. II seemed to him there must
de something contemptuous in II. lie dislike
1t. Simeon Green more than all the rest of Il
ch town put together, because he made him fe
lis so uncomiorlably in the wrong, and did not a
Sc ford him the slightest pre,ext for complain
re 1t was annoying 10 see everything in his neig
lc- boris domains looking so happy, and preseniiI
,s such a bright contrast 10 the iorlornness of b
h own. When their wagons passed each 9th
on on the road, it seemed as if SineOn's hor
Did tossed his head higher and flung out his man
is as it he knew he was going by Reuben Black
mt old nag. He often said he supposed Gre
es covered his house with roses and honeysnckl
EN- on purpose TO shame his bare walls. But
er, didn't care-not he He wasn't going to
IN. fool enough to rot his boards with such stu
nst But no one resented his dsparaging remarl
i'm or sought to provoke him in any way. I
'ok roses smiled, the horse neighed, and the C
ng capered but none of them had the least id
on, that they were insulting Reuben Black. Ev
m the dog had no malice in his heart, though
the did one night chase home his geese, and ba
Dg- at them through :he bars Reuben told
ith master the next day he swore he would bri
zen an action against him, if he didn't keep Il
ged dog at home and Simeon answered very q
. etly that he would try to take better care
con him. For several days strict watch was Ike
Is. in hopes Tower would worry the geese agai
,ad but they paced home undisturbed, and not S
'or- tary bow-wow furnished excuse for law-su
an, The new neighbors not only declined qu
ion reling, but they occasionally made positive