Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1859-05-13

uit rIvn' WITH Aunt Hetty, repiled the
friendly one.
Thus assured she gave herself up to tho
full enjoyment Of the picture books and
when she wa. SUMMONED to her work. she
obeyed with n cheerful alacrity that would
have astonished her stern relative. When
the lahors of the day were concluded, Mrs.
Fairweather accompanied her home, paid
her for all the hours she had been absent,
and warmly praised her docilitv and diligence
"It is lucky for her that she has behaved
SO WE'LL" replied Aunt Hettv "if | had
heard any complaint should have given
her whipping, and sent her to bed without
her supper"
Poor little Peggy went to sleep that night
with a Ii .hter heart than he had ever felt
since she had been an orphan. Her first
thought in the morning was whether the
new neighbor would want her service agai /,
during the day. Her desire that it should
he SO. soon became obvious to Aunt lletty,
and excited an underlined jealousy and dis
like f Il person. who so easily made her self
beloved. Without exactly acknowledging
to herself what were her own motives. she
ordered Peggy to gather all the sweopings Of
the kitchen and court into a small pile and
leave it on the frontier line of her neighbor' 8
premises. Peggy venturcd timidly to ask if
the wind would not blow it about, and she
received box on the ear for her impertinencr.
1t CHANGED that Mrs Fairweather, quite
unintentionally, heard the word and tie
blow She gave Aunt Hetty's anger quite
time to cool, then stepped into the court and
after arranging divers little matters, she
called aloud to her domestic, "Sally, how
came you to leave this pile of dirt here ?
Didn't l tell you Mrs. Turnpenny was very
neat? Pray make haste and sweep it up.
| wouldn't have her see it on any account.
told her would try and keep everything
nice about the premises. She is so particular
herself, and it is comfort to have tidy
neighbor." The girl. who had been pre-
viouslv instructed, smiled as she came out
with brush and dust-pan. and swept quietly
away the pile that was inten1ed as declara-
ton Of war. But another source of annoyance
presented itself, which could not be quite so
easily disposed of. Aunt Iletty had a cat, a
lean, scraggy animal. that looked as if she
were eften kicked and seldom fell and Mrs.
Farweathcr had a fat frisky little dog, al
wavs ready for caper.
He took distaste to poor poverty-stricken
Tab, the first time he saw her and no coax
ing could induce him to alter his opinion.
His name was Pink, but he was everything
lntions Poor Tab could never set a foot out
of doors without being saluted with growl.
and n short sharp bark, that frightened her
out Of her senses and made her run into the
house with all her fur on end.-If she even
ventured to doze a little ut her own doorstep,
the enemy was on the watch, and the mo.
ment her eyes closed, he would make at her
with n bark and box on the ear, and OF
he would run. Aunt Hetty vowed she would
scald him. 1t was n burning shame, she said,
for folks to keep dogs to worry their neigh
boris cat.
Mrs. Fairweather invited Tabby to dine.
and made much Of her, and patiently endea.
vored to teach her to cat of the same plate
But Pink sturdily resolved to be scalded first
that he would. He could not have been
more firm in his opposition, if he and Tai
had belonged to different sects in Chrstiani-
ty. While his mistress was patting Tab on
the head and reasoning the point with him
he would at times manifest degree OF in
difference. amounting to toleration but the
moment he was left to his own free will. he
would give the invited guest a hearty cuff
with his paw, and send her ho ne splitting
| like n small steam engine. Aunt lletty con
sdered it her own peculiar privilege to cuff
| the poor animal, and it was too much fol
her patience to see Pink undertake to assist
in making Tab unhappy. On one of these
occasions, she rushed into her ne'ghbor's anc
faced Mrs. Fairweath r, with one hand rest
ing on her hip, and the fore-fnger of thu
other making very wrathtul gesticulations
81 tell you what. madam, | won't put uI
with such treatment much longer" said she
"I'll poison that dog you'll see if don't
and shan't wait long. either, can tell you
What y,u keep such an impudent little beas
for, don't know, without you do it on pur
| pose to plague your neighbors.'
81 am really sorry he behaves so," replc'
Mrs. Fairweather, mildly. Poor Tab"
Poor Tab" screamed Miss Turnpenny
"What do you mean by calling her poor
Do you mean to fling it up to me that m
cat DON have enough to eat?"
~ did not think of such thing" replie
Mrs Fairweather. 81 called her poor Tab
because Pink plaques her SO that she has n
peace of her life agree with you neigh
Dor Turnpenny it is not right to keepa do
that disturbs the neighborhood. am al
tached to poor little Pink, because he belong
to my son, who had gone to sea. l was j
hopes he would soon leave off quarreling wit
the cat; but il he wont be neighborly, Wi
send him out into the country to board. Sail,
will you bring me one of those pies we bake
this morning? should like to have Mi
Turnpenny taste of them
The grabbed neighbor was helped abunt
antly. and while she was eating the pie, II
friendly matron edged in many kind VOL
concerning little Peggy, whom she praise
as a remarkably capable and industrio'
child.
"I am glad you find her so," rejoin'
Aunt Hetty /" should get precious lit
work out Of her, if didn't keep switch
!, sight"
,, IL manage children pretty mucl, as L
man did the donkey" replied Mrs Fai
weather. "Not an inch would the poor bea
stir for all his master g, beating and thumpin
But a neighbor tied some fresh turnips to
. stick and fastened them so that they swuI
: directly before the donkey's nose and of
set on a brisk trot in the hope Of overtakil
them"
! Aunt Hctty without observing very close
4 the comparison applied to her own manag
ment Of Peggy, said: "That will do very W
for folks that have plenty of turnips to spare
o For the matter of that" answered Nj
+ Fairweather, whips cost something, as W
= as turnips; and since one makes the donk
y stand still. and the other makes him trot,
Q is easy to decide which is the most economic,
q But neighbor Turnpenny, since you like I
T. pies 50 well, pray take one home with yo
;. I'm afraid they will mould before we c
. eat them up"
!. Aunt Hetty had como in for quarrel, a
!, she was astonished to find herself going 9
u with a pie. Well, Mrs. Falrweather
a said she, you are neighbor. Ithank y
10 thousand times" When she reached
a own door she hesitated for a moment tn
!. turned back, pie in hand, to say Z" Neil
ID Dor Fairweather, you need not trouble yo'
at self about sending Pink away. It's natu
q. you should like tho little creature, seeing
il belongs to your son. I'll try to keep Tab
ID doors, and perhaps, they will agree bet
- after a while"
81 hope they will" replied the frien'
* matron. A" We will try them while long