Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1859-03-18
THE LENT PAPER.

"Surely, wife, can not tell it was
brought from the Office, think.
eyes, James brought it home on Sat-
urday evening; but neigbbOr \, and his
wife being here, he laid it on the PaFlor
table,
ooh, N. has got the paper, l remember
now OF lending it to him"
81 am very sorry for that; think you
do very wrong. husband, in lending the
papers before We have read them. He
who takes paper aud pays for it, Is Ger
tainly entitled to the first perusal Of It,"
81 know it, wife, but ueighbor y. don't
take a paper, and | can't refuse when be
asks to borrow ours"
"Don't n. take a paper ?" inquired
Mrs. G. with surprise.
"No."
"Why not ? he is, as he says, always
very fond of reading"
"Yes, but be seems to think himself
unable to take one.'
"Unable? He is certainly as able as
we are. He pays much larger tax, and
is almost always Dragging of bis superior
cattle, and"
| "Hush, wife 1t is wrong te speak 0.
our neighbors' faults behind their backs.
lie promised to return the paper to-day"
81 hope be will 1t contains an excel
lent article which l desire very much to
read"
Mrs. C. was an excellent lady, and pro-
badly possessed as liberal feelings as her
peace-loving husband; but she could not
believe it to be their duty to furnish
free paper to their more wealthy and COW
etous ueighbor.
N. had formerly taken a paper but,
thinking it too expensive, to the no smal!
discontinue of his wife and little ones lie
had ordered its discOntinuance. Ee, how
ever, dearly loved to read, and had, for a
year or more, been in the habit Of sending
''little Joe" on the disagreeabls errand Of
borrowing old papers from his neighbOrs.
Mrs. c. waited patiently through the
day, expecting to see Joe coming with the
paper, but the day passed, as likewise did
the evening, and no paper.
The next morning, after breakfast, she
was heard to say, "Well, John, the paper
has not been returned yet"
"Ah, indeed guess neighbor n. has
either forgotten his promise, or is absent
from home" replied c.
Il think" she continued, eve had bet
ter send James after it,"
"Would it not be best, wife, to wait until
afternoon? n. may return it before that
time"
"As you thiuk best" was the reply.
They waited until nearly dark, but no
paper made its appearance. james,
smart lad of ten years, was now instructed
to proceed to neightOr Ms AID get the
paper He soon arrived and made known
his errand. He was very politely inform
cd that it was lent to r., the blacksmith,
who lived half mile further on. James,
unwilling to return home without it, not
withs,anding the lateness of the hour, Con-
tinued on to the blacksmith's.
1t was quite dark when be arrived, bu;
he soon made his business known, aud
was Informed by Mrs. f. that ''little Sis
got hold of the paper and tore it up"
"Pll take the fragments" said James,
who was for having nothing lost.
"The fragments. Jim % exclaimed Mrs.
R., "Oli Douk, the pedlar, came along
here to-day, and l sold 'em with the rags"
James, somewhat dispirited by his un-
successful mission, and not being coura-
geous in the dark, silently beat hasty
retreat for home, where in due season he
arrived; aud reported the result Of his er-
rand.
"Ab," very composedly remarked Mr..
C., 81 suppose Il. asked neighbOr N. to
lend him the paper, and be did not like
to deny him. We can not, l think accuse
either Of doing intentional wrong; and one
paper" continued be, "is of little value"
"You may argue Ms case as you please"
replied Mrs. G., "but, be assured Of one
thing"
"What is that ?" asked Mr.. c. with sv-
ident fear
"Nothing, only neighbor n. will not
long be at the Inconvenience Of troubling
people for old papers"
In about three weeks after this CONVEX
sation, N. was Informed by the postmaster
that he had paper in the Office. He was
highly pleased at thi, announcement, but
could not think who was SO very kind as
to send him paper. After many conJec-
lures, however, he came TO the conclusion
that it was from some friend whom he had
assisted in former yeats.
One year had passed /; tie paper contin- I