Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1860-08-03

g#4M 4SF f.8
Newspaper Borrowers, whose name
y legion, are requested not to read the
following, especially from borrowed
paper, ~ it might wound their feel
ings:
John, what has become Of last weeks
Paper I" inquired Nm. g., sf her hns-
band. p, sxrs~a .n,vqe
"Surely, wife, cannot tell (: it was
brought from the Office, I think"
EYES, James brought ithome on
Saturday evening; but neighbor N.
and hi. wife being here, he lid it on
ooh, n. has got the paper; I re-
member now Of lending it to him."
81 am very sorry for that I think
you do very wrong, husband, in lend
ing the papers before We hsve read
them. He who takes paper and pays
for it is certainly entitled to the first
perusal Of it," M s =
81 know it, wife; but neighbor N.
don't take q paper and I can't refuse
when he asks to borrow ours"
"Don't N. to take . paper Z" in
quired Mrs. c., with surprise.
sNo."
why not he is, Is he says, always
very fond Of reading"
''But he seems to think himself IN
able to take one."
"Unable! He is certainly Is able a.
We are. He pays much larger tax,
and is almost always Dragging Of his
''Hush, wife! 1t is wrong to speak
of our neighbors' faults behind their
backs. He promised to return the pa
per to-day"
81 hope he will. 1t contains An ex-
cellent article, which I desire very much
to read" ss.
"Mrs. G. was IN excellent lady, and
probably possessed as liberal feelings
as tho peace loving husband but sht
could not believe it to be their duty to
furnish free paper to their more
wealthy and covetous neighbor.
N. had formerly taken paper but
thinking it too expensive, to the nc
small discontinue Of his wife and little
ones, he had ordered its discontinusnce
lie, however, dearly loved to read.
and had, for . year or more, been il
the RABBIT of sending "little Joe" OF
the disagreeable errand of borrowing
old papers from his neighbors.
Mrs. G. waited patiently through th'
day, expecting to see ''little J oe'' com
ing with the paper but the day pass
ed, as likewise did the evening, and n,
paper came. The next morning, afte
breakfast, she was heard to say, "Wel
John, tho paper has not been returne,
yet"
"Ah indeed; guess neighbor N
has either forgotten his promise or il
absent from home," replied g.
81 think" she continued, eve hat
better send James after it,"
''Would it not be best, wife, to wal
until afternoon 2 N. may return it af
ter that time.''
Gas you think BEST" was the reply
They waited until nearly dark, bu
no paper made its appearance. James
a smart lad Of ten years, was now in
structed to proceed to neighbor NJ
and get the paper. He soon arrived
and made known his errand. He wat
very politely informed that it was len
to R., the blacksmith, who lived half
mile further on. James, unwilling t,
return home without it, notwitastand
ing the lateness of the hour, continued
on to the blachsmith's.
It was quite dark when he arrived
but he soon made his business known.
and was informed by Mrs. r. thai
''little sis got hold Of the paper and
tore it up"
''I'll take the fragments" said James,
who was for having nothing lost.
1.-The fragments, JIM" exclaimed
Mrs. R.
"Old Donk, the pedler, came along
hero to- day, and sold 'em with the
rags" James was somewhat dispirit-
ed by his unsuccessful mission, and not
being very courageous in the dark, ST.
lently beat hasty retreat for home,
where in due season he arrived, and re-
ported the result Of his errand.
"Ah," very composedly remarked
Mr.. G. 81 suppose R. asked neighbor
N. to lend him the paper, and he did
not like to deny him.
"We cannot, think, accuse either Of
doing intentional wrong; and one pa
per-" continued hep sis of little val
ue." &
"You may argue Ms case as you
please" replied Mrs c., "but be as
sured Of one thing"
s'What is that % asked Mr.. c., with
evident fear.
Nothing: only neighbor N. will not
long be at the inconvenience Of troub-
ling peepl, for old papers,
In about three weeks after this con-
versation, N. was informed by the post
master that he had paper in the Of
fee. He was highly pleased at this
announcement, but could not think who
was so very kind as to send him pa
per. After many conjectures, howev-
er, he came to the conclusion that it
was some friend whom he had assisted
in former years.
One year had passed, the paper con-
tinued to come, and N. was ignorant
from whence it came ; but one day at
hauling" he informed his heiahbors
of his. good fortune, and expressed
some fears that he would have to do