The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1865-05-10


whi,,nz along picked up pear tnat hat
ialicu into his fathers garden. The mo
menl be touched 10 he felt something on tho
back of his neck. like The sting OF a wasp
Il w4s Reuben Blacks whip followed bl
-uch "a storm Of angry words that the pOol
Child rushed into The house IN an agony O.
terror Bat This experiment failed aiso
fhe TO-. v.s soothsd by his mother. anl
told uOt o. 90 near The pear tree again; a''
there tie mattel cLdvd
This mperilfab,e GOOD nature veNel
Reuben more ihau all The lfvt- and taun'-
Ae MT fro Il Others. Evil efforts be couia
under- .aul add repay with compound inter
est. Dut he dld nDl eHow what o. make o
this perpetual iortearance. Ii seemed &C
him there must be something cOu,empt1 .-
.n d.. lie disliked simeon nor, than AL oI
Tie f'>t Cf the Town pgt together hecllse
lc .aac linn feel 50 Intentionally in the
wrun- ard did not Afford lin the slight, =.
prc,eXt FOR complaint.
l. WAS annoying 20 see everything In his
nelghhot's domains looking 50 happy and
presenting such a bright contrast 10 the for
.0rnn,-- Of his own. When their wagons
l'as cd each other on tie road it seemed as
q -limeons horse tossed bis head birher
and tun- out his mauc. as il lie knew he
MAS going boy Reuben Backs old nae lie
of.en said he supposed Green covered his
aOuse with roses and hOneysuckles 70 shame
ii.s bare walls But he didn't care-n0, he.
lie wasn't going 10 be tool enough 10 rot
boards with such stuff
But no one resented his di.paragine To-
mark. or sought 10 provoke him i'm any
way The roses smiled the horse neighed
and the calf capered. but none Of them had
Tie least lieI that they We're insulte,l hy
Reuben Blacs. Even The dog had 10 maj
ice IN his heart, though he dbl. one night
cAa>e nome his .eeSe and bark a. them
through Tie bars. Reuben told his master
the next Gay, and sWOre ne would hrjn,r an
ACTON against him II he didn't keen thar
uo5 al hOmei and Simeon answered very
quietly tnat he would try ks better l.ar..
oi hin- FOR several days a strict watch
was kept, IN hopes Tower would worry tie
seese again; but they paced home undis-
turped' and not solitary bOw-w0w fur
n'sncd cAcuse Tor lawsuit.
The new neighDors not only declined
q Duarrclng, hut they occasionally made pos
i.i'e advances toward a friendly relation.
SlmeOns VIE sent MIS-. Black 4 large bas-
ket full Of very line cherries Pleased
with tins unexpected attention. she cor
daily replied:
Tell Your mother it was very kind of
her and Was very much obliged TO her
Reuben, who sat smoking in the chimney
corner, listened 10 this message once with
out any lmpatience. except whilliIng The
smoke through his pipe 4 little faster and
hercer than usual. But when the boy was
gong out OF the door and the friendly
words were repeated, lie exclaimed:
Don't make a tool of Yourself PEI
They want 10 give Us a hint 10 send a bas-
kel oi our pears that's the upshoI of tile
business. You may send EN- basket when
they are ripe; Tor scOrn 10 bo under obli-
CATION, ESPECIALLY to your smooth-tongued
folks"
Poor Perry WbOse with Il little dew oi
kindness, admitted distrust iuto her bosom
dnc the halo that radiated round the ripe
glowing cherries departed
Sol long after tnis advance toward good
nei5h1orhoOd, some labOrers employed lv
simeon Green, passing over bit OF marsby
ground with 4 heavy team, stuck fast in a
Dog occAsioned hy 4 long continued rain
ne poor oxen were entirely unable 10 eX-
tricate themselves, and Simeon yentured 10
ASA assistance from his waspish neiohbor
VINO Vas working al a short distance. Rau-
ben replied gruiily.
We gOt enough to do 10 attend 10 nv
own business" "
The civil request that lie might be allowed
10 use his oxen and chains for "A few MIN
utes beng answered in the same surly tone
simeon silently walked oil, in search Of
more Obllging neighbor
The men. who were left waiting with the
patient. suffering oxen, scolded about Reu
Zen ; Immature, and said they hoped he
would get stuck in the same BOG himself
Their employer rejoined.
II he does. We will do our dutv ana
help him Out.
"Ineres such IL thing as being too GOOD
natured." said they. II Re9ben BlacE
takes the notion that people are afraid OF
n'hi' II makes MN tramplo on them worse
lhan ever"
ION, wait while" replied Mr. Green.
shilling; Il VIII kill him before long. Wait
and see If don't Kill him"
II CHANGED soon after. that Reuban's foam
did SUCK last IN the same bog, a. The work
men had wished. Simeon noticed il from a
neiSnOOring field, and gave directions that
The oxen and chains should be lmmediateh
conveyed 10 his assistance. The men
laughed. sn0ok their heads. and said II was
good enough for the old hornet. They.
however cneeriu.ly proceeded 70 do as thelr
employer requested
on are IN bad situation. neighbOr. &c
SAID simeon, Is lie came along side Of the
l0unuered team; ''but my men are coming
"'th TWO YOKE Of oxen, and l think we shall
soon manage TO help YOU out
1Ou mVy take your oxen back again. 90
TepAed Reuben, quickly; Il don't want any
of your help"
la very friendly tone Simeon answered.
Il cannot consent 10 DO that. for evening
ls Coming on anu You have very little time
10 lose. l. Is bad job at any time bat II
VIII toe sill worse in the dark
Light or dark, don't ASK your help. 8"
replied Reuben, emphatlcally: Il wouldn't
heip You out OF tu5 bog the other day wnen
you asked me"
lie trouble had in relieving my poor
oxen teaches iae 10 sympathlze with Others
III The same situation. Don't let rs waste
words about IL. neighbor: It is impossible
lor me to 20 home and leave YOU here in
me Dog aud night coming on"
Inc team was soon drawn out and sine
on and his men went away without waiting
for thanks.
When Reuben went home that night. he
vas unusually thoughtful. After smoking
a" bile IN deep contemplation. he gently
the ashes from Ms pipe and said.
With a sigh:
Peg, Simeon Green has killed mo-"
WHAT DO you meau ~ asked MS wife
tropping her knitting. with look of sur
1IIss.
You know when be first came into this
leishoorhOOd. be said he'd xiii NE. " replied
Reuben. and ne has done il. The otaer
lay he asked NE 10 help his team OUT
the boz. and tod him had enough 10 dof
10 attend 10 my own business. TO-DAY nv
-eam stuck last in the same BOG. ana he
came with two Yoke OF oxen 10 draw II out.
ieit sort Of ashamed 10 have him lend me
4 hand. 50 l told him didn't want anv of
Iis help; but he answered just as pleasant
a. u nothing contrary had happened. that
night was coming Oh and lie was not will
-n- 10 leave me in The mud
He Is a pleasant spoken man. anl AL
y avs has 4 pretty word 10 say 20 the BOYS.
His wife seems 10 be 4 nice peirhborlv body
Too"
AeuOen made no answer but after ueii-
i4tlng awhile, lie remarked
Peg you know that BIZ ripe melon
down az the bottom of the garden. You