Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1872-03-15
The Leisure Hour.
THE .vETGHBOR Nv L.sJy..


Confers its fragrant beauty on our own.
$50 you are going to five in the same
building with Hetty Turpenny,' said Mrs.
Lane to Mrs. Fairwea her. "You will find
nobody to envy you. If her temper does
not prove too much even for your good ma
ture it will surprise all who know her. We
lived there q year, and that is as long as
anybody ever tried it,"
"Poor Hettyv replied Mrs. Fairweath-
err, "she has had much TO harden her. Her
mother died too carly for her to remem-
ber; her father was very severe with her;
and the only lover she ever had borrowed
the savings of her years of toll, and spent
them in dissipation. But Hetty, notwith-
standing her sharp features and sharper
words, certainly has kind heart. In the
midst of her greatest poverty many were
the stockings that she knit, and the warm
waistcoats she made for the poor drunken
lover whom she had too much sense TO
marry. Then you knew she feeds and
clothes her brothers orphan child"
'If you call it feeding and clothing" re-
piled Mrs. Lane. 1.-THE poor child looks
cold and pinched, and frightened all the
| ime as if she were chased by the east
wind. l used 10 tell Mrs. Turpenny she
ought to be ashamed of herself, to keep the
poor little thing at work all tn etime, with
out minute to play. If she doeS but look
at the cat as il runs by the window, Aunt
Hetty gives her rap over the knuckles.
l used to tell her that she would make the
| girl lust such another old sour crab as her.
self"
"That must have been very improving
to the disposition" replied Mrs. Fairweath-
| er with a good-humored smile. "But in
justice to poor Aunt Hetty, you should re-
member that she had just such a cherries
childhood herself. Flowers grow where
there is sunshine"
81 know you think everybody ought to
live n the sunshine" replied Mrs. Lane
"and it must be confessed that you carry
it with you wherever you go. If Mrs
Turpenny has a heart, / dare say you viii
find it out though Inever could, and l new
er heard of any one else that could. AL
the families within hearing of her tongu,
called her the neighbor-in-law."
Certainly the prospect was not very en-
couraging; for the house Mrs. Fairweathe
proposed to occupy was not only under th
same roof with Mrs. Turpenny, but tn
buildings had one common yard in front
The very first day she took possession o
her new habitation she called on the neigh
bor-in- law. Aunt Hetty had taken tn
precaution to extinguish the fire, lest tn
new neighbor should want hot water, be
fore her own wood and coal arrived. He
first salutaton was, "If you want any coll
water, there's a unp across the street;
don't like to have my house all sloppe
over"
81 am glad you are so tidy, neighbo
Turnpenny," replied Mrs. Fairweathei
at is extremely pleasant to have nea
neighbors. l will try to keep everythin
as bright as new five cent piece, for sc
that will please you. came merely to sa
good morning, and to ask you if you coul
spare little Peggy to run up and dow
stairs for me, while am getting my furr
iture in order. will pay her sixpence a
hour"
Aunt Hetty began TO purse up her mou!
for a refusal but the promise of sixpenC
an hour relaxed her features at once. Lit
Peggy sat kni ting a stocking very dill
gently, with rod lying on the table besit
her. She looked up with timid wistfu
ness, as If the prospect of any change WI
like release from prison. When she hear
consent given, a bright color flushed h,
| cheeks. She was evidently Of an irrepres
! ible temperament, good or evil. "No
mind and behave YOURSELF" said Au
Hetty; "and see that you keep at work e
cry ninute if hear one word Of cor
plant you know what you'll get when "
Z. come home" The rose color subsid
from Peggy's pale face, and she answere
"Yes, ma'am," very meekly.
In the neighbor's house all went qul
otherwise. No switch lay on the tab
and instead Of "Mind how you do that I;
you don't I'll punish you," she heard Il
gentle words, "There, dear, see how car
fully you can carry that up stairs. VIII
what a nice handy little girl you are ~
Under these enivening influences Peg
worked like bee. Aunt Hetty was
, ways in the habit Of saying, "Stop 20
noise, and mind your work" Bnt the m