Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1878-07-25

| sudden downfall or rain swelled the
little river that skirted our village to
a veritable mountain torrent. A mill
dam some miles up the stream had
broken away and the angry flood
came rushing down sweeping all be-
fore it.
"Aunty Lees husbands shop has
gone" shouted my hostess, Mrs. Ew-
ing. as sne knocked at my door in the
early morning after the storm; land
that's not the worst ont, for her gar
mined, so that it'll take purity pile O.
money tew fix it up again il it ever is
fixed. 1 wonder now ef Miss Lee
don't wish she hadn't been quite so
neighborly, and so had little sum-
thin eout at interest,"" and 1t really
seemed to me as il the brisk little
woman chuckled to herself as she
pattered down the stairs.
In less than half an hour she came
back to my room with as doleful a
looking visage as ever saw. what
ever is agoin' to become O. me an my
man," cried she; ".Our savings were
all in stock company up to Minots-
vile, because they paid more interest
than the bank; we only TUX it eout o.
the bank little while ago, and meow
their old mill has gone clean off, and
they'll all go to gineral smash and We
go long with 'em;" and this time she
went slowly groaning down stairs. I
could not help plying the woman
from the bottom of my heart.
There was great excitement in
the little village, as a matter OF
course, but Aunty Lee was reported
to be as clipper as ever. The nose
| gay came to me every day as usual,
not quite so many, not so great a
variety as formerly, for a part Of the
garden had been washed away, but
enough to give me an increased ad-
miration for the sweet old lady who
was so persistent and unwearying in
her neighborly acts of kindness.
The next Mondays local newspaper
had this unique notice at the head of
the village items:
"All who have ever been the recip-
tents of kindly deeds from 'Aunty
Lee and who would like to recipro-
cate now in her day Of misfortune,
are invited to bring their suppers to
Oak Grove on Thursday afternoon, at
five o'clock. and talk the matter up
over neighborly cup Of tea."
At the time appointed I had car
riage come to take my hostess and
me, and my basket Of cakes and buns
fresh from the bakery, to the beauti-
full grove. As we were driven along
I was surprised to see so many peo-
pie, lunch baskets in hand, speeding
in the same direction.
"Almost everybody in town Is 60
in" said Mrs. Evans, "high an low,
rich and poor"
| As was being assisted to seat a
gentle, motherly little woman spread
a soft shawl over the back OF the
chair intended for me and quickly
folded another shawl for my lame
foot to rest upon.
"This is Annty Lee." said Mrs.
Evans, and the sweet faced little wom-
an aud looked into each others faces
with little curiosity, perhaps, as well
as sympathy, and shook hands cor
daily. 81 don't know what all these
good people are to do with Elijah and
me-" she said with a smile that was
as genial as a sunbeam, "but the
minister would have us come, and he
and his wife drove around for u.s."
The minister assembled the plat.
form just then, and after tenderly yet
fimpressiveiy invoking the Divine
blessing, he looked down benignly
upon the faces upturned to his and
with touching intonation Of voice
asked: who is my neighbor?" He
then went on to tell how Aunty Lee
had answered that question in regard
to himself.
When I first became acquainted
with Mr.. and Mrs. Elijah Lee," he
said, "I was finishing my theological
studies here in the village with DIR
Mills, and they had just married ant
settled down in their house yonder
which they had inherited. One day
1 was sent for to preach on trial IL
the adjoining town OF Luxboro. My
only coat was threadbare and exten
sively patched, and / had no way O
procuring another. Feeling sorel,
grieved and dispirited, started on
for walk, and for the sake OF TELLING
my troubles to some fellow creature
and with no thought Of receiving an.
aid in the premises, turned int,
Mrs. Lees house and read to her th'
invitation 1 had had from Luxbor,
and frankly told her why I could no
go at present.
"Leave it to the Lord" said tn,
good woman, and forthwith she pro
! ceeded to take my measure with
piece OF tape. $50 home,' she con
tinued. "Write your sermon an
i, corpe here Saturday morning.
) al obeyed. l subsequently foun'
: that the woman he'd actually taken
piece OF cloth that she had laid by /
! the house for cloak for herself, an
| taiIoress as she was by trade. had Gu