Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1878-07-25
WHO Is MY NEIGHBORs


"Oh, what lovely bunch of pan
siesl Is it possible they are for me ?"
l exclaimed to a tiny, brown-eyed
girl, who placed a fragrant boquet Of
the gold and purple dewey blooms In
my hammock in which I was idly
swinging under the big maple.
"Aunty Lee sent them,' said the
Wee child, 'and she hopes the noun
tain air will soon make you well, and
she's your neighbor, down under the
hiIl."
"Who is this neighborly Aunty
Lee?" asked the woman with whom
I boarded when she next came with
in hearing Of my voice.
"Oh, then, she's sent you some
pcsies," replied talkative Mrs. Evans,
coming briskly from the garden and
sitting down on the steps OF the little
porch so that she might entertain me
while she was shelling her peas, thus
killin' 'tew birds with one stun,' as
she said. Il was wondering to my
self not tew minutes ago how long
t'would be before she'd find out about
ye a. send ye suthin'. / can't see for
my part how she can afford to do as
she does"
"Wby, what does she do?" I in
quired.
"Oh," she says, she aims to be
neighborly, and if anybody happens
to be sick anywheres around she
sends 'em little things to eat an flow
ers to cheer 'em up, as she says; and
she alw ays has her knittin' work in
her pocket and her odd job O. knittin'
as she calls it, grows eout Ike magic
into gloves and mittens and wristlets
an stockin's that she gives away"
ITO her friends, people fully able
TO buy them, suppose"
"Oh, dear, no. To poor children
an tew old men and women that, ]
spose. are real needy, an that set
great store by her warm an hand
some presents. for her yarus are as
bright as her flowers, an I've told my
man good many times that the
color went half toward maxim her
little gift so welcome. An then she
has so much comply"
"Rich people from the city, whose
visits she returns?"
"Oh, land sakes, no; poor folks
that are tickled most to death to get
an invitation to her pleasant little
home. Yes, her home Is an amazin
pleasant home, though her man is
only q poor mechanic. She's always
sayin' that she'd rather dew little
good every day as she goes along
than to be awaitin' to do some great
thing when she gets able, and then
p'raps, lose her opportunity and dc
nothin'. told her one day last year
says I, Miss Lee, l should ruth.
er be putin by a little suthin' In
the bank for rainy day, than to be
a givin' away all the time And,
says she, Mrs. Ewings,' says she
that's your way an it's good way
1 don't find no fault with it, but al
these little things that l give away
would never git into the bank, an 81
you see, they'd be lost, an I should
pass away without ever doin' any
thing for my Master. An I dom
want to go to bed without thinkin
that have that day tried to lighter
some fellow mortal's burden. brough
a smile to some face. or a streak @
sunshine to some heart IL it's only {
givin' O. posies in the right speret."
"And these flowers cost her goot
deal, first and last, 1 suppose?" said ]
caressing my pansies.
"Oh, 'twould cost me a good dea
to run sich a flower garden as sh
does, but Miss Lee says she's not s.
'tstrong, so she gets fresh air, sunbath
and exercise in her garden an
spends her time workin' in there In
stead OF visitin'. She returns all he
calls by sendin' her compliments wit
bunch o. posies.'
t. 'She hires some one to carry ther
about, I presume?"
"Massy, no. There isn't a child i
the village but what would run 1t
legs OFF for Aunty Lee;" and havin
finished shelling her mess OF pea
I my talkative little hostess trotte
about her work again, saying, as sh
: disappeared through the doorwa,
It's well enough to be neighborl,
, OF course. but Miss Lee may see th
time when she'd wished she had
leetle sumthin' eout at interest"
The Vermont mountain air agree
with me, my health gradually impro,
: ing. and I staid on and on, week afte
week, spending a great part OF m
time, when the weather did not pos
!. lively forbid, In my hammock unds
> the naples. AS yet 1 had not ono
seen my neighbor. Aunty Lee, b'
grew to love her on account OF IL
! pretty nosegrays that found their wa
: from her hand to mine by one an
another child messenger.
/ One night, late in August, thel