Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1878-05-24
WHO Is MY NEIGHBOR ?

so what a lovely bunch of pansies
Is it possible they are for me ?" ex-
claimed to tiny, brown-eyed girl who
placed fragrant bouquet of the gold
and purple dewy blooms in my ham,
mock in which was idly swinging un-
der the big maple.
"Aunty Lee sent them," said the
wee child, "and she hopes the noun.
tain air will soon make you we'll, and
she's your neighbor, down under the
hill"
"Who is this neighborly Aunty Lee?"
I asked the woman with whom l board
ed when next she came within hearing
of my voice.
90, then, she's sent ye some posies, u
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 pease, thus "killin' tew
birds with one stun," as she said. 81
was a wonderin' tew myself not tew
minutes ago how long 'twould be afore
she'd find out about ye an send ye
suthin'. I can't see, for my part, how
she can afford to do as she does"
"Why, what does she dop I in
quired, ooh, she says she aims to
be neighborly, and if anybody happens
to be sick anywheres around she sends
'em little things to eat an flowers to
cheer EN- up, as she says and she al
ways has her knittin' work in her pocket
and her 'odd job O. knittin'' as she
calls it, grows eouU like magic into
glnvas ond ,nittone and wristleto an
stockin' s that she gives away"
"To her friends. people fully able to
buy them, I suppose.
ooh, dear, no. To poor children an
tew old men an women that, spose,
are real needy, an that set great store
by her warm and handsome presents,
for her yarns are as bright as her flow.
ers, 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 comp'ny."
erich people from the city, whose
visits she returns ?"
"Oh, land sakes, no; poor folks that
are tickled most to death to get an irvi.
tation to her pleasant little home. Yis,
her home is an amazin' pleasant one,
though her man is only poor me-
chanic. She's always sayin' that she'd
rather dew little good every day as she
goes along, than tew be waitin' to dew
some great thing when she gets able,
and then, p'raps, lose her opportunity
and never do notbin'. I told her one
day last year, says I, Miss Lee,' says I,
Il should ruther be putin by little
sumthin' in the bank for rainy day,
than to be a givin' away all the time.
And, says she, Mrs. Evings, says she.
That's your way an it's q good way.
don't find no fault with it, but all these
little things that L give away would
never git into the bank, an so, you see,
they'd be lost, an I should pass away
without ever dom anything for my
Master. An don't want to go to bed
night without thinkin' that have that
day tried tew tighten some fellow NOR
tails burden, brought a smile to some
face, or a streak O. sunshine tew some
heart, if it's only givin' bunch O.
posies in the right speret."
"And these flowers cost her a good
deal, first and last, I suppose ?" said 1,
caressing my pansies.
"Oh, 'twould cost me good deal to
run sich a flower garden as she does,
but Miss Lee says she's not strong, SO
she gifts fresh air, sun-baths and exer-
else in her garden and spends her time
workin' in there instead of visitin'.
She returns all her calls by sendin' he,
compliments with bunch O. posies."
I" She hires some one to carry them
about. I presume
"Massy, no. There isn't child in
the village but what would run it's legs
off for Aunty Lee," and having finished
shelling her mess of pease, my talkative
little hostess trotted about her work
again, saying, as she disappeared
through the doorway, "It's well
enough to be neighborly, of course, but
Mis- Lee may see the time when she'd
wished she had leetle sumthin' eout
at interest"
The Vermont mountain air agreed
with me, my health gradually improving
and l stayed on and on, week after week
spending great part of my time, wher
the weather did not positively forbid, il
my hammock under the naples. AS vel
had not once seen my neighbor, Aunty
Lee, but grew to love her on account Of
the pretty nosegays that daily found
their way from her hand to mine by one
and another child messenger.
One night, late in August, there wal
heavy thunder shower. The sudder
downfall of rain swelled the little rive
that skirted our village to a veritablt
mountain torrent. A mill-dam some
miles up the stream had broken away
and the angry food came rushing dow
sweeping all before it.
"Aunty Lees husbands shop hal
gone" shouted my hostess, Mrs. Ev
ans, as she knocked at my door in th,
early morning after the storm; "anC
that's not the worst ont, for her garde1
is all washed eout and undermined, 81
that it'll take purity pile O. none,
tsw Hx IL up again, II ever 'tiS Axsd