The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1879-09-27
WHO Is NY NgiGHBoRs
BY ANNIE A. PRESTON.

and purple dewey blooms IN o hammock
in which l was idly swinging under the
big maple.
s'Auntie Lee sent them, said the lit
tie child, land she hopes the mountain
air will soon make you well, and she's
your neighbor down under the hill"
.'Who is this neighborly Auntie Lee?"
/ asked the woman with whom I board
ed, when next day she came within hear
ing of my voice.
''Oh, then, she's sent you some
posies?p replied the talkative Mrs. Evans,
coming briskly from the garden and sit I
ting down on the steps of the little porch I
so that she might entertain me while she |
was shelling the peas, thus s.lilling tew
birds with one stun, as she gnid. ssI was I
a-wonderin' not tew minutes ago how |
long twould be afore she'd find out |
about We on send ye suthin'. I can't see,
for my part, how she can afford to do as
she does"
why, what does she do?" asked.
"Oh, she says she aimsto be neighbor-
ly, and if anybody happens to be sick
anywhere around she sends 'em little |
things to eat and flowers to cheer 'em up,
as she says, and she always has her knit
ting work in her pocket, and her odd
Jobs of knitting, as she calls it, grows ont
like magic into gloves and mittens and
wristlets, and stockin's that she gives
away
80 her friends people fully able to
buy them, suppose2"
sOh dear, no. To poor children and
to ole men and women that s'pose are
really needy, and that set great store by
her warm and handsome presents, for
her yarns are as bright rs her flowers,
and 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."
'Rich people from the city. whose Wis
its she returns?"
''Oh land sakesl no; poor folks that are
tickled almost to death TO get an invita-
ton to her pleasant little home. Yes.
her home is an amazin' pleasant one,
though her man is only poor mechanic.
She's always a sayin' that she'd rather do
n little good every day rs she goes along
than to be a-waitin' tew do some great
thing when she gets able, an then, per-
haps, lose her opportunity and never do
notlin'. / told her one day last year,
says /, Miss Lee, should ruther be
putin somethin' in the bank for rainy
day than be givin away all the time
anu nihNS HllG, I1N1Ukb, blltI . your
way, and it's good way. / don't find
no fault with it, but all these things that
/ give away would never get into the
bank, and so you see they'd be lost, an /
should pass away without ever doin' any
thing for my Master. An / don't want
to go to bed at night without thinkin'
that have tried that. day to brighten
some fellow-mortals burden, brought
smile to some face or streak O sunshine
to some heart, if its only givin' bunch
o. posies in the right speret.
''And those flowers cost her good
deal, at first and last, SUPPOSED" said
caressing my pansies.
tOh, 'twould cost ME good deal to
run such garden as she does, but Miss
'S-bes -2ys sheB not stong, so she gets
fresh air, sun baths and exercise in her
garden and spends her time workin' in
there instead of visitin'. She returns all
her calls by sendin' her compliments
with bunch o. posies."
''She hires some one to carry them
about, 1 presume?"
s'Massy, no. There isn't child in
the village but would run its legs off for
Auntie Lee" and having finished she'll
ing her mess of peas, my talkative little
hostess trotted off about their work again,
saying, as she disappeared through the
doorway
Its we'll enough to be neighborly,
of course; but Miss Lee might see the
time when she'd wished she had little
somethin' out at interest"
The Vermont air agreed with me, my
health gradually improving, and staid
on and on, week after week spending a
part of my time, when the weather did
not positively forbid, in my hammock
under the naples.
As yet had not once seen my neigh
Dor, Auntie Lee, but grew to love her on
account of the pretty nosegays that con-
tinually found their way from her hand
to mine by one and another of her child
ren messengers.
One night, late in August, there was
n heavy thunder-shower. The sudden
downfall of rain swelled the little river
that skirted our village to q veritable
mountain torrent. A milldam some
miles up the stream had broken away
and the angry flood came rushing down,
sweeping all before it.
"Auntie Lees husbands shop is gone,
shouted my hostess, Mrs. Evans, as she
knocked at my door in the early morning
after the storm; land that 's1hot the worst
ont, for her garden is all washed out
anu uuuerullDeu, SO bllttt IL Gtbhc JhobVJ
pile o money to fix it up again. Won
der now ef Miss Lee don't wish she
hadn't been so neighborly, and so had q
little somethin' out at interest" and it
really seemed to me as If the little wom-
an was chuckling to herself as she patted
down the stairs.
In less than half an hour she came
back to my room with as doleful look
ing vissage as ever saw. Whatever is
a-goin' to become o. me and my mann
she cried; "and we a-gettin' to be old
folks, ,tew. Our savin's were all in the stock
oomp'ny up to Minotsville, in there be-
cause they paid more interest than the
bank; we only TUX it out o. the bank
little while ago, an now their old mill
has gone clean off, an they'll oil go to
gineral smash and we along with 'em;' =
and this time she went groaning down
the stairs / could hardly help pitying
the poor woman from the bottom OF my
heart.
There was great excitement in the lit
tie village, as a matter of course, but
Auntle Lee was reported to be as chip
per as ever. The nosegays came to me
every day as usual, not quite so many
nor so great variety as formerly, for
part of the garden had been wasted away,
but enough to give me an increased adj
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 REGIMENTS
of kindly deeds from Auntie Lee. and
who would like to reciproeate now in
their day of misfortune, are invited 10
bring their supper to Oak Grove on
Thursday afternoon at five o'clock. and
I talk the matter up over neighborly cup
of tea.
At the time appointed had a carriage
come to take my hostess and me. and NV
basket Of cakes and buns fresh from the
bakery, to the beautiful grove. As we
were driven along was surprised to see
SO many people, lunch-basket in hand.
speeding in the same direction.
Almost every body in town is going -
said Mrs. Evans, ..high an low, rich an
poor
AsI was being assisted to seat. a gem
tie. nlother1y little woman spread a soft
shawl over the back of the chair intended
for ne aud quickly folded another shawl
for my lame foot to rest upon.
ssThis is Auntie Lee,' said Mrs Evans.