Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1879-02-13

In several respects our neighbors re
minded me of those inexplicable person
we sometimes come across in great cites
though seldom or never in suburban
places, where the field may be supposed
too restricted for their operations-per
sons who have 10 perceptible means o
subsistence and manage to live royal.
on nothing a year. They hold no gov
eminent bonds, they possess no rea
estate (our neighbors did own theil
house), they toll not, neither do they
spin; yet they reap all the numerous
advantages that usually result from
honest toll and skillful spinning. How
do they do it? But this is a DEPRESSION
and am quite of the opinion of the old
lady in David Copper6eld, who says
"Let us have no meandering!"
Though my wife had declined to risk
q ceremonious call on our neighbors a
family, I saw no reason why l should
not speak to the husband as an individ
ual, when 1 happened to encounter him
by the wayside. l made several .ap
proaches to do SO; when it occurred tc
my penetration to my neighbor had..t
air of trying to avoid me. l resolved to
put the suspicion to the test, and one
forenoon, when he was sauntering along
on the opposite side of the road, in the
vicinity of Fishers saw mill, deliber.
ately crossed over to address him. The
brusque manner in which he hurried
away was not to be misunderstood. OF
course was not going to force myself
upon. him.
1t was at this time that I began to
form uncharitable suggestions touching
our neighbors, and would have been as
well pleased if some of my choicest fruit
trees had not overhungs their wall. I
determined to keep my eyes opens later
in the season, when fruit should be ripe
to pluck. In some folks, sense of
the delicate shade of difference between
mean, ct tuum does not seem to be very
strongly developed in the Moon of Cher
ries, to use the cid Indian phrase.
Twas sufficiently magnanimous not to
impart any of these sinister impressions
to the families with whom we were on
visiting terms; for despise gossip. I
would say nothing against the persons
up the road until I had something def
mite to say. My interest in them was--,
well, not exactly extinguished, but
burning low. Imet the gentleman at in
tervals, and passed him without recogni-
ton; at rarer intervals saw the lady.
After a while I had not only missed
my occasional glmpses of her pretty,
elm figure, always draped in some soft
black stuff with bit of scarlet at the
throat, but I inferred she did not 70
about the house singing in her light
hearted manner, as formerly. What
had happened? Had the honeymoon
suffered eclipse already? Was she ill?
l fancied she was i'll, and that detected
a certain anxiety in the. husband, who
spent the mornings digging solidarity in
the garden, and seemed to have re-
those long jaunts to the brow
Of Blue hill, where there is superb view
combined with sundry venerable rattle
snakes with the twelve rattles.
As the days went by it became certain
that the lady was confined to her house,
perhaps seriously i'll, possibly con-
irmed invalid. Whether she was at
ended by physician from Canton or
Milton i Vas unable to say; but neither
he gig with the large white allopathic
morse, nor the gig with the homeopathic
'orrel mare, was ever seen hitched at
the gate during the day. If q physician
had charge Of the case, he visited his
patient only at night. All this moved
ny sympathy, and reproached myself
With having hard thoughts of our
leighbors. Trouble had come to~them
Early. I would have liked to offer
hem such small, friendly services as
ay in my power; but the memory of
he repulses had sustained ranked in
ne. So hesitated.
One morning my two boys burst into
he library with their eyes sparkling. /
"You know the old elm down the
oad?" cried one.
eyes"
"The elm with the hang-bird's nestT'
hrieked the other. ,'
!" Yes, yes!o i !! -;
swell, we both just climbed up, and
here's three young ones in it!" a:
Then I smiled to think. that our new
'eighbors had got such q promising little:
amily.-Atlontic Monthly. :: 80 |