The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1879-10-08


with the Banker Church, her house was
field and over run with all the Blank
er congregation, from the minister down
to the sexton; she had SO many weddings,
and funerals, and societies to attend,
that Mrs. Beardsley hardly saw her IN
her in her own house for the next year,
though Mrs. Morris call was promptly
returned. 's=s .-. .-. IL
Next to Mrs. Roberts lived the Waters
family, nice kindly, plain young people;
Mrs. Waters sister being the third mem.
bel of the family. The husband was tin
ner, and it was in his shop where she was
buying tea-kettle that the new neigh
bors were introduced to them. They
meant to call they were mem bers of the
same church to which the Beardsley's
belonged, and. lived only two houses away,
but they were so shy! 1t seemed to be
sort of agony to them to speak before
stranger; they blushed and stammered,
and looked every way but the ri ght one.
At last, after a year OF waiting they
came one evening, but they never came
again.
Up above her, for the street was on
declivity, Mr.. Beardsley had another
neighbor, a carpenters wife, Mrs. Green.
She, too, seemed to be shy at first, but
was attracted by Justina's flowers and
Tommy's merry face She was childless
herself and her one passion was flowers,
and after the ice was broken she came in
often, sometimes with an apple for Tom
my, sometimes with rose for his moth
er. Mrs. Roberts had called Mrs. Boards
ley proud and ''stuck up" but Mrs. Green
did not find her so.
"She's real NICE" was her unbiased
verdict, as she walked home one night
with the waters family from prayer meet
ing. 81 did expect she'd be a little airy,
seem who her folks was; but she amt,
not a mite. She's as pleasant as pie. I
dunno when I've set so much by new
neighbor as do by her. MIS- Deans
a leetle to hi h in the instep tor me; and
Mis- Morris don't care for nobody with
out they're banker; and you can't
take no solid comfort with Ms Roberts,
she's so particular leest you shouldn't
think so much Of her as you ought to.
But Mis- Beardsley, she's just as easy as
an old shoe. wish hadn't stayed away
SO long, but you know, Malviny, haln't
no hand to make acquaintance with folks
| don know as should ever ha' known
you if John hadn't been nv nephew.
Mrs. Waters gave little laugh, but she
did not say anything; she did not re-
member much about her own call on the
new neighbor but her own painful shy
ness.
Thorn ok;11
the street, old Miss Bctsey Parker, the
tailoress, who lived in a small brown
house next but one to that which the
Beardsleys occupied. She was plain,
uneducated woman, having plenty Of
common sense, and a cheerful nature; no
especial talent or brightness, or charm OF
aspect, but she was an honest and hum
bic Christian. Mrs. Dean sent her sew
ing when she had it; and Mrs. Morris
found it very handy to have tailoress
close by when her two big boys tore their
clothes, especially as Miss Betsey went
to Banker church. Beside these small
sources of income she made shrouds for
the Dalton factory, and coffin trimmings,
the day Of tailoress work having gone by
and she owned the little old house which
was set about with cinnamon roses and
lilacs, and had garden devoted chiefly
to corn, beans and squashes, though a
great bunch OF Glove pinks and cluster
OF red peonies adorned it's border. She
was the first neighbor whose acqua1nt-
ance Mrs Beardsley made. While that
weary woman was putting down her par
lor carpet, she looked up at the sound of
O nd c1o
gecring round the edge of the door; deep
in its g1ngham vault Miss Betsey's
cheerful face smiled at her. 81 thought
mcbbe [ could bolp you someway.
live next door but one, and if you want
anything I've got just send for it-match-
es, or salt or an extra hammer. I know
how it's; folks always forget somethin'.
Mercy's sake! let me git hold of that
stretchcr! Them poor little hands of
yourn amt fit for such heavy work :" and
suiting the action to the word, she took
Mrs. Beardsley's place, and the refractory
carpet became docile at once, while poor
Justina sat down on tho floor, and felt
like crying from mere relief. "There, I
wish twas the first instead of the last.
live right up here in that small house
with the lean-to, and if you want thing
I've got to help We, send right up. MY
names Betsey Parker. $780,. -.. :. - -,
"Oh, thank you. / was so tired r. was
the rather incoherent answer; but the verv
grateful look out of Mrs. Beardsley' s
expressive eyes filled it out for Miss
Betsey. -aas o.s. @5s.f sr.a r. -. :
She had not stopped to consider her
own position or her neighbours, but came
at once to see if she could help; and this
was only the beginning; she brought
many fresh egg over to tempt Justina's
delicate appetite, though her poultry
was only three bantam hens. And again
and again, when her neighbor had a
headache, she took Tommy home for the
day, though she had sometimes to stay
at home from church with him. She had
no carriage like Mrs. Morris to give her
neighbor drive-as Mr.. Morris never
did. She had no loaded fruit trees like
Mrs. Dean, who kept her pears and
peaches for her own and the minister's
family exclusively; but her black cap
raspberries were more than shared with
Mrs. Waters, as we'll as with Mrs. Beard
sley, and her currants were almost public
property. Is aF
II really hain't had enough for. iell