Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1880-06-09
Borrowing Neighbors.

''Did l ever live next to borrowing
nelghbera' l had that pleasure once snC
am not liable to forget 1t. l want to tel
every woman in America (who does no
borrow how / Jared and how l defended
myself.
A new family had moved into our neigh
borhood in q small country village, and the
| first notice we had of their existence was il
the shape of small tow-headed boy witt
q tea cup and a pitcher.
| "Moiher wants TO borrow O drawing o.
tea and pitcher of milk" That was the
beginning, but alas. not the end. Their,
was something less than dozen children
and they put in their solid time in running
about the n.ighborhood from house to houst
collecting supplies. This was not from
necessity, for they were in as good circum.
stances as their neighbors, but apparently
from sheer force Of habit. They borrowed
molasses, and thread, and black pepper anC
shoe backing. and clothes lines, and John
ny's Sunday suit to get their Johnny's pic
ture taken, and my black shawl to wear tC
a funeral, and the good mans fine shirt for
the other good man to wear because he had
TO go on jury and hisen wasn't ironed; nol
of us only but of all the region roundabout.
And ina!ly as | am sinner, they borror.
ed q house-moved into il without the
owners consent, and the blessed laws oi
Michigan could not route them short of 4
six months legal process.
Well. / stood this sort of thing for four
weeks and then made up my mind to break
it up or move out of town. | bad by that
time become sufficiently familiar with their
circuit 50 that could guess pretty well
Whist they would be after next and about
when to expect them. resolved on a
counter irritdRt. So next dinner time ]
sent Johnny with plate and pitcher and
teacup with instructions 10 ask for plate
of butter, a teacup of molasses and two
tablespoonfuls of ginger. Poor child. he
opened his honest little eyes, and looked al
ME in way that made ME feed terribly
small when he asked, '.Are We poor,
motherl' But | persevered, and al tea
time sent Susy to borrow loaf of bread
and the chopping knife Q knew they had
noneD Next morning l sent for cup Of
raisins and two sewing machine needles.
By this time my sixteen-year-old Jim took
in the situation, and half bursting with fun.
went himself TO borrow a rake, curry
comb, aud wheelbarrow. And 50 for ten
days never let meal pass that did not
ask them for something. / very seldom
got what asked for. All the better, did
not have to return it, BY that time the
borrowing nuisance was quiet perceptibly
abated. SO then checked up until it be-
gan again. Then l began. / borrowed
their clothes-horse, and their dishes, the
children's shoes, and the good mans Sun
day coat, to cut a pattern by! borrowed
the almanac, tired to borrow writing paper;
got the scissors and forgot to return them;
and early Monday morning, before they got
started out, l sent to them for blueipg, soap
and starch. got neither one of the three
but of course, after sending for them, they
would not send to me for the same article
on the same day.
After that for a whole week there was
peace. Inether had occasion to borrow nor
lend. But on Sunday morning there were
faint signs of a renewal of hostllities in the
shape of modest request for the loan of
three five cent pieces to carry to Sunday
school because father forgot to get his
money changed last night.' True 70 my
policy | had my revenge before / slept.
Just before evening service | sent . polite
note to Mr., our neighbor, and would
he be so kind as TO lend me his Choral
hymn book for the evening, as mine had
been mislaid' Il knew he sang in the choir,
and was exlrsvagantly vain of his voice,
aud the choir was short of books).