Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1880-06-17
Borrowing NeishDorS.

'DId ever llVo next 10 5o.r01i1s 6eIs'i'
bor?' had that pleasure Geo eul am not
liable 10 iorgeti it, | want to tell every wonaa
in America (gho does not borfcw) how Jared
and how defended myself
A new family had moved into our ncisihor
hood in small country village, ard the first
notice We had OF thor cxiscrc, was 10 tho
shape oil small tow headed boy With In CUP
and pitched.
Mother wants TO balrow drawing Of tee
and pitcher Of milk. That was tho bcgil-
ming, but alas not tho end. There was some
thing less than dtz!n children, aud they put
10 their solid time ia Iunniog about tho neiRh-
b0rhood from house to house collecting supplies.
This was not from necessity, Tor they were ia as
good circumstances rs their Deighbcr3 but ap-
parently from sheer tO1co of habit. They bor-
roWed molasses and thread, aud black pepper
and 6aoo blsckirg, and clothes Inca, ard Johu
ny's Sunday suit 10 get their Johnry's picture
tasep, and my black shaw to wear to fupelal,
aud the good man i 90 SHIRT fer the other good
mau to wear because ho had to go on jury AID
hiScn wasn't iroue6; not ct ps only but Of all
the region roundabout. Aud 6oaIly as | am
o sinner they borrowed house-moved into
1t without the owners consent, and the blessed
laws of Michigan could not rputo then short Ct
Elk mouths legal process.
WE'LL | stood this sort # thrg for four
weeks aud then mado up my mind to break it
up or move out OF town. | had By that tinc
become sufficiently familiar with their circuit so
that could guess pretty we'll what thoy would
DO after next and about when to expect them.
| resolved on counttT irrltant. So next diu.
Der time | ssnt Johnny with G plate aud q
pitcher and teaeup with instructions to ask for
o plate OF butter, toacuD OF molasses Bnd two
tablespoonful of eioecr. Poor Child no open
ed his honest little eyos. end locked at me in o
way that made mo iev terribly small when ho
asked, AFRO wa poor, mo.her?' But | pcr
pgrseVerscd, end ct tea limo seq. SuSy to bor.
row o loaf of bread ard tho ohoppiDg katie Il
knew they had rouc!) Next mortiug I sent
for cup Of raisins and TWO sewing machine
natdles. By this timo ny siE!cen year cid
Jim took 10 the situation, aud half bursting
with fun, WeGt himself to borrow rake. o
curry oolnb apd Thel lbarcoT. And 50 for
ten days | never let meal pass that | did not
ask them ter something. | very seldom got
| what asked for. All the better; did not have
| TO return it. BY thet time tho borrowing nuis'
ance was quito poIo >ptlbly abated. So then |
CHI cked up Gntil il bcgao again. Then began.
l borrowed their clothes horao, ard their dishes,
the caiidron's shoes. ard tho good mau's SUI
dav coat, to cut pattern by borrowed the
almanac tried TO borrow writing paper; rot
the scissors end forgot 10 return them and
| carly Monday morning, before they got started
out, sent to them for blueirg, soap and starch.
| GIT neither ono Of the three, but Of curse,
| eiGcr seutiag iCr them, they would not send to
mo for ii Same articles Oh tho same doy.
Alter that for whole week there was peaoo.
! neither had Cceasion to borrow ncr lend. But
| on Sunday morning there wire faint sgus of a
| renewal Of hcstilitics in the ahapo Ct modest
request fer the loan of tbroo five c:nt pieces to
carry to Sunday school btc:Us, father tsr:ot to
get his money changed list nigh! rrug to my
policy had Ivy revenge before | slant Just
before evening service | scot polite motto 10
Mr.. -, cur nei2hbor, and would 10 be 50
kind az to cnd pc his Choral hymn bo1k fer
| the evening, as Diod had been misaid Il kutw
he sang in tho choir. End was cy .ravasau!Iy
vain OF Liz voicH, aHd The choir was short of
books