The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1883-01-04
MRS. BEAROSLEY's NEIGHBOE.

to live, she knew very few people. She
lived in city all her life, been educated
well, and came of cultivated and rather |
proud family; but she WAS not proud in !
their fashion. She had always earned |
her own living IN one way or another,
chiefly by writing for magazines and |
newspapers. Whatever the outside |
world may think, this is not lucrative |
business, and our friend had other peo-
pie to help on in life, so she had laid up
nothing; and after while she married
poor man and came to Dalton, a flourish
ing country town to live. They went to
housekeeping in an old bouse, small and
inconvient, but Of pleasant outlook, and,
once settled, began to look about them.
"Oh, Fred! l do hope l shall have
nice neighbors," said the little woman
as they sat at breakfast one day.
81 don't know, Tina, how you will
like them; Of course they will like
you"
"That's very proper for you to say,
SIR" laughed Mrs. Beardsley, but I'm
more apt to like people than they are to
like me-"
This was quite true. Justina Boards
ley was very honest, frank, unconSen-
tional and acute; she spoke her mind too
freely to be always comfortable friend.
Human nature loves hattery, and she
never f1attel ed: however, our business is
with her neighbors.
Up the street lived the Dean family.
Mrs. Dean was a handsome, cool, calm,
sort of woman, with three daughters
under fourteen. Her husband kept
country store and had some money. her
house was fine with shining furniture,
Brussels carpets, and always strictly
curtained, screened, and blinded from
sun and air. Mrs. Dean was q very good
woman; she never failed to attend every
meeting there was, and she always went
to church, rain or shine, and took her
children to Sunday school with the same
persistence. She was a woman who did
her duty in these respects earnestly and
cOnscientiouslv, and never could under.
stand why every one else was not equally
faithful.
Now, her new neighbor was, not a
strong woman, and her work was hard.
It frequently happened to her to have
dreadful neuralgia headache on Sunday,
and though she was accustomed in her
youth to go to church as punctiliously
as the minister himself, and had really
overworked herself in the city mission
Sunday schools, she frequently now
spent the day of rest on her sofa. with
severe pangs in her head, and back
aching in every fibre. Nor cid she send
Tommy, her little fve-year- boy, to
Sunday school, for she preferred to
teach him at home.
"Have you been to see Beardsley's
wife, my dear?' said Mr.. Dean, one
morning, about three weeks after the
neighbors made their appearance.
''No, not yet. l thought l should not
hurry. do not think she is very good
person to De intimate with. She does
not send her boy to Sabbath school, and
hardly ever goes to church. I should
not wish to encourage such person to
visit us frt ely"
Mr.. Dean said no more. His wife's
chin was square, and her lips thin; she
did call on the new-c conner; was q little
Mortified to find what common furniture
she had, and how the sun streamed in Cd
the oil three-ply carpet; and she went
away, leaving behind her a chill such as
follows an ice berg. Mrs. Beardsley
knew she was disapproved Of, and why,
for she was quick of discernment, and
knowing inwsrdly that she really did
try and wish above all things to be
Christian woman, she felt sad and sorry
that her light did not shine better. Then
it occurred to her that, after all, God
knew about it, and knew she did like to
go to church, and did not like to be kept
at home with neuralgia and exhaustion,
80 she left this new trouble to Him.
Down the street lived Mrs. Roberts,
well-to-do mechanics wife.
81 see Beardsley's folks have moved
in" was her husbands comment.
eyes they have; but I shan't trouble
them with my company. She's a city
woman, and writes for the papers be-
sides. She won't want to see common
folks like me. Mrs. Dean will call on
her, presume to say, and the rich folks
up town; but know enough not to go
where amt wanted, and moreover, /
never did like such stuck up folks"
II don't know but what you're just as
good as she is, Mariar and if you come
to the money pint ont, could buy and
sell Fred Beardsley over ag'in."
''Wel, guess you could; but she's
got her own click, and shan't trouble
her. / believe in lettin' folks alon' if
they feel too smart for your kind. l
never did pash in where l want wanted,
and I amt going to begin now"
So Mrs. Roberts stayed away, held her
parasol to the east if her new neighbor
was coming that way, although the sun
blazed from the west, and passed by on
the other side. Mrs. Beardsley compre-
hended the matter and laughed softly;