Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1884-05-08
A CONQUERED ENEMY.

A CONQUERED ENEMY.
you are to have the Coopers for
neighbors. hear" said Mrs Bailey.
rs she stopped on her way down
town" TO chat for moment over the
fence with her cousin. Mrs Sunderland
Look out for squallsin
Mrs. Sunderland paused in her work
Of snippiag the withered blossoms from
4 running rose to turn an inquiring
glance toward the speaker.
What : wrong about the CooDers?
They ara honest. sober. industrious
folks. are they ROt2"
"AIl of thar. with many other virtues
beside Mrs Bailey replied. laughing.
Nevertheless, I'd rather have them
live next door to you than 70 ne"
Don't Re so mysterious" Mrs.
Sunderland said. her good -humored
face beginning 70 wear \ shade Of anxi-
efy. Either tel me all there is to tell,
or tell me nothing"
There is nothing very dreadful TO
reveal, and what there is Is no secret.
You would have known Mrs. Cooper 5
reputation as well rs everybody else in
GreenTllle does If YOU were not a new
conner She is said to be the worst
tempered woman in town, and has neE-
er lived neighb0r month 10 any fami-
" without getting up = quarrel with
them; therefore. say. beware of
squalls"
Mrs. Sunderland did not think that
the dangers her cousin had warned her
70 prepare for were of a very serious
character. but being 4 woman wise in
her generation" she deemed il prudent
to pour oil upon the waves before any
signs Of a storm became visible A day
OF two after hernew ne;ghbOrs arrived,
seeing Mrs. Cooper making some en-
dea-or 70 improve the condition of q
very neglected garden-patch. Mrs.
Sunderland stepped 10 the dividing
fence and begged her neighbor's ae-
ceptance Of basket full of vegetables
she had just gathered from her own
thriving garden.
1T Is 50 late in the season that I'm
afraid you won't be able 70 raise much
N your garden this year" she said.
pleasantly; -1and As / have more gar
de1-truck than / car make use OF,
shall be glad TO have yOu help me dis
pose Of IL
Mrs. Cooper turned upon her \ face
that certainly was not very prep0ssess-
ing. for II Was dark sail0w and scowl-
ing. and when she spoke il was with
such misplacing Of her aSp:rates as az
once betrayed her 10 have been at 70
very distant date 4 subject of Queen
Victoria
Him much obliged % you. ma am,
and As yoa've hOffered the gsrden-sass,
III accept il; but As a general thing me
and my man pays our hOWn way. and
don / care TO be beh0lden 10 nobody"
Inc lad Charlie she found il much
easier 20 make friends with, be was s
freckle-faced, black-eyed youngster of
twelve or thirteen. with 4 head thicklv
covered with clOsely-cniled rings of au-
burn hair Noticing him one morning
wheeling away = lot of weeds aud rub
bssh from his mothers garden. Mrs
Sunderland asked him If he would ike
10 perform the same service for her. Of
course for remuneration The ofer
WAS eagerly accepted. and after that
Charley Cooper earned many a dime
by little services performed for the
widow lady
Drank Sunderland and he became
cutie well acquainted IN the course of
these labOrs, and. rs a general thing.
she two boys got along together re-
markably well; but one day some acci-
dent happened to Charles wheelbar-
row. and be chose 10 think Frank was
the cause Of the disaster. The evil
temper which had hitherto lain dor
manf sprang suddenly 10 life, and Char
lie gave ufferance 10 such a torrent of
profanity as utterly appalled, not only
Frank. but Franks mother. who wit
messed the scene from her kitchen win
dow. She called Frank away at once.
ana after n few words of rebuke TO
spoken far more in sOrrOw
than in anger. she sent him home.
saying that she could nOI allow any
boy VINO swore OF used bad language TO
b the companion Of her son
Charlie departed in tears with his
brnken wheelbarrOw. and probably
gave an account of the trouble from his
own point of view TO his mother. for a
few moments later Mrs. Sunderland
Was startled 70 see. coming over her
hack fence. first q cabbage. tnen a peck
OF 50 Of potatoes. and finally the basket
in which she had that morning sent 70
Mrs Cooper the Vegetables thus uncer-
enormously returned. An explanation
Of this surprising shower followed in
Mrs Cooper voice
''Hfn thank you after this TO keep
yourself and heverything belonging 70
y0u 70 yourself Hif ms boy haint TT
society for your boy. We don't none of
rs want nOthink TO do with YOU"
OF course 10 such a speech as this no
sivil reply was possible, lso Mrs. sun
ierland quietly withdrew from the
scene Of action. leaving her neighbor in
of the field. Tie predicted /
quarrel had come. greatly TO Mrs. sun
ierland's uortification; for 90 have Il /
Known 10 the whole town that she was I
4 variance with her next-ncOr neigh /
lor-as. thanks 70 Mrs COopcr's IN /
tongue. il speedily was
vas fest By toe widcE- 70 be resi- dis
race.
All that she could do to smooth mat
ers she did. with no effect. however.
Except that Mr. Cooper subsided grad /
iaiiY from a ferocioGs into n Sullen 4
mood. but lost no opportunity of exhib- 4
ting her dislike and ill-Eiu in the num-
,eriess little ways which 4 near neigh
or can always make available.