The Portland daily press., 1889-03-02
THE NEXT DOOR NEIGH
Dor.
BY HELEN FOREST GRAVES

"MY dear, my dear! ISL sna' T" Hoa'neh-
ish sort of speechP ?" reasoned her mother
sWell. it's the TRUTH" declared Tinette.
Sand where's the use of Disgusting it? A
woman who would drive my darling little
kitten out of the garden with broom man
who don't like dogsl and Mrs. Parry said
they were going to be such nice neighbors."
"You must remember, Tiny, that people
don't like their fower-seeds and young let
tuce to be.scratched out Of the ground even
by your pet Kitten"
But, mamma, Fairy wasn't scratching
Fairy never does scratch. She was only
playing about. And you know some people
dislike cats, out of sheer depravity."
I'VE must respect the prejudices of our
neighbors, Tinette.'
II have made up my mind, mamma" said
Tinette, with the air of martyr. 81 shall
send Fairy to Uncle Rob- He likes cats.
And them" with sob rising spasmodically
up in her throat, 81 hope Mr.. Vallfnger, and
that ogress Of a mother of his will be salts
fed"
'Nonsensel" said Mrs. Wylie.
And she went out to the butchers cart,
which stopped daily for orders In front of
these little suburban cottages.
Mamma can talk about sweetbreads and
veal outlets. when Door Fairy's life is In
danger" said Tlnette to herself. 'Oh. do
wonder If 1 shall grow as callous as get
olderw
Just at that moment, however, trim little
maid-servant, in ruffied white apron, pre-
red and gold tulips.
"For Mrs. Wylie, please, MISS" said She
"with missus's. compliments"
The tulips were so fresh and dewy and fra
grant, and the little maid looked so smiling
that Tinette's heart was melted.for the time
being.
81 suppose" she thought, 'she means it
for a sort of flag of truce. suppose she's
ashamed of shaking the broom at poor Fairy
so spitefully. But it's too late now; the die
is cast; the carrier is to call for Fairy at
noon"
And-a sort of natural consequence of her
her age and temperament-Tinette Wylie
rather enjoyed the thought of the sacrifice
she was making. She was only seventeen
and very romantic at that.
Mrs. Wylie was fond of tulips. She put
the sold and scarlet treasures into a vase of
watcr and beheld them with admiring eyes.
Every kind of Mrs. Vallinger. am sure"
said she. II wonder If she would let me
ave bulb or two in exchange for some-
thing that she might fancy out of my flower
beds?"
81 wouldn't ask favors of those horrid
people," said Tinette.
''But that wouldn't be a favor; it would
only be an exchange. And really, dear, this
is such pretty little attention that feel
must send something back. Run, darling,
and gather me basket of those pig HOvey's
Seeding strawberries, that are just Begin
ming TO ripen, down by the south terrace.
Put few vine leaves over them, and tie the
lid down with green ribbon-grass, and I'll
send them over by-and-by. | do like to live
in peace and harmony with my neigh
bors"
Tinette obeyed, reluctantly enough.
Down by the south terrace, however, she
found some delicious cream-eolored roses
just opening, and discovered the tiny per-
lection of humming-bird's nest, so that, in
the course of time, her mood softened, and
the strawberries were not only culled of the
largest and sweetest, but were covered,
under the basket lid, with half-epen Harri-
son r0sebuds.
There may be something in the new
nelghbors after all, }" said she.
When she had gathered the fruit and flow
ers she took a blue-and-gold edition of Mrs.
Browning's poems, and went down into a
certain woody nook that she loved, to read
and dream.
II can't be there when dear little Fairy is
sent away" thought she, with quivering lips.
"The darlingl she is so happy In her nest of
cotton wool In the basket. Little does she
dream that she will never see me again-or
at least not until go to spend the day, next
week, with Uncle Rob at Eyrie Cottage"
1t was when she was trying to lose all recol-
lection of her sorrows in her musical numbers
of Little Ellie and the Swans Nest" that
Mrs. Wylie sent neighbour chubby-cheeked
child over to the Vallinger cottage.
You'll find it on the dining-room table
Bessy," she said. Take it over to Mrs.
Vallnger with my compliments, and if she'll
hang it down the well for haitian hour, the
fruit viii be much fresher and cooler for tea.
And here's bunch of pansies for you, Bessy;
and be sure you do the errand correctly"
WhileBessy was gone, the postman, who was
also general carrier, called for the package
for Eyre Cottage. Mrs. Wylie fastened to
give him the basket.
"The little creature must be fast asleep"
said she to herself. shes as quiet as can
be. Well, I'm glad to have her taken away
while Tinette is gone. 1t will perhaps save
her pang and after all, kitten is very
Insignificant thing to make trouble between
peighbors, if only Tinette would think so.
Her olive-branch was graciously received
at the next door.
fStraWberries, eh ?" said Mrs. Vallingtr
"Tell Mrs. Wylie we are much obliged We
have heard Of the exquisite fruit she raises,
and are glad TO have an opportunity OF tast-
ing some of it.
30 she hung the basket down the well with
a long, stout cord, and went TO her sons
stsdy TO tell him what had happened.
''The neighbors appear TO be quite friend
ly," said she. "Im glad i adopted your
suggestion, Walter, and sent over those
tulips. Ii that crazy little yellow-haired
child"
"GeEtly, mother" said the young man,
smiling. "She is very pretty young ladyw
"Wonld only keep her misehievous cat at
home. we might get along nicely" said the
old lady, without needing the Interruption.
but always did detest cats! Don't you
suppose, Walter, we might poison the Great
ure without any one being the wiser?"
"The young lady with the golden tresses,
mother? I'm afraid a coroner INCEST would
bring the whole matter out"
Nonsense, Walter! 1.-the cat, of course!
A little strychnine, now, carefully placed
between layers of fresh fish, or just a grain
or 80 OF arsenic on little meat"
Mother. you are second Lucrecia Borgia,"'
said Walter Vallinger, with a gesture of
mock horror. II dare say the cat won't
prove as troublesome as you are inclined to
anticipate. And prophesy that we and the
next-door ineighbors shall be great friends,
after all"
When tea-time came, Mrs. Vallinger pre-
pared a modest feaSt-cOld tongue, edged
around with green fringe of parsley sponge
cake, daintily iced over and glass pitcher
of real cream, procured from the people at
the end of the lane, who kept cows.
"COme, Walter" said the old lady, in great
glee. "Bring me the basket of strawberries
from the well. They have hung there, with
in three feet of the water, long enough to be
deliciously cool, And tea is quite ready
now"
Walter obeyed. 1t was his habit to wait on
his mother, with loving, unqnestioning
loyalty.
BE brought the basket in, united the knot
OF pale-green ribbons that fastened down the
lid, and out leaped half-froZen white kitten
into the midst of the lettuce salad, which
formed the centre dish OF the banquet.
skill the creature!' shrieked Mrs. Val
linger, recoiling. .sThis is one of those
peoples practical Jokes, suppose. never
knew anything so dreadful In my life."
But Waiter had rescued the kitten from
his mothers avenging hands.
LIS pretty little creature" said he.
And It's bad luck TO maltreat a present.
NO, we'll keep the shivering bali of snow,
mother. and try and teach 1t to respect our
garaen-Deds: But 1t is rather singular pro-
isn't it?''
Ihree.days afterward there came a knock
at the door, and Tinette Wylie stood there
with PINK cheeks, sparkling ewes. and hair
all Instinct with the gold Of the declining
sun.
SIS this Mr., Vallinger?"
Miss Wylie, believe" said Walter who
had the kitten nesting in its cotton'linad
basket on hig study table. in full view.
On, treacherous Fairy, who was already 40