Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-09-06

M
tNA,n city to a suburban village, in search Of
ANtTbetter air for the children and for his
"a fown asthmatic lungs. he told his wife
that now she could have the pleasure
of knowing her next-door neighbors-an ex-
perience she never had been granted in the
city Mrs Bortley. born and reared in .
thickly settled portion Of the metropolis, be-
ieved her husbands statement. for had not
Zenas always been country boy until he came
to New York to mako his fortune? Had he not
described to her. again and again. the ideal
society Of his native village of Grasshopper
Falls. where everybody knew everybody else
where one man was as good as another so long
as he earned his living. paid his bills and went
to church on Sunday, and where every woman
was a lady il she had q black silk Dress no
matter how plain, in which to receive calls9
Had not Zenas' own mother, wife Of the book
keeper Of the local lumber company, been
asked BY the Congressman's wife to help enter
tain some distinguished guests from another
state? And il had been so delightful when
Mrs. Zenas had been i'll or feeble, In her little
fiat In the city, to hear her husband tell how in
the country any man whose wife was feeling
poorly could borrow a neighbor's carriage or
sleigh and take the dear woman out for an air
ing. Mrs. Zenas never had an outing except
in a horse car. for her husband, though strong
in affection and self-sacrifce. had but q small
salary. and the olive branches, which were the
famlly's only riches, always needed something
which cost about as much as a carriage for an
our or two.
So the Bortleys went to the country and
blessed change they found it. The children
began to grow like weeds, their mothers cheeks
became fuller of roses than the garden, and
Zenas himself, though he was Obliged to break
fast early and sup late in order to make a full
day at the store in which he was entry clerk,
found his asthma disappearing with unexpected
rapldlty. His cottage cost less per month than
city flat; he had q little garden which, thanks
to his boyhood's experience. yielded many
vegetables which tasted better than any he had
ever bought from a grocer; the children had a
swing under an old apple tree and rolled in the
grass to their hearts content; the pastor of q
church called after seeing the heads of the
family IN his congregation. and Zenas was in
vlted to join the local club of his political
party and also to subscribe to a course of
lectures to be delivered in the local academy
Of music during the following winter.
Yet Zenas was not happy. The neighborly
afhllatlon which he had promised his wife did
not come about. He waited for il few weeks.
for he was dignified little fellow and had some
knowledge OF the manners of good society; but
when his wife reminded him that the summer
had nearly passed and no one had called who
had nos some seml-business purpose, he in
formed himself. with mighty pull at all his
faculties. that something ought to be done
What most irritated him WAS that his next-door
neighbor. n handsome woman. whose husband,
50 the agent of Bortley cottage had said. would
be obliged to be away from home for some
time. had never called. Mrs. Maytham, the
lady in question, was distinguished looking as
we'll as handsome; her house was palace COM
pared with the house which Zenas had hired
and she drove almost daily behind fine pair
OF horses. She was a good woman, too or
Zenas Was no judge of human nature, and as
she had no children the little man, who could
not imagine that any one regarded BOYS and
girls except with the alteration which he be-
slowed upon his darlings, was sure that if Mrs.
Maytham could know his brood she would in
her loneliness have an unfailng source Of con-
ISOLATION. As for Mrs. Bortiey. Zenas loyal soul
profoundly pitied any one and every one who
did not know that estimable woman.
let the two women did not become acquainted
Mrs Mavtham did not call and when Mrs
Gcrttey felt hurt her husband suggested that
perhaps the older resident was from one of the
southern states In which calls must first be
made by new corners upon the old families
Mrs. Bortley acted npop this suggestion, but
was unfortunate 10 select an hour when her
nelghbor was ont. She made n supplementary
effort when her husband explained that coun-
try people usually became acquainted by Dor
rowing small necessities from one another but
when Mrs. Bortley begged the loan of O cup
of ground coffee one morning she saw only her
neighbours servant. and the same result at
tended tue payment of the loan. In vain, too,
did she display her children. who really were
pretty and well dressed, when her neighbor
walked alone through the well-kept garden
which the BOrtleys coveted for its rare display
OF flowers. Mrs Maytham seemed to ignore
the very existence OF the welI-behaved chill
dren for whom an emperor might have been
glad 10 exchange his crown.
Y Zsnas. however, had no idea Of giving up
and the unexpected lack of new acquaintance
"A peculiarly of suburban villages-added to
his determination 70 know his nearest neigh
Dor. While watering his late lettuce one Sat-
urday afternoon and facilitating himself upon
his success during hot weather with this succu-
lent bu. capricious vegetable he suddenly
climbed tree and inspected his neighbours
kitchen garden. Just as he had suspected the
only lettuce there had run to seed. In a mo-
rnent Zenas was upon the ground again and
pulling some finely blanched plants, which he
took to his neighbours kitchen door, saying to
the cook: