The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1891-04-18

| SoOll etl lllS NllS Cllu lOl dill OCCupd-
ton. Bred to a life of perpetual
toll, he could not be relieved of the
primal curse by the accident of an
inheritance. His daughters found
practicing on the piano an agreeable
substitute for household work. They
enjoyed it much more than their
neighbors did, for what they lacked
in skill they made up in energy. But
their horny.handed sire was too old
to get his exercises in the acquire
ment OF graceful accomplishments.
He needed something searching.
Trimming up the trees around his
house afforded him a relief which
was small compared to the misery
inflicted upon Van Alpines and
Roche Joneses by the spectacle OF
their new ueighbOr, clad in his rus
tic garments, seated on limb and
chawing a large mouthful of tobacco
in time with the motion OF his saw.
| When all his own trees were trim
med, he volunteered to do as much
for those IN thesurrounding grounds,
but his offers were refused and he
was forced to console himself by
joining the laborers employed by
the town to care for the shade trees
along the highways.
Thus he whiled away few days,
but before long ennui attacked him
again as violently as if he had known
the society name for it.
Then he painted h's house. When
the idea of doing this occurred to
him he accepted it as an inspiration.
He occupied two days very pleas
| antly discussing with wife the
question whether to pain lie house
reddish brown to remir4 them OF
the old homestead or ,llowlsh
hue in memory OF their late arm. 1t
was finally decided to paint the back
and front yellow and the two sides
brown. Then Alphonso mixed his
paints on the lawn, slung his ladders
and prepared for work.
This frightful project broke the
armed neutrality which had been OBJ
served hitherto by his new neigh
bors. Mr.. Roche Jones ventured to
call with remonstrance He said ::
Mr.. Hopkins, up to this time we
have not troubled you with any
Bless my soul, cried Alphonso, so
that was why you hung back. Afraid
of troublin' me. Waal now, | swan!
I've done you an injustice. Mother
he called to Mrs. Hopkins, who
appeared in the front hall at this mo-
ment-here's Mr.. Jones come over
to see us and explain why he amt
been more neighborly. Seems that
he thought we'd be busy, havin' jest
moved in, so he didn't want to
trouble us.
No troble at all, Mr.. Jones, I'm
sure, said Mrs. Hopkins, wiping
her right hand on her apron as she
advanced. We'd a-been glad to see
you or Mrs. Jones any day. Tell
her to come over and bring her
sewin' work whenever she feels like
it.
1t was an unusual situation tor Mr..
Roche Jones, but he endeavored to
do his duty by those whom he repre-
sented. He tried a dozen times to
introduce the subject of paint or to
hint at the practices by which Hop
kins had previously made himself
onoxiously, but on every occasion
was interrupted by exclamations
ot cordiality, which were evidently
inspired by the notion that he was
apologizing for the GOODNESS which
had been shown the Hopkins. He
had strong suspicion that the Van
| AlpineS and others were watching
him from their windows he was
afraid Mrs. Hopkins would shake
hands with him by main force ; he
saw one of the Misses Hopkins open
the parIor window and sit down with
her sister to play piano duet, which
was too evidently executed in MS
honor. He blushed for the first
time in some years, stammered a few
excuses and fled.
Mother, said Farmer Hopkins, |
knew that we showed our bringin'
up by behavin' right to these folks
we could win EN- round Pm sorry
| forgot to tell nelghbor Jones that
l expect to have enough O this red
paint left over to touch up his house
little, if so be as he should feel the
need OF a change.
Hopkins finished his house paint
ing without further Interruptions.
He fingered over it, knowing how
badly he would feel when it was
done, ard he was forced to be idle
again. The work gave him oppor-
tunities for reflection, and he got an
idea which promised little steady
occupation. He resolved to keep a
COW. He could raise almost enough
hay on the lawn to feed her, and no
doubt his neighbors would be glad
to take a little of the milk.
Mrs. Hopkins approved and the
COW was purchased. If the unusual
hue of the Hopkins residence had
not already made it the most con-
splcuous on the avenue, the sight OF
the COW roaming amid the tall grass
on the lawn would have been suffi.
cient. Hopkins was famous.
But the milk didn't sell we'll
Hopkins, making the circuit in the
early morning with his ten-quart
pail, met frequent rebufs, which he