The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1891-12-04
MRS. LEVY DIED HAPPY.


The Joneses' ParIor Furniture Was Cot
ton Plush, the Piano Not Paid For.
"The Joneses have got q piano."
"No."
Eyes; it came yesterday"
"Well, Pm blessed"
'And a lot of new carpet and some chairs
and bedroom set and two new rugs."-
"Oh, my!"
And new blinds and a buffet and hat
rack and lace curtains and a lot of things
in boxes"
.What were the things in the boxes"
81 couldn't see. Oh, wish you'd been
here. caught such a terrible cold leaning
out of the window to watch the furniture
men,"
where did the furniture come from?"
"The same place where they bought their
first furniture"
ibid the boxes come from the same
place?'
mo, they came from big dry goods
store"
Ibid you get good look at the things"
"Not very"
"Why didn't you make an excuse to go
into Mrs. Jones' house!"
"She never invited me, and I couldn't
think of an excuse"
"Bother the thingp' said Mrs. Levy.
every time go out something happens"
Mrs. Barry said nothing. She smoothed
her hair softly and sighed.
For five years Mrs. Barry, Mrs. Levy and
Mrs Jones had been neighbors. Mrs. Jones
lived in the middle of block Of three story
brownstone houses with Mrs. Levy land
Mrs. Barry to right and left of her. All
the women had front stoop and back
fence acquaintance, but while Mrs. Barry
and Mrs. Levy exchanged calls at all hours
of the day and in all toilets, neither had
ever been in Mrs. Jones' house nor had she
visited them.
The reason was good and sufficient.
Mr.. Barry and Mr.. Levy were in business
for themselves. Mr.. Jones was only a
bookkeeper.
Besides, the Levys and the Barrys had
pianos for years, and they occupied the
whole house; the Joneses had been in the
habit of letting out the upper part of their
house. Only week ago the Joneses' sub
tenant had left, and Mrs. Levy and Mrs.
Barry had specialized on the probabilities
of their neighbours financial disaster.
And now, without any warning to the
Levys and Barrys, the Joneses eclipsed
them in splendor. 1t was inexplicable and
very annoying.
For three weeks after the great events
narrated above, Mrs. Levy and Mrs. Barry
had no rest. Neither had Mrs. Jones.
First it was Mrs. Levy at the Joneses'
basement bell, then it was Mrs. Barry over
the back fence, and then the Barrys' and
Levys' servant girls in turn.
Mrs. Levy begged Mrs. Jones' pardon.
but was that the rug dealer who had just
gone? Yes. Well. Mrs. Levy was very
sorry to trouble Mrs. Jones, but she
thought the rug man was fraud. He
had sold Mrs. Levy rugs Of the same kind
and quality as the rug Mrs. Jones had
bought of him, and had charged much
more. So Mrs. Levy had brought her rug
to compare with Mrs. Jones' rug.
Mrs. Jones listened politely, and then,
instead of inviting Mrs. Levy in, brought
her rug to the door for comparison. Mrs:
Levy nearly screamed with rage.
''That woman is keeping US out just for
Spite" she said to Mrs. Barry.
For three months the warfare kept up.
Alarms, excursions and diminishing went
on all over the field, but Mrs. Jones held
the fort against all corners and Mrs. Barry
and her friend were no wiser than at first.
At last Mrs. Levy's health gave way.
Leaning out of the window gave her q
heavy cold. Pneumonia succeeded, and in
few days the woman lay at the point OF
death.
Around the bed were gathered sorrowing
friends, and Mrs. Jones was there also.
AS the eyes of the dying woman rested
on her next door neighbor glow of inter
est was seen to revive. She beckoned Mrs.
Jones to bend her head and family whis-
pered:
'Tell a dying woman thestruth. Did
you pay for that piano"
II did not"
"Is that parlor furniture silk plushf"
"No, only cotton"
A beautiful smile overspread the face OF
Mrs. Levy. Everybody said she died hap
py.-Brooklyn Eagle.