The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1893-10-19
Isaac ahook his head.

'She won't feel so inclined, Sam.
II amt natural that she slfould." ~
al don'tknow, Sam replied. ''Nfis'
Martin has kind heart, an she is
sympathizin' with the sick an the
needy. She's good woman. Ike"
"She may be, but amt ready TO
say so. It's been thirty years since
my family an the Martins have neigh
bored, an in all that time not word
has passed between us. It's hard to
forget an forgive after so long, Sam,
an 1 low Mis- Martin can't do il. She
may be good woman, but she amt
good enough to do that"
She said no more, but went on mp
the road toward the mill, while Isaac
returned to his seat on the doorstep.
Lindy still slept, and as her husband
sat listening to her breathing, his
thoughts ran over the conversation he
had just had with Sam Gross.
"Pd be glad to have Mis- Martin
here" he thought, "but 1 amt no
right TO expect her to come, even il
she was Christian enough TO forgive
an forgit. Three months ago, when
Martin lay sick, / never went about
him, an even when he died kept
away from the house, not 80 much as
seein' him buried amt no right TO
expect her to be more forgivin than
myself"
When Sam Gross arrived at Mrs.
Martins house he went in and asked
for drink OF water. She gave IL to
him, then asked him to stop o while to
rest.
'Td be glad enough to-" Sam re-
piled, mopping the perspiration from
his brow, "but I'm in too much of n
hurry. Comir' by Burton's just now,
Ike he comes out an says Lindy is bad
tuck, an that he's afeared she's goin
off, an he asks me TO send the doctor
up, so I'll have to git long as peart as
l kin. Poor Lindyr' Sam went on,
after short pause, 81 low that doc
tors an medicine an sich likes amt
agoin to do her much good 'less'n she
has proper nussin'. Ike can't tend on
her wuth shucks, no matter how hard
he tries, an if he goes bout in sight
Of 'er with that forlorn, sad look like
ho wears, she'll die shore, Jest o. that
alone. She needs n good, cheerful
woman nuss, Mis- Martin, seech as
you'd be. now"
Sam stopped and waited, as il for
reply from Mrs. Martin, but she did
not speak, and he went on:
''In cases like that" he said, cts n
great pity folks amt got no neighbors,
fer good neighbors is power o. COM
fort to the sick an them as is related
to the sick There's no KNOWN what
good nussin' would do fer Mis- Burton,
ner how consolin' word o. sympathy
would be to poor old Ike in his lone
illness. feel fer them poor critters,
Mis- Martin, an do wish somebody
would be neighborly with EN-"
Again Sam paused, but Mrs. Martin
said nothing, and he saw that he must
speak palmer in order to make the i'm
preston he desired.
"Mis' Martin" he continued, "lite
is powerful short, people expect
TO prepare fer eternity they amt got
no time to waste in useless bickerin's.
Them as experts to be happy in the
next world cant afford to spend their
time here in contentious. Fer my
part, Mis- Martin, I'd hate to let q
cross-fence atween two farms stand be-
twixt me an my neighbors, much less
betwixt me an heaven. Now fer thirty
years that cross-fence up there has
kept you uns an the Burtons apart,
maxim you enemies when you ought to
IA been friends an neighbors, an it
was all on account of contentiousness.
Either family would "a made up in a
minute if the other would "a tuck the
fust step, but neither would budge an
inch, an SO it's gone on an on, all Of
you bein' as miserable as sin. Mis-
Martin, faint right. People IA hopes
to be fergive in the next world must
fergive in this. put it to you, now,
Mis- Martin, if amt right?"
''Sam, you are right Mrs. Martin
replied. "rhat cross-fence trouble
has caused me many sorrowful days,
and there never has been time when
wouldn't gladly have buried the strife
and made friends with the Burtons.
But l thought the first advances to-
ward reconciliation ought to come
from Isaac. He was most to blame. +"
"Mis' Martin, said Sam, 81 don't
know who was most to blame. amt
no call to speak of that. But this
know Ifa person is true Christian,
an wants to oact, that tperson mustn't
stick ut no fine p'ints; an in effort
to fetch about u reconciliation he
must be willin' to go moren halfway
to meet t'other party. Scriptur says,
Mis- Martin, to do good to them that
despitefully use you, an as Christians
we're bound to do il.
Sam spoke with deep solemnity, and
it was plain that his words had great
effect on his auditor. Mrs. Martin
was Christian woman, and she meant
we'll, but, like many other good
people, she found it hard TO humble
herself. There was long silence,
during which conflict between duty