Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1894-06-15
XN-eLD NElGHBoR's TRIBUTE. =
POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE, BROOKLYN, !
June 10, 1894.


June 10, 1894.
Editor of the Register Although not
unexpected, yet your announcement of
of Mrs. Chapman's death last week came
upon Mrs. Kellogg and myself with a
shock. She had been ill SO long that we
were not looking for the illness sudden
ly to end. May have ii corner of your
paper for ii word or two respecting
her?
Her death has touched us as it has not
perhaps touched you all. For many
years the Chapmans were our nearest
neghbOrs; they were Mrs. kellOgg's and
her mothers for years before | entered
the family. The only idea that we ever
had of neighbors we got from them. We
could talk across the space separating
the houses their carriage always stop
ped under our window. If bit of river
bank was needed for Joint boat-house,
they made me welcome to my share of
it; if passage to our barn was wanted
for load of hay, the Chapman lane
stood invitingly open; if the water of
our well grew too hard to be healthful,
soft water was running for us over
there; if our heifer never mdtcridlized
into COW, as she never did, the best of
milk could be had at the Chapmans.
u.
| The last year of my bachelorhood had
taken the measles at Il gathering at Mrs.
Chapman's. She told me after my eX-
posure that in case came down with
the ailment she should take me to her
house. She did and never did sister care
for brother or Il mother for a son more
patiently and skillfully than she cared
for me. | came out of the trouble
stronger in eyes and every way than
/ when | went in.
What a pleasure il was to run in there
| What Il spck and span neatness from gar
ret TO cellar. How cosey the sitting-room
| How appetizing the table in the dining
room. How cordial the host. | never
heard from her stern word for one of
| the family, never saw her out OF temper
with any one or even out of sorts. She
was always cheerful and happy with IA
smile on her face, with good word for
every one and about every one. She
seemed TO think that all the world was
as innocent as she. No one ever kind ed
her torch of gossip at her hearth, or
loaded up there with raw material for
street-yarn. At least, if this was ever
done, we never knew it. And so we saw
Mr.. and Mrs. Chapman grow older
gracefully year by year, and the child
rem reach their maturity and marry.
cannot make my self think that we
shall not see her again soon and receive
her kndest of invitations to call, ending
always with, I'VE were old neighbors,
you know What gap her removal
must make in that household Mr..
Chapman and the children have our
warmest sympathy.
sometimes wonder, Mr.. Editor, if
YOU village people appreciate the bless
ing your neighbOrs are to you or may be
made to be. There is no such thing as a
neighbOr here. People here move into
houses adjoining ours ana in process of
time move out. In the eight years we
have been where we now are, with the
exception of one family-the head of
which, an old pupil of mine, used to
drop in, stretch himself on the lounge
and tell me of his days work with his
patients-I haven't known even of the
surnames of these people and could not
have recognized them on the street. Ii
the cuckoo clock sounds through the l2-
inch partition wall, if the daughter is
given to ambitious noise on the piano,
If the baby cries in the night and the
nurse cannot still It, or if the dog in the
backyard is troubled with his responsi.
bility, we are conscious that people are
near us. But while we have people
near us, while we have troops of friends.
determined by our occupations, church
connections, or club life, we have no
neighbors with whom we can talk while
sitting on our own "stOOp', In upon