The Coconino weekly sun., 1894-03-01


 are most certainly making an accurate estimate of the variety, great or little, of your breakfast, dinner or tea
 This is what happened at Mrs. Cor by's. Her city training and inexpe- rience had totally unprepared her to meet such neighbor as Mrs Jemson proved to be. In the first flush of that lady's excessive neighborliness Mrs. Corby responded with enthusiasm. She went half way and met her neighbor on her own ground. Whenever Mrs. Jemson made her appearance Mrs. Cor by gave her smiling welcome, and, though her neighbor did come rather often and usually by way of the back door. still Mrs. Corby overlooked much, because of the kindness she had re- ceived from Mrs. Jemson's hands
 She even went so far, once or twice, running over to see Mrs. Jemson, as to make her entrance through the rear door. But there was something about this mode of approach that shocked Mrs. Corby's sensibilities It struck her as trespassing on forbidden ground, of intruding on privacy; and after but one or two of these attempts to be neighborly in Mrs Jemson's fashion, she gave it up.
 That lady, however, did not appear to care, one way or the other. She her self had determined to be neighborly by way of the back door, but Mrs. Cor by could do as she pleased, and, though the latter did not return one in ten of her neighbours visits, Mrs. Jemson knew that she twas tied down with her children and did not expect it" of her.
 By and by, these frequent and un- ceremonious visits became unspeaka- ply annoying to Mrs. Corby. She was faithful, conscientious housekeeper, and Jane a servant above the average, but,g nevertheless, there were at times | little things, or certain holes or corners, not intended for Mrs. Jemson's eyes, which those eyes persisted in seeing because of her determination to be neighborly by way of the back door.
 But what could she do? Could she tell her, with blunt truthfulness, that her visits were ill-timed, or that her mode of entering was not extremely agreeable? She tried to hint sometimes that back doors were for the use of butcher and grocer boys and those con nected with the establishment; but Mrs. Corby was not good at giving an insinuation or Mrs. Jenson at taking one.
 It was amazing how entirely the in ner workings of the Corby family were brought to Mrs. Jemson's knowledge. She seemed to possess a sixth sense. She knew when bushel of potatoes or a roast of meat was carried in through the back door. She knew the exact in stant when Tommy Corby came down with measles She knew when her neighbors had company and who they were and what part of this broad land they hailed from and what they had to eat She knew how Mrs. Corby man aged her household and how she made over her last years silk, and how much Mir. Corby paid for his shoes It was wonderful. Mrs. Corby often thought, that Mrs. Jemson knew more about the family than she did herself
 Upon the occasions of Mrs Corby's visits to her old home Mrs. Jemsou having full and complete data of every thing concerning expense, route and wardrobe of the lady and her ehildren) her neighbor instituted herself com mittee of one to look after the COrby premises and kept her eye upou things in aud out of the house in Il manner that would have put to blush nine de tectives out of ten. Mrs Jemson knew the exact number of times that Jane had company, how often she played on her mistress piano, the occa siors of her sweeping the iron part of the house and just wha hour MT. Corby came home of even ings She told Mrs. Corby afterwards
 ''Confound that woman" InuttereC MT. Corby, one evening, after Mrs Jemson had been over tor the seconC time that day) and had regaled then with dilute conversation concerning what she had said to Mir. Jemson an' what Mir. Jemson had said to her.
 Mir. Corby had been aching to talk up an interesting book and had been al unwilling martyr to ''neighboring. Perhaps he will be pardoned for hi expressions: "Confound that woman"
 70 H arry! what am l to do witt her?" asked Mrs. Corby, helplessly We are being neighbored to death. ] it were not that we are so near, should do something desperate, decisiv, and end it all. But we are so close to gether, it would make it very uncom fortable to have any i'll feeling. vii endure almost anything rather thai have neighborhood trouble"
 "Mrs. Corby," responded her husband solemnly, rising to his feet, and look ing down at her with feigned earnest ness, you might cover that woman with insinuations and not really offent her. And why? Because she must b intimate with some one. She is one O those unfortunate females who must b going to some place to cackle, or els die. The very thought of spending half hour by herself has to her almos as fatal a result as a drop of prussi acid to other people. You might tel that woman, point blank, that she az pears in our domicile too often, an , though she might go home with fire il l her eyes, in few days she would re turn again, as if nothing had har