The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-09-19
SUSIE'S NEIGHBORS.


we're not boys and girls, for sad as it may
seem, there we're no boys and girls with
in mile of the place where Susie was.
| She had no sisters, or brothers, or cous
ins, or even little friends, within walk
ing distance. There had been little chill
dren in the houses of grandma's neigh
bors, but they had all grown up and gone
away.
1t was very lonely locality for child
who has to depend for her happiness on
having other children to play with. But
Susie was never lonely. because she
made friends of the chickens and the
birds, the toads and grasshoppers, the
caterpillars and the beetles, anything
that had life. 1t was no wonder that
grandma looked surprised as she was
putting pan of cookies into the oven
that morning, to see Susie take her sail
or hat from its accustomed nail and an
nounce that she was going to see her
neighbours. What did the little girl
mean?
"Your neighbors!" exclaimed grand
ma. 1T is too long a walk, child to go
over to Mrs. Browns or Mrs. Booths, or
down in the hollow to call. and besides,
the sun is too hot. you might melt on the
road, like the candle did this morning,
standing on the shelf by the window"
Susie had pleased look on her face as
she said: MY neighbors live very near.
by, grandma. Put on your sunbonnet
and come with me, and l will introduce
them to vou."
when l get my cookies all baked,
dear, will 60"
will it be an ever 80 long time, grand
mar"
oh, no, only few minutes, for I've
rolled out the last tinful and they are in
the oven"
well, I'll just run over and tell them
you are coming for you are stranger
you know, and they might want to fix up
little"
Whatever can the child mean?"
thought grandma, as she took the last of
her cookies out of the tin pan and laid
them on the platter.
Pm ready now. SUSIE" she called out
and Susie came running to the kitchen
door.
She took grandma's hand and led her
to an old apple tree in the orchard.
This is the house where my neighbors
live, grandma, and here is the door,"
1t was a small, round hole in the
trunk of the tree. just low enough for
Susie to reach.
"I'll knock" she said, because I'm
bringing strangers"
No answer, so she peeped in. 1.-THE
lady of the house is out" she whispered,
"but the children are all at home"
Susie and grandma peeped into the
door and saw four little birds lying in
nest which the father and mother birds
had built in the hollow of that tree.
1.-THE mother does not mind my tax
ing the little birds out and looking at
them every day. She sits up there in
that red apple tree and watches me.
She never cries out, because she knows
l always bring crumbs to scatter under
the tree, and that l love her little chill.
dren and would not hurt them for any
thing"
81 never knew we had such near and
such pretty neighbors," said grandma.
II am glad l called on them, and l will
send them some of my cookie crumbs
this very day."
An old crow sat up in the top of
greening apple tree, and kept calling
out something that sounded like, Look
out! Look OUT"
THAT old crow always does that"
said Susie. "She wants to break up our
acquaintance, l know, and make the
mother bird think I'm going to hurt her
little ones. She is mischief maker,
that old crow is. read a story about a
mischief-maker once who told stories
about her neighbors."
SAOSS SAo WohIo tho yOu
bring" spoke grandma, land that is the
reason she tries to stir up a strife; but
am sure the little mother trusts you,
and knows her neighbor too we'll to be
Influenced against her by that old crow.
Every day after that morning, Susie
and grandma went to make a call on
their neighbors aud carry food to them
But few days since they went and
found their neighbours house empty.
Susie felt very sorry, but grandma told
her how the little ones had learned to
fly and had gone out to see the great
world for themselves.
II should not have thought they
would have moved out without letting
me know it, said the little girl, with
tears in her eyes.
But vacation time was almost over,
and soon after Susie's neighbors went
away. she went. too. went back to her.
home in the city, gathered her school
books together, and was off to the big
school-house again to her lessons
Susan Teal Perry, IN EUangeIist.