Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1896-12-31
"NEIGHBOR JIM"


There are some things about my
Nelghbor Jim that I want to tell. No.
mat l like to talk about my neigh
bors. but Jim should be talked about.
Jim started in. so far as our street
IS concerned. unfortunately. He was
out OF business and had to take a rest
accordingly. He moved into that ia
nous "board-fence house." that is.
the richest and meanest man in our
village put up board fence directly
On the line between his land and the
next dwelling, so that he shut out the
view from the windows across his
own talr lawns and fiower-b beds. Near
~ every village. alas! has sooner or
later such a spectacle of bad neighbor
ana spleen. Jim took that house with
us side windows all blank view. 1t
was empty most of the time and fin
any the owner put the rent so low
That Jim could take it. We all Won
oered who he could be, stranger to
us, and what sort of head of fam
Ivy to subject his pretty wife and chill
oren to that darkened dwelling. But
inside OF six weeks that board fence
was down! Yes. actually down! Jim
hao really knocked it down with his
smile Neighbor Jim always wears a
cheerful, genial smile. Everybody
likes to meet him in the morning as
ne starts down the street. People like
to hear him say Good morning"
There Is SO much cheer in the tone.
he always asks after your friends and
FAMILY, and he knows them by name
after he has once heard them. No
hvirg man Of us aver heard Neighbor
Jim telling any OF his own troubles.
He never complains Of the hard times,
nor the weather. He never got off a
yarn about why he lost his situation,
nor how he got down. We found out
what little we ever knew from otho'
gources than from him. Neighbor
Jim never looked on the shady side OF
any mans character. You could sit in
the car seat with him on the way to
New York, and you would hear no un-
kind word from him Of anybody.
asked him. one day. II he never en-
tertained an adverse judgment OF any
man or thing. He said. often. But
keep all that stuff to myself. And
try to forget the evil that hear OF
man-simply forget It,"
Neighbor Jim listens when you talk
to him. He seems interested. That
pleases. Few are wise enough to
know that even one grunt OF indiffer-
ence from a neighbor whom you &C
cost and begin to talk to in store.
will dull the edge of neighborly
feeling. To seem distracted. dear
and dumb and rude, even once. Is to
be voted boar by the man to whom
you show It, You may be tired. may
be oppressed with care; but when
your neighbor begins to joke and chat.
you must listen. 1t helps you, too. to
forget your cares. Neighbor Jim is
famous listener. He makes you feel
that he takes an interest in you. l
believe half the men in our village
have at one time or another confided
their troubles to him. He has. how
ever, burdened no man with any OF his
own troubles.
Neighbor Jim is popular with the
not too Familiarity, but in a gentle,
courteous way. He never told any
boys father unpleasant complaints
'I'll tell your father" has made more
trouble between neighbors than any
other one thing. Our neighbor never
turns round at the Academy OF Mu-
sic to stare reproof at a young fellow
who is whispering too loudly or gig
Cling with his sweetheart. Jim just
lets them 60 on. Jim let's some one
else do the frowning. Some one else
always will. il you wait little. and
you. like Neighbor Jim, will escape
being disliked by the young things.
Nor did ever hear that Jim was free
with his opinions as to the desirable
ity Of any match between young peo-
pie. He always seems to think that II