Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-10-23
"sHE WOULDN'T DO IT FOR SPITE"

l- <ED>NTIze
"sHE WOULDN'T DO IT FOR SPITE"
s'pose she's kind of peeved cause my
pig walked over her dover bed. He
didn't hurt it a mite. Did she say any
thing?"
"N-no," said Mrs. Jennings. cravenly.
You and she have been friends a long
time, haven't you?' She thought per-
haps a little oil would smooth the
troubled waters. but ii did not.
quite a spell. We used to help each
other out thrashing times which" in
you young wives can be
glad you don't have to go through. Myi
I used to be tuckered- And Nell-but
some folks do get SO grabbed in their
Yes. indeed" said young Mrs. Jen-
nings Uneasily.
She hoped. as she ran into the small
cottage, that they would make up.
But they didn't Mrs. Gray missed
the weekly meeting at the Ladies' Aid
when IL was held at Mrs. Bowen's. She
sent word she didn't feel well. but
Mrs. Bowen and others, including Mrs.
Jennings. had seen her chase Mrs.
Browns pig all over her yaAd that
very morning.
And if she'd only left 1t essne it'd
come home" shifted Mrs. Bowsn in an
indignant whisper to Mrs. Jennings.
And if I hadn't chased it home it'd
Gray the next day to Mrs. Jennings in
the grocery store.
Then Mrs. Gray had a birthday. and
she did not ask Mrs. Bowen over for
supper, as was her custom.
Il clean forgot it was my birthday"
she said. in stif apology afterward.
Il was busy housekeeping"
Mrs. Bowen bravely concealed tho
her best lace collar and cuffs for the
occasion and postponed her house
cleaning. Il was busy. too" she said.
nonchalantly.
But that afternoon she spent two
hours fixing a fence. which the pig
wriggled through shortly after sup
per and sauntered over to Mrs. Gray's
dishcloths bleaching on the grass with
the air of pig returning to a beloved
home. Mrs. Gray grimly used the dish
cloths for mop rags afterward.
He just took his snout and dug the
ground with en-, she complained to
Mrs, Jennings Il know it's wicked
wish. but 1 lay awake nights hoping
the cholera or yellow fever'l get this
far north and take that pig"
ooh, Mrs. Gray" expostulated Mrs.
81 don't care" she said stubbornly.
shaking her head until her spectacles
were askew. II dor'
Wishes are sometimes more potent
than people think. Mrs. Gray was
amazed two mornings later to miss the
pig. Its dirty snout rooted her pansy
bed no more. Its grunt no more dis
turbed her morning nap. She guessed
that Mrs. Bowen had sold it. And then
she heard from the butchers boy that
it had died suddenly. He had been
hired to cart the corpse away.
ITS shame" Mrs. Jennings stop
ped in to say. but I don't wonder
you're relieved 1 dare say Mrs Bow
en- won't mind long"
Mrs. Gray set her lips together.
Yes. she WILL" she said. after a pause.
Della does hate terrible bad to lose
property. I remember once she lost a
white silk muftier. You'd a thought
she'd lost a farm. But I should say I
am relieved. Only it's too late to set
out any more dahlias"
Jennings said, soothingly
Next year" Mrs. Gray broke OF.
and seemed to be looking at the past
instead of at the future. "Uh-huh, next
year"
Then both women started. On the
other side of Mrs. Gray's lilac hedge,
fronting the street, came a familiar
voice.
YES. my pigs dead" gloomily. mo,
I don't think it's queer I guess 1 fed
1t too much roasting ears. I feel ter
rible bad. I was just ready to kill II
and eat it,
my goodness, she couldn't eat two
slices" whispered Mrs. Gray.
I'd promised the preacher a ham,"
dolefully, land Nellie-old Mrs. Bowen,
L mean-she always did like fresh
slice of loin. And then she and me
could have put down some sausage for
winter. She does make good sausage"
Il guess 1 better go in and put clean
papers on the pantry, shelves" said
Mrs. Bowen. T Did I ever remark
to you that Della Gray was a generous
hearted soul? I remember"
But she waddled in without saying
what she remembered. Mrs Jennings
was almost sure the old lips were
trembling.
She was quite sure day later. for
Mrs Gray sent word that she couldn't
contribute the 81 to the foreign mis-
sions she had promised At least not
just then. She needed the money And
Mr. Jennings, who bought the live
stock from the farmers and sold 1t to
city pickup" men. said casually:
Tell old Mrs. Gray. If you happen to
see her that got her jo-dandy
shoat today. Four dollars. It'll be de-
livered some time this week"
"What?" said Mrs. Jennings. ct don't
believe II. She wouldn't do 1t for spite.
I don't believe it" And she imme-
lady. who received her and her news
sheepishly. II just thought I'd buy .
pig"
For Della" softly "She was terrible
bothered with that pig. 1t was a shame
she don't get her pension money for
six weeks vet. And pig can grow .
powerful lot in six weeks. And" de-
family. you heard her say yourself
she was fattening it mostly for me and
other folks. Della was terrible gener-
Gus while she could AFFORD it." reminis-
Gently. You know me and Delia's
terrible old friends"
1.-THE END.I.