The log cabin Democrat., 1916-02-03
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TIE PEOPLE NEXT DOOR

l lave done all l could % be Eeigh- borly ever since they took the house.. let me see-two years ago it is now, nearly. { called on them in the first place, although l really ,ion't b3lie7 @ in being zoo intimate with peopls just because they happen to rent a house next do3r to one; but in this case Mrs. Glenwood spoke to me about them. She said they were really very nice people and so I called.
 They are very nice people il! some respects-at least Mrs. Park is-but very peculiar, my dear. As I say, did my best to be nice to them and when they were in their moving mud. dle l told them if there was anything that l could do for the n to be sure and let me know. We'll, they didn't happen to want anything, I suppose, for they didn't say so then, but in less than three weeks after that MT. Parks came to the door and wanted to bor. row my stepladder. You know I al- ways keep my stepladder down in the basement and it was quite lot of trouble to go down and get it, but MT. Peabody happened to be at home and he brought it up and gave it to MT. Parks. l don't mind saying that l was annoyed, but l slm sure that didn't show it. And, my dear, they kept that ladder over a day before they brought it back and then there was a speck of whiteWash on it that l am sure wasn't there when I lent it to them. I'm sure l would have mo- ticed if there had been. Mr Peabody always tells me I am so particular about my things, but good gracious: If people didn't take care of things they never would have things, would they
 Then there was the lawn mower. I was out moving the lawn one morn- ing. You know Mr. Pes body isn't homo once a month hardly and l have to mov 1t myself or else get a man to do it and that is so expensive, you know. And then men are careless with things. Well, MT. Parks was sitting on his front steps and he vol unteered to do it for me. I need the
 
 know, as soon as he got through with my lawn he wheeled the mower across the walk and moved his own, just as coolly. And as if that wasn't enough, he took it on to the Wespers', next docr to him, and moved theirs. May as well trim up the noighborhood while we are about it, he said, laugh ing as if it was a good joke. Of course the lawns aren't large, but just think.
 And then l recommended laun. dress to them and went in to give them her address, and one time when trey were out 1 let the express peo- pie leave a package for them and took it in to them myself. 1 assured them that it wasn't any t:ouble-ard it real ly wasn't so very much, you kcow- only it might occur too often.
 But it was about the telephone was going to tell you. They didn't have a telephone put in. MT Parks said he didn't car'i to have one until he made up his mind whether he wanted to take the house fer a year, and 1 told them, of course, that they were very welcom) to use mine at any time. They said 1t was very kind of me, and so it was, 1 think, but didn't think they would be making a public convenience of m,I house. They came in-oh, several times. They always apologized, but hat didn't make it any snore convenient for me to be an- swering the door and letting them in and letting them out again. Once or twice 1 was clear up to the top of the house and had t;I go clear downstairs. l was always jus; as pleasant as could be, but l think they understood that 1 didn't care much about it, and they stopped coming until Mrs. Parks ill., ness and then !dr Parks began com. ing again-to call the doctor. It seemed to me, hough that he needn't have always lett it until it became ar emergency. Of course in a case oa sickness l wouldn't think of refusing anybody and I like to be neighborly But aren't people peculiar sometimes"
 Well, thani. goodness, they hah about stopped oothering me until lasi week, when there came a ring at the phone and somebody said: Is thiz Mrs. Peabody? l said Yes and then the woman-it was a woman-said: I'm very sorry to trouble you, but could you ge: Mrs. or MT. Parks to the phone? It's something very im- portant
 T thought hat was about the limit. 1 said: No, don't see how l can. I'm very busy and I would have to dress and-no, I'm sorry, but l cant do it.
 Oh, very well; excuse me for trou- bling you the said in a sarcastic voice and the receiver was shut off.
 Now. would you believe it? After all the pains I've been to to be nice to them tho St people are just as cool as can be S nre then. I suppose they are offendel, but I don't know what they could lave expected me to do.'