Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1916-01-22
the PEOPLE next DOOR


door," said the woman with the ex.
pansive society smile. II am sure that
] have done all could to be neigh.
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 really don't believe
in being too intimate with people Just
because they happen to rent house
next door to one; but in this case
Mrs. Glenwood spoke to me about
them. She said they were really very
nice people and SO called.
They are very nice people in some
respects-at least Mrs. Park is-but
very peculiar, my dear. AS | say, |
did my best to be nice to them and
when they were in their moving mud.
die told them II there was anything
that could do for them to be sure
and let me know. Well, they didn't
happen to want anything, suppose.
for they didn't say 80 then. but in less
than three weeks after that Mr.. Parks
came to the door and wanted to Dor.
row my stepladder. You know I al.
ways keep my stepladder down in
the basement and 1t was quite a lot
Of trouble to go down and get It. but
Mr.. Peabody happened to be at home
and he brought 1t up and gave 1t to
Mr.. Parks. l don't mind saying that
was annoyed. but I am sure that
didn't show II. And. my dear, they
kept that ladder over a day before
they brought 1t back and then there
was q speck of whitewash on II that
I am sure wasn't there when lent 1t
| to them. I'm sure ! would have no
ticed II there had been. Mr.. Peabody
always tells me am so particular
about my things, but good gracious!
II people didn't take care Of things
they never would have things, would
they?
Then there was the lawn mower.
was out moving the lawn one morn.
ing. You know Mr.. Peabody isn't home
once month hardly and I have to
NOW It myself or else get man to
do It and that Is SO expensive, you
know. And then men are careless
with things. Well. Mr.. Parks was
sitting on his front steps and he vol.
unteered to do II for me. I need the
exercise. anyway he said. But do you
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 II that wasn't enough,
he took II on to the Wespers', next
door to him. and moved theirs. May
as well trim up the neighbOrho0d
while We are about IT, he said. laugh.
ing as II II was good joke. or course
the lawns aren't large. but just think!
And then recommended a laun.
dress to them and went In to give
them her address. and one time when
they were out let the express pe0.
pie leave a package for them and took
It in to them myself. I assured them
that II wasn't any trouble-and It real.
ly wasn't 80 very much, you know
only II might occur too often.
But It was about the telephone
was going to tell you. They didn't
have q telephone put In. Mr.. Parks
said no didn't care to have one until
he made up his mind whether he
wanted to take the house for year.
1 ouu toiu thCus VI Sout oCp tuut SuCJ
were very welcome to use mine at any
time. They said It was very kind OF
me. and so 1t was. think. but didn't
think they would DO making O public
convenience of my house. They came
in-oh. several times. They always
apologized, but that didn't make It
any more convenient for me to be an.
swering the door and letting them In
and letting them out again. Once or
twice was clear up to the top Of the
house and had to go clear downstairs.
I was always Just as pleasant as could
be. but ! think they understood that
I didn't care much about 1t, and they
stopped coming until Mrs. Parks III.
ness and then MIR. Parks began com.
ing again-to call the doctor. It
seemed to me, though. that he needn't
have always left It until 1t became an
emergency. OF course in case Of
sickness l wouldn't think Of refusing
anybody and like to be neighborly.
But aren't people peculiar sometimes?
well. thank goodness. they had
about stopped bothering me until last
week, when there came ring at the
phone and somebody said: 10 this
Mrs. Peabody? said Yes and then
the woman-it was Q woman-said:
I'm very sorry to trouble you. but
could you get Mrs. or Mr.. Parks to
the phone? It's something very i'm
portant.'
II thought that was about the limit.
! said: NO. don't see how can. I'm
very busy and ! would have to dress
and-uo. I'm sorry. but ] can't do It,
"'Oh. very we'll; excuse me for trou
bling you. she said in sarcastic
voice and the receiver was shut of.
Nov, would you believe It? After
all the pains I've been to to be nice
to them those people IRE Just as cool
a. can be since then. suppose they
are offended. but don't know what
thev cOuld have expeCted me to do"