Miscellany

lt is curiousto observe how a mnn's spiritual state reflects itself in the people ; and animáis around him; nay, in the very garrnents, trees and stones. Reuben Black wns an infestation in the neighborhood whre lie residf-d. - The very sight of ïiim producer) efTfCts ■■irailar !o a Hitldnu nmgieal tune, cnlled j Rang, wliich is said to bring on clouds, slorms nnd eartliquakrs. Ilis wife sremed lenn, sin rp and nnr:omfortahle. Tbe hcdsof his boys'hd a bristling apect.as; if each hair stond on end wlth p'-rpetualj "far. Thp cows poked out their born = loriznntíillv, as soon as he oponed the bnrn-yard gfltes. The dog drop'fd bis tail between his legs and eyed him aknnce. to fee whnt liumor he was in. - The rat looked wild and scrnggy, and bal ber-n kliowri to rush straight up the diimnev w!en he moved toward her-. - Fannv Kemble's expressive description of the Pennsylvnnin sta'je-hoi'se was exactly suited to Reuben's poor old nng. - " His hiele resemhled an old hair trunk." Contirual whipping and kicking hnd made l'im euch a sloic, that no nmount of blows could quieren his pnce, no cliirrupping could change the dejected drooping of his hend. All his natural nnguage sniH, ns plain as a horse could ay it, thst he was n most unhnppy beast. Even the trees on Reuben's premises had a gnu ried and knottpd nppparance. - The barkwfipt Htlle sickly tears of gum, nnd the branches grew away, as if they fel', the continual discord, and made sorry faces at encli other behind the owners Dack. His fields were red with sorrel, or run over with mullpn. Every thing sepmed as hard and orid as his own visasre. Every day he cursed ihe town and the neighborhood, because they poisonorl his dogs, and stoned his hens, and shot his cats. Continual lnw suits involved him in so much expense thnt he had neither time nor money to spend on ihe mprovement of his faim. Agnir.st Joe Smilh. a poor laborpr in the neighborhood, he had brnught thrpe suits in succession. Joe s:iid he had rpturned a spnde he had borrowed, and Rpuben swore he had not. He su?d Jop and recovered dnmages, for which lie ordered the sheriff to seize his pig. Joe, in his wrath, calleH him an old swindler, and a curse to the npighborhood. Thesp remnrks were soon re pen teil to Reuben. He brought an action for libel, and recovered twpnty-five cents. Provoked at thelatigh this occasioned, he watched for Joe to pass bv and, set his dog upon him, scrp.iming furiously, " Cali me an old swindler again, will youí" An evil spirit is more contagious than t!ie plague. Joe went home nnd scolderl bis wife, boxed liltle Joe's pars, nnd kicked the ent ; and not one ofthem knew it what was all for. A fortnight after, Reuben's big dog was found dead by poison. Whereupon he brought another action against, Joe Smith, and not being ableto prove him gulty of the charge of a dog murder he took his revenge by poisoning a pet lamb, belonging to Mrs. Smilh. Thus the bad game went on, with mutual worrirnent and loss. Joe's temper grew more and more vindicitive, and the love oftülking over his trouhlcs at the grogshop incrensed upon him. Poor Mrs. Smith cried and said t was all owing to Reuben Black, for a better hoarted man never lived than her Joe, when she first married liim. Sueh was the slate of things wlien Sime'in Green purcliaspd the farm adjoining Reuben's. The easle bad been much neglecled, and had cnugbt lliisiles or.d muilen from the neigboring fieldt. - Biit Simeón was a dilligent man, blessed by nnture wi'.h a healihy organization and a genial tempram?nf, and a wisoand kind educalion hnd aided nature in the perfection of her goodly work. His stsndy perseverance and industry soon etwnged the aspect of things on fhe farm. River mud, autura leaves,o!d bones, were all put n requisition to nssist in the produstion of use and beauty. The trees, with moss and inseots, soon looked clean and vigorous. Fields ot grain waved whfre weids had the simple gateway. Michigin roses covered half the house with their ebtlRÓailt clusters. - Even the rough rock, which fjrmed the door stpp,was edgfid wi'h golden mosS' The sleek horse, feeding ir. clovers tiissod his mine and neighed wher. his master carne near; as mut;h as to say. "The world is all ihe pleannter for 1 ing you in it. Sime in Green!" The old cow, fondling her calf under the great walnut treo, walkfd up lo him wilh a serious friendly face, nsking for I the blice of sugnr beet he was wont to give her. Chanticleer sirutting nbout, with his troop ol'plump hens, and clown v little chickens, took notrouble to keep Dut of his way, but flapped his glossy wings, and crowed a welcoine in his very face. When Simeón turned lii.s stpps h"mevard the bovsthrew iheircaps, and ran shouting, " F ither's coming!" and little Mary went toddling up to him, with a dnndelion blo-som to place in his bulton hole. His wife was a vomnn of few word?, but stie sometimes said to her neighbors wilh n quiet kind of salisfuction, " Every body loves my husband, tliat knows him. Tliey can't holp it!" Simeón Green's acquaintanco lcnew that he was never engaged in a Inw suit in his life, but they predicted ihat he would find it iinpossible to dvoid it now. T!ey told bini In'sneKt ne'ghbor wns dotermincd to qimrrel with people whe'hor ihry wi)uld or not ; that he was like John Lilburne, of whom Judgp Jpnkin?, snid, "If the world was emptied of e'pry person but himsnlf, Lilbnrno would stil ! quarrel with John, and John with Lilburne. "Is that his charaeter?" said Simeón. "If he exercifes it upon me, 'I will soon kill him." In every netghborhood the re are individuals who like to foment disputes,not from any definiie intention ofmnlice or m'schief, but merely bcnuse it makes a littte ripple of excilement in the dull Rtrmm of ]fe, like a con (est bel ween dogs or game-cocks. Such ppople were not slovv in repealing Siaieon Grean's remark nbout his wrangling neighbor. "Kill me? will he?" exclainipd Reuberi. He said no more; but his tightly cornprrssed mouth bad such a significant pxprpssion tbat his dog dodged him, as he would the track of a tiger. Thnt very night Reuben lurned his horseinlothe highwny, in hopes he would comit soine 'lepre'iation on neighbor Greeu's premis: es. ButJoeSmith secing the an i nial at laige, let down tue bars of Reiiben's own corn-field, and the poor beat walked in, and feasted as he liad not done for tnany n year. It would have been a great satisfnntinn to Reuben if he eould have bro't alaw-suit agiinst his horse; btitasit was, he was ohliged to content himselfvvith bating him. His next exploit was t shoot Mary Green's handsome Chanticlepr, beeause he stood on the stor.eall and ciowed, n the ignnrant joy of liis he.irt, two inehes beyoni the frontier linelhat bonnded the contiguous fnrms. - Sjpmon said he va sorry for the poor hird, and sorry beciue his wife nnd children liked the prolly creature; but otherwise it was no grunt matter. Hp h'd been iniending to build a poultrv yard, with a good high fence that his hens m'glit notannoy his neighbors ; and now he was ndmonished to make haste and do it. Ho would build them a snug worm house to roost ir.; they should have plenty of gravel ntid oats, and room to promenade back and forth nnd crow and cnckle to their heart's content; there they could enjoy themselves, and be out of harm's way. But Reuben Blnck had a degreo of ingenuity nnH perseverance which might liave prodjced great results for mankind, hnd those quali'ips bepn dfivoled tosome more noble purpose ihan provoking quarrels. A pear tree in his garden very improperly stretched over a friendly arm into Simeón Green's premises. er thesunny stcte of Ihingsthere had n cheering effect on the tree, I know not ; but it hnppened that the ovcrhnnging bough bor more ahundant fruit, anrl glowed with a rfcher hue, than the otlier boughs. Oneday, l'ttle Georgo Green, as he went whistlii'g along, p'icked up a lear that had fallen into his father's g-iriea. The instant hc touclied it he feit -omething on the back of his i eek, like i he sting of a wasp. It waa Reuben Black's hip, fullowed by such a storm of nngry wordd that the poor child rushed into the house in an agony of terror. But tbis experiment failed also. The boywas soothed by his mother, and told not t i go near ihe pcar tree again; and lliere the maller ended. This imperturbable good nnlure vexed Reúnen more than all the tricks and launts he me: from others. Evil ffforts he coulj undeietand, and rrnny witli compound intorest, but he did not know what tomakeof this perpelunl forbearance. It seemed to liim there must be sotTiething cotitetn)t 'U? in it. Ile disliked Simeón moie than all the rest of the town put together, because ho made him feel so uncomfortably in the wrong, and did not aiïbrd him the slightest pretext fbr complaint. It was annoying tosee I every thing in his neiglibor's domains looking so happy, and presenting such a bright contrast to t!ie forlornness of his own. Wi.en their wagons passed each otlier on the rond, it seemed as if Si-! meon's horse tosscd liis hcad higher and j flung out hi- mane, as if he knew he was i going by Reuben Black's old nag. He ofien said he supposed Green coered his house with roses and hottejsuckles on purpose to shame his bare walls. Btit he diún't care - not lie! He was'nt groing i to be fnol enough to rot his boards with siich stuff. But no one resented his dispnraging remarks, or sought to provoke hini in any way. The roses smiled, ihe horse neighpd, and the calfcapered; but none of ihem had the least idt-a tlia1 they were insulted by Reuben Black. Even the dog had no malies in hisheari, ihough he did one niglit chase home his geese, and bark at them throughthe bars. Reuben told lii.s matter, 'he ncxt dny, he swoio he would bring an action against liim i'he didu't keep tiiat dog al home; and Simeon answered very quiptly tl ir. t he would trv to tnke Uïttef care of him. Fur several days a strict wutch was kept, in hopfts Towzer would worry the g'-ese ngoin; but tlify paced home uneisturbed, and not a solitnry bow-wow furnishad excuse for a liw-suit. The new neighbors not only declined quarrelling, but lhey occaïionally mnde posilive advances toward a friendly relation. Simeon's wife sent Mrs. Black a large basket l'ull of very fine clierries - rJeased wnh the unexpected attention,she cordial'y replied, " Teil your mother it was very kind of her, and I was very much obliged to her." Reuben, who sat smoking in the chiinney corner, listened to this mess.'ige once without any impntience, except whiffiing tiie smoke thro' his pipe a liitle faster and fiercer than usual. I3ut when the boy was going out uf the door, and the friemlly word.-i were repealed, he exflaimed, "Don't make a fuol ofyourself. Peg. They want to give us a hint to senda basket of our pears,that'i the upshot of the business. - You may send 'em a basket, when tliey are ripe; for I soorn to be under Obi g liofl, especially to your smooth-tonguo lolks." Pnor Ppggv,wliose arid life had been for the moment refreshed wilh n linie dew of kindness, admitted ' distrust into her nosom, and the hnlo tliat rrJiated round the ripe glowing clierriesdepnrted. Not long afier this advance toward good neighborhood, some laborers employed by Simeón Green, pnssing over a hit of mnrshy ground, wilh a heavy team, stuck fnstin a bog occasioned by a 1 r.g eontinued ruin. The poor oxen vvere eritirely unable to extrica'e tlu-mselves, and Simeón ventured to ask assistance from his waspish neighbor, who was working nt a short distance. Reuben replied gruflly, "I've got enongh to do lo nttend tn my own businesB." The civil request that he might be allowed to use his oxen and chaina for D few minutes being answered In the same urly tone, Simeón süen'lv walkod off, in search of a more obliging neighbor. The men, whowpre left waiting with the pat'ent suffering oxen, sc-nlded about Reuben's ill nature, and said they hoped he would get itllck in the same bog himself. Their employer rpjoined, "If ho does, we wi',1 do our duty, and help him out." "Therfi's such a thing as being too L;ood natured," said they. "lf Reuben : Black takes the notion tlmt people are ■ afraid of him, it makeshim trample on them worscthan ever." "Oh wait a while," replied Mr. Grein, smiling. " I will kill him bef j re long. Wait and sec if.I don't kill liim." It chanced soon after, tlial Reuben's team did stick fust in the snme bog, a tlie wurkmen bad wished. Simooa noticed it ('rom a neigliboring field, and g!ve directions that the oxen and chainshould be immediately conveyed to his assistance. Tlie men laughed, shook their heads, nnd said t was good enough lor the oíd hornet. They, however, cheerfully procee !ed to do ;;s their employé reqiiPSied. "You are n a bud situaiion, neiglibor," s;iid Sinieon, as he cnme along side of the foundeivd leam. liBut my men are coming wiih two yoke of oxen, nnd I lliink we s.hull"soon manage to help you out." You may take your oxen báck ngnin," ie)lied Reuben quinkly. ''I don't want any of your help." In a very fiiendly tone Simeón answernd, "I cannot consent to do lint ;. for evening i-1 coming on, and yon have a very litlle timeto lose. It is a bad job at any timp, hut it wil] be still worse in the da'-k." "Ligbl or dark. I don't ask your help," replied Rculen emplmiically. "I would'nt help you out of the bogtb.8 otherday when you nsked me." "The trouble I had in relieving mv poor oxen I leaches me to sympnthize with ethers in the snmo si l nntion, Don't let us waste vvords about it, neighbor. It is imosible for me to go home and leave vou here in the bog, nnd night coming on." The team was soon drawn out, and Simeon and his men went away, wiihout waitintc for thanks. VVhcn Reuben went home tliat nieht, he was unusunllv ' thuglitful. A f ter smoking nwhile in deep ConlemplatioDü, he gently knocked the ahes fcom liis pipe, and said, wilh a sigh, "Peg, Simeón Green has killed me!" "Whaldo you meun," said his wife dropping her knitling,vith a look of surprise. "You know when he first carne into tl) is neig'nborhood, he said he'd kill mo," reulied Reuben; "andhe has done it The otlier day bfl nsked me to help his tenm out of ihe bog, nnd I told him I had enough to do to nttend to my own business. To-dny my team stu''k fast in the same bog, nnd he came.wilhtvvo yoke ofoxento draw it out. 1 feit sort of ashamed to have him lrnd me a band, so I told him, I did'nt wimt ar;y of his help: bul hi d just as pleasnnt n- il nothing CnntrRry had happoi.ed, iha' niglit was coining on, and he wns not willing to leave me in the mud. " Me is a jileasant spoken man, nnd ahvnys Iris a pretty word to say lo tl e boys. His wife seems to be a nice neighborly b idy, too." Reubei: made no answpr, but after medintiiig awhile, he remni ked, '"Peg, you know thnt big ripe melon down it the bcttom of the garden? you mayas well carry it over there in the ng." His vvife said sbe would, without asking him 10 explain where 'over herfi' was. But when tlie morning carae Reuben ivalked back and forth, and round and round, wkh that soit ofaimless .activity, often roani fesled by hens, and by fashionuble idlers, who feel restless, nnd don't know wliat to run afier. At length ihe cauce of bis uncertnin tnovements wns explained, " I gues I may ns well carry the melon myself, and thnnk himforhia oxen' In my flurry down there n the marsh, I didn't (hink to say that I was obüged to him." Ue marohed offtownrd the gorden, and his wife stood at the donr, with one liand on her hip, and the other sbading the BUn Vom her eypR, to see if be would carry he melón nto Simoon Green's house. - t was the tnost.remarkab'e incident that íad ever hnppened sirire her marriage. she could hardly beliove her own eves. He walkei qjick, as if afraid he shonld fiot bfiahle to carry ihe unusuai impulse nto nction f he rtopped to re-consider the (juestion. Whnn he found biinaelf ín Mr. Green's liouse, he lolt extremelyawkward, and haslened to say, f'Mrt. Green, liere s u melón my wife seni to you, and we veckon U's a rijie one.' i Without manifesting nny surprise at such unexppcied courtesy, the frifridly mal ron tlianked him and ínviied him to sil down. But he stood daying withtle latchofthe door, and without ruUing hw eves s:úd "May be Mr. Green ain'l in this tnorning?" "He is at the pump, nnd will be lu directly," she replied ; and beforo hf r words vvere spoken the honest man wnlked in, with a face as fi'esli and bright as .iJutie morning. He stppped right up to Reuben, sliook his hand cordinlly, and said, "I nm ]ad to see you neighbor. - Take a ctiair. Take a chair. " 'Thank you, I can't stop," replied Reuben. He pushed his liatón one sii.'e, rubbed his he id, lookod out of tlie window, and than said suiilenly, ns if by a deperute effort, "The fact is, Mr. Green, I did'.nt beliave right abouttlie oxen." " Never mind, never mind," ,)lied Mr. Green. "Perhapí I shall íft i RtO ihe Itog again orne of i)e-e rainy ays. If I do, I hhall kuow who to cali jpon." ■Why, you seo," said Ronben, stil] erv mueh confi;scd,&avoiiii"g Simeón' nild clear eye, "'yoa se= . tho neighbors ben are very ugly. .If I had always lived by snch neiglibors as you ore, I soulc'nt be just ns I ain." "Ah, wcll, we must try lo b to otheis wliat wo want them tobe to u?," rejmned Simeón. ';You know tlie good book mjB kk 1 have lenrneJ by experience iliat if we spertk kind words, ve bear kind eohoes. If we ti y to make rthera happy, it fíüs them with a wisli to make us happy. Per hopa you and I can bring the neighb'irhood round ÍD time. Who knows? - let us iry, Mr. 31ack, Iet us try. And come and lonk at my orchard. I vvant to show you a Ireo which 1 have graí'ter! with very choice apples. If yo'j lkp,I willl procure you soae scions froin the same stock," Tliey went into the orchard together, and friendlv chat soon put Reuben at j his ease. When he returned homo, he j made no remnvks about his visit; fnr he could nol, as yet, summon suñicient greatness of soul to tell his wife thnt he ha-i confessed himselfin the wrong. A gun stood behind the kitchen door in readiness to shoot Mr.' Green's dog for having i barked at Ivs horse. He now fireJ the coiiients into the air and put the gun away into the barn. From that riay hencefoith, he never sought for any pretext to quarrel with the dog or his mister. A short time after, Joe Smith lo bis utter a&tonishnient, saw him pat Towzer on the head, and heard hún s'iy, "Good fdllow!" Simeón Gipen was far too magnanimous to repeat lo any one that bis q;;errelsome neighbor had confessed himselí lo blame. He merely smilo.l he fnid lo hiswifa, " I thought we should kill him after a whil.V Joe Smitli did not believe !n such doctrines. When lie heard of the advenlures in thc marsh, lie said "Sim Green's a fool. When he first carne hsre he talkeii vory lig a'o'iut kil'ing f]ks, i they did'nt mind their Ps and Q. But he don't sppaar to havn r.s'much spií-it ns a worm; for a worm vi!l turn whcti its liod ti ;■ Poor Joe liad grown more ntempeíale nnd more quarrelsome, lili at ast nobody would employ Jiien. About a year aáer !he memorabla incident of the arater melón, some one stole teveral vnluüble hities from hr. Green. He did not men'ion tliecirciimstain'e to any one but his v. ife; and they lotb lal na on C r su3!ei:ting that Joe was tle tliief. Tutn?xt wvek, ihe f -i'lowing nnonymous a.lvertie(lnr]appealed in the newspiper óf the county. ♦W hoever stole a IotofhMeson FricJny night, the 5th of the prospni inonth, is liereby informed that the owner hns a sncere wish to be his friend. If pnvetty ternpted hin to this falso fctep, the jvvner will keep the whole transactiun i secret, and will gladly put him n the way of obtaining money bv iieans more iikely to britig him peace of nmd.1; This'singiilai' advertieinent ofcoar exciied a good deal of ïemark. Thoro was imich debato whrtlier or not the thief would avuil himself of the fïiendly ofler. Sume said he would be a greenliorn il" he did; for it was manifetly a trap to caich bim. But Ue who had nitieü the dishonest deed nlone knew vheneo that benevolent offer came ; md hs knew that Simeón Greon was uit B manto sol traps foi his folluw creaures. A few nighls afterwards, a timid knock ,vas heard at Simeon's door, just as the ninily were retiring to rest. W lien the Joop w:is ope:ied, Joe Smith ff'S seen on ihe steps, with a load of hidw on bis shoulder. Without raisinflhia eyes ; In said in n low humb!e loue, "1 have bro'! those back, Mr. Groen. Where shatl I put ihem?" "Wait n moment till 1 can light a lanthoi-n and I will go to the ba'rn with yon," he replied. "Thon yoa wil] come in, and teil me bow t happened. - We wiH see what can bo done for yon." Mis. Green knew that Joe often went hungry, and hnd become accustomf-ci lo the stimulus of rum. Slio therefore batened to nrmke hot cofT.-e, and brought trom t!ie clobet ioma cold meat and a nie. When thcy returned from thebarn sbe said "I thought vou miglit foei betlrr fr n Hule warm supppr, nniglibor Smlth. - Jacturnrd bis b ick loward bei-, and d'd notspeak. He leanerl bis head agiinst the chimney,and nfier amoment's silenco, be said i aeflöked vuioe, " It was tbe fïrst lime I everstolo nnvthing; nnd 1 have feit very bad aboutii. I do'iu know how it is. 1 did'nt think once I should ever come lo be what ] am. But I look lo quarelling, ond thcn to drinking.- - Sinc:e I bfgan togo down hil!, eVery body gives me u kick. You are the firrt man hat has offered me a helping hand. My wife is feeble, and my children stniving. Yuu have sent il.em manv a meal. üod l)]css yuií and jet I stolo the. hio.es from you, meaning lo sel] them, lh'3 first chanco I oould get. But I teil you t e truth, Mr. Green, it is tha first time 1 ever duervvd the name of thief." "Let il hi} the lasi, my frieod," said Simeón presing his hand, kindlv. "Th secret siiall reinain betwoen ouie-'ves You are young and can innke up lost time. Coa dow gieme aprom;sellat you vvill not drink uno drop of inioxicating Iiquor for a year, and I will tntfAof you to-morrow, ut gcod wr.g s. Maiy -viliste toyour farnily early h, the morn:ng, nnd perhaps we may find some erapioyment for them also. The IHt! boy csn at leut piek up stones. But eat a bit now, nnd drink soms hot coff e. Ir will keop you Trom wanling to drink any thing itrongër to night. You will find it hord to abstuin at firsi, Joseph ; but keep up a brave hemt, for the sake of your wife and children, and it wil] soon beco.me easy. When you feel the need of coffee, teil my M.-iry, and sho wijl alwaya givfi it to you, J.,e t'-ifd to eat and drink, bu! ihe food spemed to choke him. He was nervous and excited. After an ineílectual efibrt lo compose him.-el1', ha laid his headon tlie table and wept like a child Aftra while, Simeón pursuadd nicn :o bathe his hend in -o!d water and ha Jteand drank vvith good appetite. VVi.en he wem aw iy, the kind-heai ted hos! said, " Try lo do wei), Joseph.and you shaü always find a friend in me." Ttje fel!;jw preesed his hr.nd, and replied, -'I undersland now liov it is vou kill bad neighbors." He entered into Mr. Grfen's service tlie oe.t day, and lemaiaed in it inany yea.-s, an honest and frithful man.