e always felt pleasure in obliging you."

I was mute for a time.

"Really, Mrs. Jordon," said I, at length, as composedly as I could
speak, "you seem to be laboring under some strange mistake. The
charge of frequent borrowing, I imagine, lies all on the other side.
I can name a dozen of my things in your house now, and can mention
as many articles borrowed within the last three days."

"Pray do so," was her cool reply.

"You have my large wash-boiler," I replied, "and two of my washing
tubs. You borrow them every Monday, and I have almost always to send
for them."

"I have your wash-boiler and tubs? You are in error, Mrs. Smith. I
have a large boiler of my own, and plenty of tubs."

"I don't know what you have, Mrs. Jordon; but I do know that you get
mine every week. Excuse me for mentioning these things--I do so at
your desire. Then, there is my coffee-mill, borrowed every morning."

"Coffee-mill! Why should I borrow your coffee-mill? We have one of
our own."

"Yesterday you borrowed butter, and eggs, and sugar," I continued.

"I?" my neighbor seemed perfectly amazed.

"Yes; and the day before a loaf of bread--an egg to clear your
coffee--salt, pepper, and a nutmeg."

"Never!"

"And to-day Nancy got some lard, a cup of coffee, and some Indian
meal for a pudding."

"She did?" asked Mrs. Jordon in a quick voice, a light seeming to
have flashed upon her mind.

"Yes," I replied, "for I was in the kitchen when she got the lard
and meal, and Bridget mentioned the coffee as soon as I came down
this morning."

"Strange!" Mrs. Jordon looked thoughtful. "It isn't a week since we
got coffee, and I am sure our Indian meal cannot be out."

"Almost every week Nancy borrows a pound or a half pound of butter
on the day before your butter man comes; and more than that, doesn't
return it, or indeed anything she gets more than a third of the
time."

"Precisely the complaint I have to make against you," said Mrs.
Jordon, looking me steadily in the face.

"Then," said I "there is something wrong somewhere, for to my
knowledge nothing has been borrowed from you or any body else for
months. I forbid anything of the kind."

"Be that as it may, Mrs. Smith; Nancy frequently comes to me and
says you have sent in for this, that, and the other thing--coffee,
tea, sugar, butter; and, in fact, almost everything used in a
family."

"Then Nancy gets them for her own use," said I.

"But I have often seen Bridget in myself