about it.
It would be dreadful if one neighbour could not bear a little with
another."

All this cut poor Mr. Barton to the heart. His own ill-natured language
and conduct, at a much smaller trespass on his rights, presented itself
to his mind, and deeply mortified him. After a few moments' silence, he
said,

"The fact is, Mr. Gray, I shall feel better if you will let me pay for
this corn. My hogs should not be fattened at your expense, and I will
not consent to its being done. So I shall insist on paying you for at
least one bushel of corn, for I am sure they have destroyed that much,
if not more."

But Mr. Gray shook his head and smiled pleasantly, as he replied,

"Don't think anything more about it, Neighbour Barton. It is a matter
deserving no consideration. No doubt my cattle have often trespassed on
you and will trespass on you again. Let us then bear and forbear."

All this cut the shoemaker still deeper, and he felt still less at ease
in mind after he parted from the farmer than he did before. But on one
thing he resolved, and that was, to pay Mr. Gray for the corn which his
hogs had eaten.

"You told him your mind pretty plainly, I hope," said Mrs. Gray, as her
husband came in.

"I certainly did," was the quiet reply.

"And I am glad you had spirit enough to do it! I reckon he will think
twice before he kills any more of my geese!"

"I expect you are right, Sally. I don't think we shall be troubled
again."

"And what did you say to him? And what did he say for himself?"

"Why he wanted very much to pay me for the corn his pigs had eaten,
but I wouldn't hear to it. I told him that it made no difference in the
world; that such accidents would happen sometimes."

"You did?"

"Certainly, I did."

"And that's the way you spoke your mind to him?"

"Precisely. And it had the desired effect. It made him feel ten times
worse than if I had spoken angrily to him. He is exceedingly pained at
what he has done, and says he will never rest until he has paid for that
corn. But I am resolved never to take a cent for it. It will be the
best possible guarantee I can have for his kind and neighbourly conduct
hereafter."

"Well, perhaps you are right," said Mrs. Gray, after a few moments of
thoughtful silence. "I like Mrs. Barton very much--and now I come
to think of it, I should not wish to have any difference between our
families."

"And so do I like Mr. Barton. He has read a good deal, and I find it
ver