was stopped,--'no, I don't thank you for
disgracin' an old neighbor like me. 'T is of our prayers and the grave
we should be thinkin', and not be having bold words on the bridge.'
Wisha! but I fought I was after spaking very quiet, and up she got and
caught up the basket, and I dodged it by good luck, but after that I
walked off and left her to satisfy her foolishness with b'ating the
wall if it pl'ased her. I 'd no call for her company anny more, and I
took a vow I 'd never spake a word to her again while the world stood.
So all is over since then betune Biddy Con'ly and me. No, I don't look
at her at all!"

II.

Some time afterward, in late summer, Mrs. Dunleavy stood, large and
noisy, but generous-hearted, addressing some remarks from her front
doorway to a goat on the sidewalk. He was pulling some of her
cherished foxgloves through the picket fence, and eagerly devouring
their flowery stalks.

"How well you rache through an honest fince, you black pirate!" she
shouted; but finding that harsh words had no effect, she took a
convenient broom, and advanced to strike a gallant blow upon the
creature's back. This had the simple effect of making him step a
little to one side and modestly begin to nibble at a tuft of grass.

"Well, if I ain't plagued!" said Mrs. Dunleavy sorrowfully; "if I ain't
throubled with every wild baste, and me cow that was some use gone dry
very unexpected, and a neighbor that's worse than none at all. I 've
nobody to have an honest word with, and the morning being so fine and
pleasant. Faix, I'd move away from it, if there was anny place I 'd
enjoy better. I 've no heart except for me garden, me poor little
crops is doing so well; thanks be to God, me cabbages is very fine.
There does be those that overlooked me pumpkins for the poor cow; they
're no size at all wit' so much rain."

The two small white houses stood close together, with their little
gardens behind them. The road was just in front, and led down to a
stone bridge which crossed the river to the busy manufacturing village
beyond. The air was fresh and cool at that early hour, the wind had
changed after a season of dry, hot weather; it was just the morning for
a good bit of gossip with a neighbor, but summer was almost done, and
the friends were not reconciled. Their respective acquaintances had
grown tired of hearing the story of the quarrel, and the novelty of
such a pleasing excitement had long been over. Mrs. C