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“Oh no, no, no, not for the world, Hannah!” replied Aunt Mary, to her indignant help. “We will try and wait for her, though it is a little hard to have one’s things always a-going, and never to be able to put your hands on them when you want them.”

All the next day Aunt Mary suffered the jars of fermenting preserves to remain on the kitchen table. Every time her eye rested upon them, unkind thoughts would arise in her mind against her neighbour, Mrs. Tompkins, but she used her best efforts to suppress them. About the middle of the next day, as the preserving kettle did not make its appearance, Hannah was again despatched, with directions to urge upon Mrs. Tompkins the pressing necessity there was for its being returned. In due time Hannah made her appearance, but without the kettle.

“Well?” inquired Aunt Mary, in a tone of disappointment.

“Mrs. Tompkins says, ma’am,” replied Hannah, “that you needn’t be in such a fever about your old preserving kettle, and that it is not at all neigh-hourly to be sending for a thing before it is done with. She says she won’t be through with her mamlet before day after to-morrow, and that you can’t have the kettle before then.”

“Well, it is a downright shame!” said Aunt Mary, with a warmth of manner unusual to her.

“And so I told her,” responded Hannah.

“You did! And what did Mrs. Tompkins say?”

“Oh, she fired right up, and said she didn’t want any of my imperdence.”

“But you oughtn’t to have said so, Hannah.”

“How could I help it, ma’am, when my blood was boiling over? It is a shame; that’s the truth.”

Aunt Mary did not reply, but she thought all that Hannah had said to Mrs. Tompkins, and a good deal more. Indeed, her forbearance was sorely tried. Never since she could recollect, had she felt so unkindly towards any one as she now did towards her neighbour and fellow church member. Often did she try to put away these unkind and troublesome thoughts; but the effort was vain. Mrs. Tompkins had trespassed so far upon her rights, and then put such a face upon it, that she could not help feeling incensed at her conduct.

After a while “day after to-morrow” came, which was on Saturday.

“I must have that kettle to-day, Hannah,” said she, and Hannah started off to Mrs. Tompkins.

“You needn’t come after that kettle to-day,” spoke up Mrs. Tompkins, as Hannah entered, “my marmalade is not all done yet.”

“But we must have it to-day, Mrs. Tompkins. Mrs. Pierce says as how I mustn’t come home without it. The preserves are nearly ruined now, and all because you didn’t send home the kittle when we first wanted it.”

“I want none of your impudence,” said Mrs. Tompkins, going off at once into a passion, for she was rather a high-tempered woman, “and so just shut up at once. If Mrs. Pierce is so fussy about her old worn-out kettle, she can have it and make the most out of it. A pretty neighbour, indeed! Here, Sally,” calling to her help, “empty that kettle and give it to Hannah.”

“Where shall I empty it?” asked Sally.

“Empty it into the slop barrel, for what I care; the whole kettle of marmalade will be spoiled any how. A pretty neighbour, indeed!”

Sally, who understood her mistress’s mood, knew very well that her orders were not to be literally obeyed. So she took the preserving kettle from the fire, and poured its contents into a large pan, instead of the slop barrel.

“Here’s the kettle,” said she, bringing it in and handing. it to Hannah. It was black and dirty on the outside, and within all besmeared with the marmalade, for Sally cared not to take the trouble of cleaning it.

“There, take the kettle!” said Mrs. Tompkins in an excited tone, “and tell Mrs. Pierce that it is the last time I’ll borrow any thing from her.”