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.
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