The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1883-11-09
miscellaneous.
A Comedy of Errors.

he slammed the kitchen door so violently
when he came in that keturah, his wife,
comprehended at once that something was
wrong.
Dear me, Abram," said she, mildly, look
ing up from the apples she was slicing for
pan -dowdy, there amt no occasion to take
the door off its hinges. What's the trouble
now?"
"Its Betsy Briggs" answered the squire,
seating himself, with some vehemence, on a
cushioned chair. THE airs that creetur gives
herself exceed everything"
airs" said Mrs. Packenham. 81 didn't
know as them was Betsy Briggs weak
nesses."
II dunno what you'll call it," said the
squire. "She was out in the garden pickin'
peas, an jest hollered to her, as / come by,
to see if she'd be willin' to entertain the
SEWN society at her house next Thursday
And, if you'll believe me, she didn't say a
word. Neither yes nor mop
"Well, never!" said Mrs. Packenham.-
But" with gentle desire for extenuation,
"you mustn't forget, Abram, that Betsy
Briggs is near.sighted."
"That don't prevent her hearin', does it ?"
sharply demanded the squire.
II didn't think o that" said meek Mrs.
Packenham, rejecting agolden, summer APP
pie, which had bruise on its mellewest side
But Pm quite sure Betsy didn't mean no
harm. Betsy never doesP
81 dunno how that may be-" said the squire
morosely. "But do know l shan't put my
self out to speak to her ag'in, unless she sees
fit to apologize"
II can't make it out at all" said Mrs. Pack
enham, slowly shaking her head
Miss Carter was the next person who stop
ped at the Packenham house. She was a
spare female, whose exact age, like that of the
obelisk, was wrapped in mystery, and she
was book agent of the most rabid type, and
deadly execution.
"P'raps you'd like 30 subscribe to the
'Housekeeper's Weekly Visitor, Miss Pack.
| enham ?" said she, rounding off her sentences
with prodigous sniff,
oval, nor said Mrs. Packenham. owe
aren't much O. readers here"
"Or maybe your husband would like to
take copy of the Ten Leading American
Patriots?" suggested Miss Carter, still strug
Cling with her catarrhal difficulty.
"Abram don't read nothin' but the news
papers," said Mrs. Packenham. His eyesight
| amt what it was and"
who's your neighbor down under the
hill ?" sharply interrupted Miss Carter. Jus
beyond the brook, where the bridge is so ou
of repair ?"
"Her name is Briggs" said Mrs. Packenhan
-"Betsy Briggs"
well, whoever she is" snorted Miss Car
| ter, "she hasn't no more manners than moody
cow Not to notice me even, and me standin
there talkin' myselfhoarse to her. Not even Il
turn her head to look at mep
Dear, dear p said Mrs. Packenham, "that
very strange! Betsy's dreadful sociablt
creetur. That don't seem like her bit.
well, that don't signify" said Miss Car
ter, seating herself, and opening her leather
| few recent publications I've got here"
"Oh, don't trouble to show 'em to mep
said Mrs. Packemham, apprehensvely. %.
hain't no money to buy nor time to read ant
the churnins behind hand, this morning
and I've got soft.soap to make"
ut won't take minute" persuasively
argued Miss Carter
And she sat two mortal hours in the squire
kitchen, and made Mrs. Packenham subscrib,
to the "Housekeepers Weekly Visitor" tor
term of three years, before she departed
Betsy Briggs managed her the best way,
groaned Mrs. Packenham, as she looked int
the recess of her empty pocket-book "Wha
will Abram say?"
The clergyman, a slender, dyspeptic man o
six-and-twenty, stopped at the garden-gate Il
/ u
that day, but she did not return his polit
greeting. He repeated it little louder, ant
still she took no note of his specialized gaz
and new silk hat.
II hope haven't offended her in any way,
said Mr.. Sweetlands to himself; and he trie,
to think back to the sentence of his last ser
mon about gossips and meddlers. II don
think said anything which she could by an,
possibility apply to herself. Miss Briggs
Miss Briggs II say p
He waited minute or so for reply whicl
did not come; then he sighed mildly, an,
walked on.
"These single sisters are perhaps trifl
difficult to manage" said he. "But doubles
experience will smooth my pathway il
time"
And, naturally enough, the Rev. Mr.. Sweet
lands stepped in at Sister Packenham's t,
ask her how she thought he could possibl,
have offended Miss Betsy Briggs.
And Just as he was detailing in Mrs. Pack
enham's puzzled ears the tale Of his perpexity
a stout, elderly man, with seafaring aspect
raped at the door with the knobby handl
of his ragged stick.
"Ahoy, therew said Captain Giles Gillilot
81 hope ] amt intrudin, but these is al
strange waters to me, I've just hailed
neighborin' craft Betsy Briggsby name, ant
she don't lower no signals. P'raps Pve'sighte,
the wrong coast"
miss Briggs lives at the next house 7
Mrs Packenham said "That's tru
enough"
"Tm her cousin" said Captain Gilliloe.-
"She has invited me to moor my craft in thes
parts for WHILE but amt used to heav
anchor along side O. them as don't speak t,
me civil. And / hope I've made my logbool
clear"
81 really can't account for it," said Mrs