Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1885-06-04
Fortunes FrOWns and
Smiles.

iuiSlano uuo0 w sOig F"VNnVs i'"NN",
before Mrs. Briggs would own to IT,.
For she was one Of those high-nosed,
domineering females who pretend to
an almost superhuman foresight, and
believe that they can read character as
if it were an open book.
II never was so disappointed in a
girl in my life" said Mrs. Briggs. II
thought she had some grit about her.
But, there ! might as we'll have an
old dish-rag in my kitchen us Meta Mil
ton !"
Meta herself, if the truth were to be
told, was equally disillusioniZed. She
had fancied that life in the country
was all roses, ,new-mown hay and night
ingales AMI when it came to getting
up before daybreak, churning by the
half hour in blue-mold smelling eel
lar, scrubbing kitchen floors and bak-
ing hot-cakes for a tableful of shirt
sleeved farm hands, she was completely
taken aback.
There were no lanes wherein to lin
ger at dusk (Mr. Briggs was great
deal too careful of his land to let any
part of it Iun to waste), no pictures
que old well-sweeps or ivy. clad ruins.
Cabbages grew in rows (; onion
patches flung their perfume on the air,
and directly in front of the main door
there was fl cid of monster tobacco
leaves.
"Aud eff you've got any time to
spare" said Mr.. Briggs, ''you'd better
lay it out in pickin' them plaguy big
worms off the terbacker, instead o. cut :
TIM round the country arter wlld-fow-
els 70
Meta had been a shop-girl in a
Bridgeport store before she came to
her Cousin Briggs. Her health had
failed the doctor had advised coun-
try air, new milk and change Of scene.
Mrs. Briggs, on being written to, had
unwillingly consented that Meta should
spend the summer there.
"She must be poor creetur. indeed,
if she can't earn her board and little
more into the bargain" said Mrs.
Briggs, who was one of those gripping,
grinding taskmistresses who think of
trade and profit alone.
But Meta had not passed triumphant
ly through the ordeal. Perhaps she had
not fully regained her strength. Per-
haps she had become discouraged with
the endless treadmill of work which
Mrs. Briggs provided for her.
She was pale, pretty girl, with fair
hair, large, sorrowful blue eyes, and a
color that came and went with flicker
ing brilliance.
"And it's my opinion" said Mrs.
Briggs, who was in the habit of flying
around the house with her head tied up
in cotton pocket-handkerchief, "that
she spends adeal too much time a-hxin'
up and prinkin' before the glass-white
lace at her neck every day and a ribbon
bow and white aprons of an afternoon.
Checked gingham is good enough for
me, and it ought to be.for her. "
At the end of the first month, Mrs.
Briggs told Meta, with engaging frank
ness, that she had not proved equal to
the emergency.
ST guess we don't want you here no
MORE" said Mrs. Briggs. "You amt
got no more strength than a rabbit,
and, anyway, there amt no calculation
about you. You may do very we'll as
a store-girl, but you won't never earn
your bread at general housework."
Meta sighed.
''But what am 1 to do ?" said she.
"Where am to go 9''
"That's your affair."" said Mrs.
Briggs.
| And then she went to take her bread
out Of the oYen.
John Perkins, the nephew of the old
deacon who lived in the brick house on
the hill, and had more money than the
best arithmetician in Yellow Plains
could count, came the next day to drive
Meta and her poor little trunk to the
stage.station.
John had seen Meta at church. He
had stood beside her more than once
at singing school and one night, when
the cattle were obstreperous, he had
come to the rescue, and helped Meta
drive them home.
| So. when Farmer Briggs sent over
word that his horse was lame, and ask
ed for the loan of Deacon Perkins roar
cob to carry Meta Miltonto the station
John himself had volunteered to act a:
charioteer.
"Going away, hey ?" said john W her
they had riddec short distance in 81
lence.
eyes said Meta, sadly, II am 60.
ing away"
"Didn't like the folks ?" said John
ST tried to like them,' said Meta
"but Mrs. Briggs was not suited will
me. The washings were too heavy ant