Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1885-04-29
Fortunes FF0VnS and Smiles.

Mrs. brlggS mad made mistake.
She owned as much. herself. And q
mistake must be very patent. indeed,
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
Il it were an open book.
7 never was 50 disappointed in q
girl in my life, " said Mrs. Briggs. 4
thought she had some grit about her.
But, therel Knight as we'll have an
old dish-rag in my kitchen as Meta
NTiltonP'
Meta herself, IL the truth were to
be told, was equally disilluzionized.
She had fancied that life in the coun-
try was all roses. new-mown hay and
nightingales; and when Il came to get
ting up before daybreak. churning by
the half-hour in a misunderstanding
cellar, scrubbing kitchen floors and
baking hot-cakes for tableful of
shirt-sIeeved farm Lands, she was COM
pletely taken aback.
There were no lanes wherein to linz
ger at dusk (Mr Briggs was a great
deal too careful of his land to LET any
part OF it run to waste) no picturesque
old well-sWeeps or ivy-clad ruins.
Cabbages grew in rows; onion
patches fiung their perfume on the air,
and directly in front of the main door
there was a field of monster tobacco
leaves.
"And 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.
cuttin' round the country arter Wild
flowersI'
Meta had been shop girlin Bridge
port store beforeshe came toher Cousin
Briggs Her health had failed; the
doctor had advised country air, new
milk and change of scene.
Mrs. Briggs, on being written to, had
unwillingiy consented that Meta
should spend the summer there.
"She must be poor creetur, indeed,
if she can't earn her board and a 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
~ through the ordeal. Perhaps she
had rot fully regained her strength.
Perhaps she hal become discouraged
with the endless treadmill Of work
which Mrs. Briggs provided for her.
She was pale, pretty girl. with fair
hair, large. sorrowfuI blue eyes. and
color that came and went with flicker
ing briIliance.
"And It's my opinion. said Mrs.
Briggs, who was in the habit Of flying
around the house with her head tied
up in q cotton pocket-handkerchie
that she spends deal too much time
a-hxin' up and prinkin' before the
glass white lace at her neck every
day and ribbon bow and white
aprons Of an afternoon. Checked
bingham is good enough for me. and It
ought to be Cor herr
AT the end Of Che irst month, Mrs.
Briggs told Meta with engaging frank
ness. that she had not proved equal to
the emergency.
= guess we don't want you here no
more. said Mrs. Briggs. "You amt
got no more strength than arabbit,and,
anyway, there amt no calculation
about Jon. You may do very well as
q store.gal. but you won't never earn
yonr bread ii general housework
Meta sighed
'sBut what am 70 do2" said she.
Where an T q s.
That's your affair. said 1Irs Briggs
And then sic went to take her
hEeaa ou1 d tie oven.
john Perkins. tie nephew 81 tie ola
deacon who lived IN tho brick house. On
the hill ana a more money than the
best or clan ID Yellow Plains