The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1885-04-23

FUl luuU D flUHuD Quu pWllUN.
Mrs. Briggs had made mistake
She owned as much, herself. And a
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 tc
an almost superhuman foresight. and
believe that they can read character a;
if it were an open book.
II never was so disappointed in q
girl in my life" said Mrs. Briggs. a
thought she had some grit about her
But, there! might as well have an
old dish-rag in my kitchen as Meta
Milton!' -.
Meta herself, if the truth were tc
be told, was equally disilluzionized.
She had fancied that life in the coun-
try was all roses, new-mown hay and
nightingales; and when it came to get.
ting up before daybreak, churning by
the half-hour in a misunderstanding
cellar, scrubbing kitchen floors and
baking hot-cakes for a tableful Of
shirt-sleeved farm lands, she was COM
pletely 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 run to waste mo picturesque
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 field of monster tobacco
leaves.
"And eff you've got any time tc
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
howersw
Metahad been shop-girl in Bridge
port store before she came to her Cousin
Briggs. Her health had failed; the
doctor had advised country air, new
milk and change of scene.
Mrs. Briggs, on being written to, haf
unwillingiy 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
Perhaps she had become discouraged
with the endless treadmill of work
which Mrs. Briggs provided for her.
She was pale, pretty girl, with fail
hair, large, sorrowfuI blue eyes, and ;
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 tie(
up in a cotton pocket-handkerchief
that she spends deal too much TIM
a-ixin' up and prinkin' before tht
glass-white lace at her neck every
day and a ribbon bow and whit,
aprons of an afternoon. Checked
gingham is good enough for me, and /
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 t.
the emergency.
II guess we don't want you here nj
more" said Mrs. Briggs. "You ain
got no more strength than arabbit,and
anyway, there amt no calculation
about you. You may do very well a
a store-gal, but you won't never earl
your bread at general housework."
Meta sighed.
"But what am l to dor" said she
"Where am l to go?"
"That's your affair" said Mrs. .Brigg:
And then she went to take he
bread out of the oven.
John Perkins, the nephew of the oil
deacon who lived in the brick house O
the hill, and had more money than tn
best arithmetician in Yellow Plain
could count, came the next day to driv
Meta and her poor little trunk to tn
stage-station.
John had seen Meta at church. II
had stood beside her more than ono
at singing-school; and one night, whe
the cattle were obstreperous, he ha
come to the rescue, and helped Met
drive them home.
So, when Farmer Briggs sent owe
word that his horse was lame, an
asked for tho loan Of Deacon Perkin
roam cob to carry Meta Milton to Il
station, John himself had volunteers
to act as charioteer.
"Going away, hey?" said John, whe
they had ridden short distance in S
lence.
YES" said Metr, sadly, II am g
ing away"
Didn't like the folks?' said John.
Il tried to like them," said Met
.blt Mrs. Briggs was not suited vii
mo, The washings were too heav
and it gave me a pain in the side
lift the tubs"
"You do look rather slim" obsery,