The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1885-04-23
81 wish it was a palace. pusa for
your sake" said he.

your sake" said he.
II couldn't be happier. John, II 1t
was" Meta brightly answered.
"And you don't mind your Cousin
Briggs passing you in the street, with.
out speaking to your"
"Not in the least, If you don't mind
Deacon Perkins returning your letters
unopened"
'He is an ill-tempered old crab" said
John, with hearty laugh.
"And she." merrily retorted Meta,
sis venomous old gossip"
While the public opinion Of Yellow
Plains unanimously condemned Mr..
and Mrs. Perkins to the poor-house In
the course of a brief time.
"He hasn't a cent of capital" said
one neighbor.
"And she amt no management and
never had," said another.
"Buys bakers bread, and makes her
pie-crust with butter instead O drip.
pins" said Mrs. Briggs. "Did any
one ever hear of such shiftlessness? J.,
for one. wash my hands of them"
Until, one day. Deacon Perkins died
sitting in his chair, with his spectacles
on his nose.
"We'll go to the funeral, Meta" said
John to his wife. "Of course he has
left all his money to the Gattawooche
Indian Mission, as he always said he
would. But he was my uncle, after
ALL"
Every WELL" said Meta. "Well CO."
All the eghborhood was there. Of
course. The richest man in Yellow
Plains did not depart this life every
day. But every one looked ccldly up
on the young couple as they entered,
and Mrs. Briggs studiously evaded
them.
When the burial ceremonies were
over, Mr.. Briggs sidled up to the law
yer, a fat man, with shining bald
head and a white moustache.
"It's about the mortgage, Squire
Coyte," said he. "That one that Dea-
con Perkins had on our farm. I do
hope the Gattawoochee Indians won't
be particular about takin' it up jest
yet, because times is hard, and I amt
noways prepared. The interest is a
little behind. to be sure, but"
"What have the Gattawoochee In
dians got to do with it?" said the
squire, crisply.
"Why, they're the heirs, folks tell
me-" said Mr.. Briggs, uneasily twirl-
ing his thumbs.
"Not at all" said Mr.. Coyte. "The
Gattawooche Indian will was destroyed
long ago; and Mr.. Perkins never
made another. The heir to all the
property is the next of kin, his nephew,
John Perkins"
Public opinion changed as quickly
as only public opinion can do, when
this piece of news became bruited
abroad.
Everybody discovered all of sud-
den that they had always sympathized
with the dear young couple that John
Perkins was a noble fellow, and his
wife Meta one of the salt of the earth.
And Mrs. Briggs came humbly tc
the redbrick mansion on the hill to
see Meta, and beg her to intercede
with her husband in their behalf.
about the mortgage" said she
"that Deacon Perkins had on our farm
It's overdue, and Briggs hasn't beer
as regular with the interest as 1 could
have wished; but do hope, Meta, hi
won't be hard with usl"
1t was bitter pill for Mrs. Brigg:
to swallow, but Meta did not exulI
over her fallen foe. ..
"Of course he will not be hard witt
you, Cousin Briggs" said she. kindly
"Are we not relations? And now yol
must sit down and have a cup of te;
with us, and John will send the box
wagon down for your husband to come
and spend the evening"
The tears came into Mrs. Briggs
eyes.
81 do feel sort O. faint" said she. q.
never slept none last night. thinkin
what would become of us if the OLE
home was took away. But I'm al
right now, Meta. thanks to you'll"
And she said, when she got home t,
her iireside:
"If ever Goals of fire was heaped OF
a human head, Meta Perkins heapet
'em on mine this day."
"She's a good gal," said Farme
Briggs-"a good galv'-Helen Fo,res