The Republican journal., 1885-08-06
Frowns and Smiles.

Frowns and Smiles.
Mrs Briggs had made a mistake. She
owned as much herself. And a mistake
must be very patent. indeed, before Mis-.
Briggs would own it. For she was one
Of those high-nosed, domneering females,
who pretend to almost superhuman fore
sight, and believe they can read charac-
ter as if it were an open book.
Il never was SO disappointed in a girl
in my life, said Mrs. Briggs. "I thought
She had some grit about her. But there
| might as well have an old dishraI in
my kitchen as Meta Milton -
Meta, herself, if the truth We're to he
told, was equally disillusoniled. She had
fancied that life in the country was all
roses, new mown hay and nightingales
and when it came to getting up at day
break, churning by the half hour in a
blue mold smelling cellar, scrubbing
kitchen floors and baking hot cakes for
a tabletul Of shirt -sleeved farm hands,
She was completely taken aback.
There We're no lanes wherein to linger
at dusk (Mr Briggs was Il great deal too
careful of his land to let any part of it 90
to waste) no picturesque old wellsweeps
or ivy clad ruins
CabbageS grew in rows onion patches
flung their perfume on the air, and dr.
rectly in front OF the main door there was
a field Of monster tobacco leaves
''And if you've got any time to spare,
said Mr.. Briggs, you'd better lay it out
in pickin' them plaSuy big worms off the
terbacker, instead o cuttin' round the
country urter wild flowers"
Meta had been shop girl in Bridge
port store before She came to her Cousin
Briggs. Her health had failed the doe
tor had advised country air, new milk
and change OF sense.
Mrs. Briggs, on being written to, had
unWillngly consented that Meta should
spend the summer there
"She must be a poor creetur, indeed if
she can't earn her board and little more
into the bargain said Mrs. Briggs, who
vas one of those gripping, grinding task
miStresses 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 fair
hair, large, sorroWiul eyes, and a color
hat Il -;+1 Il; I;.1-.
brillianCe.
"And it's my opinion, said Mrs. Briggs,
who was in the habit of living around the
house with her head tied up in cotton
pocket handkerchief, ''that she spends
deal too much time a-fXin up and pink
in before the glass-white lace at her
neck every day and ribbon bow and
white apron 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.
Il guess we don't want You here no
more" said Mrs. Briggs "Nou amt got
no more strength than rabbit, and,
anyway, there amt no calculation about
You. You may do very we'll as a store
gal, but you won't never earn your bread
| at general housework."
Meta sighed.
"But what am to do 2" said she.
"Where am to 90 2
"Thats your affair."" said Mrs Briggs.
And then she went to take ner bread
| out of the oven.
John Perkins, the nephew of the old
| deacon who lived in the brick house on
the bill, and had more money than the
| best arlthmetician in Yellowstone 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 sing
| ing school and one night when the cat
| tie 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 asked for
the loan of Deacon Perkins roam cob to
| carry Meta Milton to the station, John
himself had volunteered to act as char
| ioteer.
'Going away, hey ?" said John, when
| they had ridden short distance in 81
| lence.
"Yes,' sad Meta, sadly, ~ am going
away"
"Didn't you like the folks ?" said John.
81 tried to like them" said Meta; "but
| Mrs. Briggs was not suited with me. The
washDgs were too heavy, and it gave me
Il pain in the side to lift the tubs"
"You do look rather slim," observed
John.
And he chewed straw in silence for
some time before he asked with some
abruptncss:
"And where are you booked for ~
81 don't know" said Meta. ~ can't
90 back to the store because my lost
place is filled; and it's very hard to get
work anywhere at this time of the year
The doctor said | ought to stay year
at least in the country but Mrs. Briggs
has got another girl and
Here John Perkins suddenly arrested
the course of the roam cob, and began
turning him scientifically around.
Dear dear y said Meta, "have we
got into the wrong road ?"
"No," said John Perkins, ''Not as
know Of But if the doctor said you
ought to stay year. then year you
stay"
'But whereg" said Meta.
"With us said John Perkins. "Fve
took a notion to you, Meta. The first
time set eyes on you, | said to myself
Here's the gal for me = and if you'll mar
ry me, Meta, Tll do my best to take care
of you and be good husband to YOU"
"Marry you y repeated Meta, and she
looked timidly into John Perkins honest
gray eyes, and then she added, eyes,
Mr.. Perkins, will"
"Shall we go right to the parsons p
said John.
'I-I suppose sO," said Meta.