Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1885-08-08


- wlsn it was palace, pnss. 1oE
your sake, said he.
II Icouldn't DO happier. John, II It
was, Meta brightly answered.
ssAud you don't mind your Cousin
Briggs passing you Ia the street. with-
out speaking 20 yOnPn
.Not in the least. IL you don't mind
Deacon Perkins returning your letters
unopenedP'
.sE4e is an ill-tempcred old crab,
said John, with hearty laugh.
s'And she, merrily retorted Meta,
sis venomous old gossip.
While the public opinion 0f Yellow
Plains unanimously condcmned Mr.
and Mrs. Perkins 10 tho poor-house III
the course of brief lme.
s'He hasn't a cont OF capital," " said
one neighbor.
ssAnd SHE ain't no management and
ncvor had, said another.
s.Buys baker bread, and makos her
pie crust with butter instead o. drip
pins" said Mrs. Briggs. ibid any
one ever hear OF such shiftleSsnessl /.
for one, wash my hands Of thom.n
Until, ono day, Deacon Perkins died
sitting in his chair, with bis spectaclcs
on his nose.
ssNVc'll 60 to the funeral. Meta. said
John to his wife. "0f course ho has
left all his money to tho Gattawoocho
Indian Mission, as he always said hg
would. But be was my uncle after
all.
Every well said Meta wen
All the neighborhood was there, 0f
course. Tho richest man in Yellow
Plains did not depart Ibis lifc every
day. But every one looked coldly
upon the young couple IS they entor.
ed, and Mrs. Briggs studiously ovadcd
them.
When the burial ceremonies were
over. Mr.. Briggs sidled up to tho law
yer, fat man, with q shining bald
head and a white moustache
sits about the mortgage, Squire
Coyte, said he. "rhat one that Doa-
con Perkins had on our farm. do hope
the Gattawoocho Indians won't be par-
ticular about takin' it up st yet, be-
cause times Is hard, aud ain't noWays
prepared. The interest is q little be-
hind, to be sure, but
.sWhat have the Gattawoochc Ind
Jams got to do with itp'' said tho squire,
crisply.
why. they're the heirs, folks tell
me, " said Mr. Briggs, unoasily twirling
his thumbs.
'.Not at all. = said Mr.. Coyte. Tho
Gattawooche Indian viii WAS destroyed
long ago; and Mr.. Perkins never nlado
another. The heir to all tho property
is tho 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 q sud-
den that they had always sympathizod
with the dear young couple that John
Perkins was d noble follow, and his
wife Meta ono Of tile salts Of tho Garth.
And Mrs Briggs came humbly to the
red brick mansion on the hill to see
Meta. and beg her to intercedc with
her husband Ia their behalf
about the mortgages said she,
ssthat Deacon Perkins had on our farm.
It's overdue, and Briggs hasn't been
as regular with the interest as / could
have wished; but / do hope, Meta, he
won't be hard with u.s.
It was bitter pill for Mrs. Briggs
TO swallow, but Meta did not exult over
her fallen foe.
''Of course he will not be hard with
you, Cousin Briggs, said she, loudly.
ssAre we not relationsp And now you
must sit down and have cup OF tea
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. II do feel sort o. faint, said
she. II never slept none last night,
thinking what would become OF Us il
the old home was took away. But I'm
all right now, Meta, thanks to you. !"
And she said, when she got home 10
her fresidc.
If ever Goals OF fire was heaped on
human head, Meta Perkins heaped
'em on mine this day.
..She'sa good gal" said Farmer
Briggs, "a good gall Helen GraUes.