The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-07-04
BROWNS AND SMILES.

Mrs. Briggs had made a 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 fem ales, who pretend to an almost superhuman foresight and believe they can read char acter as if it were an open book.
 never was so disappointed in a girl in my life, i" said Mrs. Briggs. "I thought she had some grit about her. But there might as well have an old dish-rag in my kitchen as Meta Milton r
 Meta, herself, if the truth were to be told, was equally disillusionized. She had fancied that life in the country was all roses, new-mown hay and nighnngales |; 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 tableful of shirt-sleeved farm hands, she was completely taken aback.
 There were no lanes wherein to finger at dusk (Mr. Briggs was . great deal too careful of his land to let any part of it run to wasse), no picturesque old we'll. sweeps or ivy-clad ruins.
 Casbages grew in rows; onion patches flung their perfume on the air, and direct ly in front Of the main door there was field of monster tobacco leaves.
 And ef you've got any time to spare" 1" said Mir. Briggs, "you'd better lay it out in pickin' them plaguy big worms of the terbacker, instead O cuttin' round the country arter wildhowers."
 Meta had been shop girl in Bridge port store before sife came to her Cousin Briggs. Her health had failed the doc tor had advised country air, new milk and change of scene.
 Mrs. Briggs, on being written to, had unwillingly 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 was one of those griping, grinding task-mistresses who think of trade and profit alone.
 But Meta had not passed trium phantly through the ordeal. Perhaps she had not fully regained her strength. Perhaps she had become discouraged with the endless treadmiil of work which Mrs. Briggs provided for her.
 She was pale, pretty girl with fair hair, large, so1swful 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 cotton pocket-han dkerchie1 "that she spends deal too much time a-fxin' up and primpin' before the giass-white lace at her neck every day and ribbon bow and white aprons 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.
 "I guess we don't want you here no more" said Mrs. Briggs. "You ain't got no more strength than a rabbit, and, any way, there ain't no calculation about you. You may do very we'll as store-gal, but you won't never earn your bread at gen. eral housework."
 Meta sighed.
 But what am to do ?" said she. "Where am to gor'
 That's your affair."" said Mrs. Briggs.
 And then she went to take her bread out of the oven.
 John Perkins, the nephew of the old deacon who lived in the brick house on the hill, and had more money than the best arithmetician in Yellow 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 stosd beside her moro than once at singing school; and one night when the cattle were ohstreperous 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' roan cob to carry Meta Milton to the station, John himself had volunteered to ac as char iotesr.
 L-y" Going away, hey ?" said John, when they had ridden short distance in si- lence.
 "Yes" said Ms.z, ==4lzz.~! .= sc:=s away"
 "Didnt like the folks r said John.
 sI tried to hke them" said Meta ''but As- Briggs was not suited with me. The vashings were too heavy, and it gave me . pain in the aide to lift the tuhs."
 You do look rather slim," observed John.
 And he chewed straw in silence for some time before he asked, with some abruptness:
 And where are you bound for2"
 don't know," said Meta. sI can't @ back to the store because my iost place Is filed; and it's very hard to get