Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1885-10-22
FROWNs AND SMILES.

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 to
an almost superhuman foresight, and
believe they can read character as if it
were an open book. a- sl1 .s-.l1
Il never was so disappointed in a
girl in my life" said Mrs. Briggs. II
thought she had some grit about her.
But there! might as well have an
old dish-rag in my kitchen as Meta
Miltonr' 'f
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
nightingales; and when it came to get
ting up at day-break, churning by the
half hour in misunderstanding eel
lar, scrubbing kitchen floors and bak-
ing hot cakes for q tableful of shirt
sleeved farm hands, she was complete
ly taken aback.
There were no lanes wherein to ling
er at dusk (Mr. Briggs was q great
deal too careful of his land to let any
part of it run to waste), no 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 to
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
flowers" 5, .....
Meta had been a shop-girl in q
Bridgeport store before she came to
her Cousin Briggs. Her health had
failed; the doctor had advised country
air, new milk and a change of scene.
Mrs. Briggs, on being written to,
had unwillingly consented that Meta
should spend the summer there.
''She must be poor cretur, indeed,
if she can't earn her board and little
more into the bargain" said Mrs.
Briggs, who was one of those gripping,
grinding ,task-mistresses who think OF
trade and profit alone.
But Meta had not passed triumph.
antly 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 a pale, pretty girl, with fair
hair. large, sorrowful blue eyes, and a
color that came and went with q flick
ering brilliance. ,.,..t..
And it's my opinion" said Mrs.
Briggs, who was in the habit of flying
around the house with her head tied up
in Il cotton pocket-handkerchief, '.that
she spends Il deal too much time a-tix-
in up and primpin' before the glass
white lace ut her neck every day and a
riobon bow anu white aprons of an af-
ternoon. Checked gingham is good
enough for me and it ought to be for
her." s-. "a. ,4- ri lt.4.......,...
At the end of the first month Mrs.
Briggs told Meta, with engaging frank
ness, that she had not proved equal to
the emergency.
II guess we don't want you here nc
more" said Mrs. Briggs "You ain't
got no more strength than a rabbit,
and. anyway, there amt nocalculatiou
about you. You may do very well as
a store-gal, but you won't never earn
your bread at general housework."
Meta sighed. 1..0...s... .l......,.
"But what am / to dop' said she.
"Where am to gop" ...'......t
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 or
the hill, and had more money than the
best arithmetician in Yellow Plain.
could count, came the next day to drive
Meta and her poor little trunk to the
stage station. .,1a9 ate laaa-
John had seen Meta at church. HI
had stood beside her more than once a
singing school; and one nightwhen the
cattle were obstreperous he had come
to the rescue and helped Meta drive
them home.
So when Farmer Briggs sent ovel
word that his horse was lame. and ask
ed for the loan of Deacon Perkins roaf
cob to carry Meta Milton to the sta
ton, John himself had volunteered tt
act as charioteer.
"Going away heyp said John, whel
they had ridden short distance in 81
lence.
"Yes," said Meta, sadly, II am go
ing away"
Didn't like the folksp'' said John
II tried to like them," said Meta
"but Mrs. Briggs was not suited will
me. The washings were too heavy
and it gave me pain in the side t
lift the tubs. ''4,l4'
"You do look rather slim," observed
John. j bs iu j
And he chewed straw in silence TO
some time before he asked, with som,
abruptness: san
'.And where are you bound forp'
"I don't know" said Meta. II can
90 back to the store because my los
place is filled; and it's very hard to ge
work anywhere at this time of the year
The doctor said l ought to stay a yea
at least in the country; but Mrs. Brigg
has got another girl and"
Here John Perkins suddenly arrested
the course of the roam cob, and begai
turning him scientifically round.
Dear! dearp' said Meta shave W,
cot into the wrong roadphf Y sssaf fT.sz