Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1885-08-24
Fortunes Smiles and
FrOWnS.

Fortunes Smiles and
FrOWnS.
Mrs. Briggs had made mistake.
She owned as much herself. And a
mistake must be very patent, indeed,
before Mrs. Briggs would own it. For
she was one of those hlgh-nosed,
domineering females who pretend to
an almost superhuman foresight, and
believe that they can read character
as if it were an open book.
81 never was so disappointed in
girl in my life," said Mrs. Briggs.
81 thought she had some gift about
her. But there I might as well have
an old dish-rag in the kitchen as
Meta Milton
Meta, herself, If the truth were to
be told, were equally disillusionized.
She had fancied that life in the coun-
try was all roses, new-mown hay and
nightingales and when it came to
getting up before daybreak, churning
by the half hour in a blue -mold-smell-
ing cellar, scrubbing the kitchen
floors and baking hot cakes for ta-
bleful of shirt-sleeved farm hands,
she was completely taken aback.
There were no lanes wherein to
linger at dusk (Mr. Briggs was a
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 to-
bacco leaves.
"And eff you've got any time to
spare," said Mrs. Briggs, "you'd bet
ter lay it out pickin' them plaguy big
worms off the terbacker, instead O
cuttin' round the country after wild
flowers
Meta had been shop-girl in a
Bridgeport store before she came to
her Cousin Briggs.
Her health had failed; the doctor
advised country air, new milk and
change of scene.
Mrs. Briggs, on being written to,
had unwlllingly consented that Nets
should spend the summer there.
'sShe must be shiftless creeter
indeed, if she can't earn her board
and little more into the bargain, D
said Mrs. Briggs, who was one OF
those gripping, grinding task-mistress'
es who think of trade and profit alone
; But Meta had not passed triumph
antly through the ordeal. Perhaps
she had not fully regained her health
Perhaps she had become discouraged
with the endless treadmill of worl
which Mrs. Briggs provided for her
She was pale, pretty girl, will
fair hair, large, sorrowful blue eyes
f and color that came and went will
, Pickering brilliance.
"And it's my opinion" said Mrs
Briggs, who was in the habit of fly
ing around the house with her heat
= tied up in cotton pocket-handker
! chief, "that she spends too mucl
3 time fxin' up and prinkin' befor'
the glass-white lace at her neck ev
e cry day and ribbon bow and whit
< aprons of an afternoon. Checked
l gingham is good enough for me, ant
;, it ought to be for her!'
), At the end of the first month Mrs
r Briggs told Meta with engaging frank
/; ness, that she had not proved equa
: to the emergency.
81 guess we don't want you her
. no more,'' said Mrs. Briggs. "Yo'
amt no more strength than rabbit
and, anyway, there amt no calcula
. ton about you. You may do yer.
: we'll as store gal, but you won
| never earn your bread at genera
housework."
Meta sighed.
"But what am I to do?" said she
> "Where am to go?'
e "That's your affair."" said Mrs
8 Briggs.
S And then she went to take he
: bread out of the oven.
John Perkins, the nephew of th
old deacon who lived in the brlcl
p house on the hill, and had made NOR
" money than the best arithmetician il
g Yellow Plains could count, came tn
;, next day to drive Meta and her poo
little trunk to the stage station.
John had seen Meta at church. HI
:. had stood beside her more than one
e at singing-school; and one night
t when the cattle were obstreperous, b
!. had come to the rescue, and helpe,
;: Meta drive them home.
, So, when Farmer Briggs sent owe
word that his horse was lame, an,
asked for the loan of Deacon Per
i kins' roam to carry Meta Milton t
/, the station, John himself had volun
0 teered to act as charioteer.
"Going away, hey?" said John
when they had ridden short distanc
in silence.
eyes," said Meta, sadly, 81 ar
: going away
"Didn't like the folks ?" said John
: 81 tried to like them," said Meta
''but Mrs. Briggs was not suited wit