, 1888-11-22
OBJECTIONABLE PETS.

brick house on the hill. and she in the
cottage opposite, and they were mortal
enemies. He despised her because she
kept two cats and a canary, and she
loathed him for his affection for "A huge
mastif and an old knock kneed horse.
"NVhy on earth the man don't try to
get a decent horse is more than can
imaginel' she would say. as he plodded
up to the door. Il believe that he is too
mean and misery to buy one"
Miss Briggs would nave hardly felt
pleased had she known that Mr.. Perry
rod back and forward on this worn out
piece of horsefesh for the purpose Of an.
moving her.
They never spoke, but yet they man.
aged to keep up n perfect warfare by dis
agreeable manners and wrathful chances.
She sat hour after hour beneath the
canary bird in. the window, with here cat
perched upon the sill and her knitting in
her hand, throwing glances of scorn to
the opposite side, where he, with cigar
and newspaper, received and paid them
back with interest.
His d%etestable dog came over and ran
through her garden. destroying all her
beautiful tulips and hyacinths, and she
gave him a hot bath, which sent him
bowling to his master, and when said
master demonstrated, sent word that she
would treat him worse next time.
Her little red COW broke through his
Enclosure and devoured his turnips and
cabbages, and he led her home and in,
formed Miss Briggs that a second ofTense
would give her n comfortable pasture in
the pound.
For two years they lived and fought,
and no one could bring about peace be.
tween them. 1t was "A pity, the neigh.
bors all said, for Miss Briggs was n dear
iift1a gntl onI fhara tryag not "a Gp,- nan
an the country than Mr.. Perry.
Julia, my love-" said Mrs. Perkins one
afternoon, as she entered the coy par
lor, II am going to have q party, and !
want you to come down in the afternoon
TO tea and remain during the evening
Every one will be there"
viii the old bach over the way be
thereG'
Mr.. Perry? Oh, yesl We could not
get along without him"
Then that settles the matter, | sban't
go"
Now, Julia, don't be so foolishI If
you remain at home he will think that
You are afraid of him"
Miss Briggs thought the matter over.
Well, it would look n little like that,
and she would not have him think so for
the world-the conceited wretch.
Mrs. Perkins went home, and it was ar.
ranged that MISS Briggs was to spend the
afternoon and remain for the party.
She was "a pretty little woman, and it
was always n puzzle TO every one why she
never married, She had a round, rosy
face, clear brown eyes and beautiful hair,
and if she was thirty, there was not a
smarter woman in town.
She stood before the looking glass in
her chamber, and fastened her lace collar
over the neck of her dress with n plain
gold brooch, and began to think that she
looked very well. There was a bright,
healthy flush upon her check. and her
eyes were full of life and beauty.
She walked into Mrs. Perkins sitting
room and found her awaiting her with a
smiling face. She thought that she must
be in a very good humor, but said moth,
ing, allowing the good lady to smile as
long and pleasantly as she wished.
She understood it all when supper time
came, and Mr.. Perkins entered, followed
by Mr., Perry. This was u well laid plan
to make the two become friends.
Miss Briggs bit her lips and inwardly
vowed that nothing should tempt her to
give that man her hand in friendship.
She hated him, and always would.
lie was placed directly opposite at the
table, and many times forced to pass th
biscuits or preserves, and Miss Briggs &C.
cepted them, although she declared to
Mrs. Perkins after supper that they nearly
choked her.
Before evening they were both per.
suaded to overlook the horse and COW
difficulty, and be civil, and Miss Briggs
was frightened when she found herself
talking to him with easy and pleasant
familiarity.
The party was a success, and although
the sports were generally ~monopolized 10y
the younger portion, they found room fol
the old maid and her enemy, and severn
times they found themselves doing most
ridiculous things in the way of paying
forfeits.
At the end of the evening Miss Brigg,
was at the door ready to depart, when he
called:
Miss Briggs, l am going right up your
way. VIII you rider"
Would she ride behind that old horse
and beside thdt detestable mani She was
wondering whether she would or not.
when Mrs. Perkins came and triumph
antly led her out, and packed her into the
carriage.
Il was as dark as pitch, and they hnc
TO let the horse go his own way and Gnt
it the best he could. He did so very wei
until they reached the cottage, and ther
ne was b~ewildered.
Mr.. Perry spoke. jerked the reins, bu'
to no purpose. He then took out the
whip. Whether his natural dislike t,
that article, or the memory of the indig
mites he had suffered from the hands OF
the owner of the cottage overcame him il
- hard to decide, but at all events h
kicked up his heels, ran n few yards arc
fell, o%verturning the buggy and its pre-
cious contents.
Miss Briggs was up in a moment, un
harmed, but Mr.. Perry was silent as tn,
grave. She ran shouting through the
darkness until Mr.. Perry's "help" CAM
with Q lantern to her assistance.
They found the poor man half dead be
meath the carriage, and while Dan was NJ
work Miss Briggs ran home for her owl
servant. After much hard labor they
succeeded in extricating him from The
wreck. but he was senseless. md the,
boro him home and sent for tho doctor
Upon examination they found his leg t
be broken, and thus Miss Briggs enemy
Ung 81 bnr mercy