Daily Republican., 1888-10-24
sLLe wsIL mir nsps VEL.

tnby WCte mortal enemies. he Qos~-
pissed her because she kept two cats
aud canary, and she loathed him for
his affection for a huge mastiif and an
old knock -kneed horse
why on earth the man don't try to
get decent horse Is more than l can
imagined" she would say as he plodded
up to the door. ~ believe that he Is
too mean and miserly TO buy one"
Miss Briggs would have hardly felt
pleased had she known that Mr..
Perry rode back and forward on this
WORKOUT piece Of horseflesh for the
purpose OF annoying her.
They never spoke, but yet they
managed TO keep up perfect warfare,
by disagreeable manners and wrath
full glsnces.
She sat hour after hour beneath the
canary bird In the window, with her
cat perched upon the sill and her knit
ting In her hand, throwing glances of
scorn 10 the opposite side, where he,
with cigar and newspaper, received
and paid them back with interest.
His detestAble dog, same over and
ran through her gaqen, destroying
al4 her beautiful tulipssand hyacinths,
and she gave him q hot bath, which
sent him bowling to bis master, and
when said master demonstrated, sent
word that she would treat BIN worse
next time.
Her little red COW broke through his
enclosure, and. devoured his turnips
and cabbage, AID be FED her home and
informed Mis9 Briggs that a second
offence would give her a comfortable
posture In the pound,
For two years they lived and fought,
and nO one could bring about peace
between them, II was a pity, the
nelghbors all said, for Miss Briggs was
a dear little soul, and there was not
finer man in the country than Mr..
Perry.
Julia, my love-" said Mrs. Perkins
one afternoon, as she entered the cossy
parlor, 81 am going to have a party,
and ] want you to como down Ia the
afternoon to-tea and remain during the
evening. Very one will be there"
"Will The old bach over the way be
thereip
"Mr. PerryV Oh, yesl We could
not get along without hlm."
Then that settles the matter. l
shan't go"
SNOW, Julia, don't DO so foolish. II
you remain at home he will think you
are afraid of him."
Miss Briggs thought the matter over.
Well, it would look little like that,
and she would not have him think 80
for the world-the conceited wretch.
Mrs. Perkins went home, and 1t
was arranged that Miss Briggs was to
spend the afternoon and remain for
the party.
She was pretty little woman, and
II was always puzzle to Every one
why she never married. She had q
round, rosy face, clear brown eyes aud
beautiful hair, aud 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
a plain gold brooch, and began to
think that she looked very well, There
was a bright, healthy flush upon her
cheek, and her eyes were full of life
and beauty.
she walked into Mrs Perkins sit
tiRg-room, and found her awaiting her
with a smiling face. She thought that
she must be In very good humor but
said nothing, allowing the good lady
to smile as long aud pleasantly as she
wished.
She understood it all when supper
time came and Mr. Perkins entered,
followed by Dir. Perry. This was
well.lAid plan TO make the two become
friends.
Miss Briggs bit her lips, and inward
ly vowed that nothing should tempt
her TO give ''that man. her hand 10
friendship. She hated him, and always
would,
He was placed directly opposite at
the table, and many times forced to
pass the biscuits or preserves, and Miss
Briggs accepted them, although she
declared to Miss Perkins after supper
that they nearly choked her.
Before evening they were both per-
suaded to overlook the horse and COW
difficulty, and DO civil, and Miss
Briggs was frightened when she
found herself talking to him with easy
and pleasant familiarity.
The party was success, and al
though the sports were generally mo-
nopolized by the younger portion,
they found room for the old maid and
her enemy, and several times they
found themselves doing most rtdicu-
lous things in the way of paying for
faits.
At the end of the evening Miss
Briggs was at the door ready to de
part, when he called:
miss Briggs, l am going right up
your way. win you riGepn
Would she ride behind that old
horse, and beside that detestable man?
She was wondering whether she
would or not, when Mrs. Perkins
came and triumphantly led her out,
and packed her into the carriage.
1t was as DARK as pitch, and they
had to let the horse go his own way
and find ii the best he could. He did
SO very well until they reached the
cottage, and then he was bewildered.
Mr.. Perry spoke, jerked the reins,
but to no purpose. he then took out
the whip. Whether his natural dis
like to that article, or the memory OF
the indlgnities he had suffered from
the hands of the owner of the cottage
oveIcame him, is 10 hard to decide, but
at all events he kicked up his heels,
ran few yards and fell. overturning
the buggy and It's precious contents,
Miss briggs was up in q moment,
unAarmed, but Mr. Perry was silent as