The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1905-04-14
A BRIARLEY HOLIDAY.
BY WINIFRED KIRKLAND.
AAA N shackleford Hannah |

/ She had her health, the Bril-
arley farm and the secret
y y 2 of the Briarley preserves.
Despite Hannah's genuine grief, it
could not but be relief to her that her
aunt, old Eunice Briarley, was dead.
and her bitter heart at rest. She had
brought up Hannah from child, and it
had been no light-hearted girlhood.
Hannah Overton had done her duty,
but Shackleford had watched the youth
fade out of her face, and it was glad
that at last she was to have chance,
a chance of what, perhaps Shackleford
hardly knew. To be sure, Briarley
farm was mortgaged, but there was
sale at good profit in Boston for the
Briarley jams and jellies. Shackleford
had refused to be anxious over the
mortgage. 1t was more apprehensive
that the coming of the stranger, Lena
Pierce, might in some way bring trou-
BILE to Hannah.
But Lena Pierce brought no trouble.
She was the orphan child OF Eunice
Briarley's favorite nephew, and joint
heir with Hannah Overton to the Briar-
lev farm. Lena was a brisk, rosy, ca
pable little person Of twenty. For three
years she had supported herself as
stenographer. Once, when little girl,
she had visited Briarley farm, and ever
afterward the visit had remained
sunny memory, as she walked the city
streets where her lot was cast.
A course Of varied fortunes had
taught Lena adaptability. With an
ease that was amazing she took to her
new inheritance and her new cousin,
to the cultivation Of small fruits and
the manufacture Of preserves.
From the first Hannah and Lena
were companionable. For Hannah 1t
was a story that never grew stale to
hear Lena tell of the experiences Of her
checkered childhood, a story that Lena
told with quaint, detached amuse-
ment, as if it had not been herself at
all, and always with protecting ten
derness for the pair Of impractical par
ents who had been so helpless and SO
loving. Hannah's life seemed strangely
meager beside that of the girl of
twenty.
'I'm afraid you'll be lonely here"
Hannah said, as they sat together on
the front porch in the summer twilight.
NO." answered Lena, with decision.
"Ever since I can remember I've al
ways been moving, but this is home"
AS the weeks went on they grew
more than companionable. 1t seemed
to each that she had wanted the other
for long time.
Then came on the part of each an
effort to live up to the others opinion OF
her. Hannah had seen how Lena's
keen young eyes looked through peoples,
she had heard her forming judgments
that showed relentless common sense.
Would those keen eyes see through
Hannah herself one day?
'sShe thinks I'm Briarleyw groaned
Hannah. "She's all Briarley herself.
I did think this summer l might get
some rest, but shouldn't dare, with
her in the house. That's the Briarley
of itp'
Sadly enough Hannah remembered
how often her old Aunt Eunice had
said that if Hannah's hands had been
more capable and her feet swifter,
there need never have been mortgage
on Briarley farm. o that mortgage!
How Hannah hated it!
Yet that summer she toiled as she
had never toiled before; and all be-
cause there had come into her life
young person, energetic, fiercely hating
sloth, young person merry and full Of
good cheer and good to have about,
who looked at Hannah with eyes full
of admiration and of love.
On her first arrival Lena had given
the accounts of the farm a sharp in
spection. She had found out the as
sets of the Briarley preserves, and the
amount of the mortgage. The idea of
the mortgage was hideous to her. She
and her cousin would work until they
got rid Of it and the Briarley farm was
theirs.
Therefore Lena learned the secrets
OF strawberry runners, and Of the
thinning of blackberry bushes, and
clad in blue pinafore, toiled over the
steaming sirups until, in one short sum-
mer, her currant jelly equaled Han
nah's, and her black raspberry jam was
just shade better.
But it was really all very new to her,
AMI her efficiency was at the cost Of a
strict self-discipline. She was here at
last on the Briarley farm, that fairy
land Of her childhood, and, since Lena
was but twenty, and had never had
time to be young, the farm itself ap-
pealed to her with an intoxicating de-
light.
What place the apple orchard was
for dreaming! But apples. Lena had
to remember, meant beautiful amber
jelly, and jelly meant dollars, and dol
lars meant mortgage payments.
Lena admonished herself to take pat
tern by her cousin Hannsh. for whom
this toiisome summer was no first ex-
perience. and who stepped SO unwear-