Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1872-08-02

belonged 10 that corrupt and shameless
sect--widowers
Miss Higgins tremblcd
"IIad she not better dispose of her man
at once2 Was II not in way encouraging
widowcrs in their nefarious doings, to har-
Dor these small men?"
She asked these questions with some ro-
lonting of heart, for already had the child
ish charms of her man won upon her, and
II was with great relief that she heard the
decision of Aurclia, the most radical of tho
allies.
mol keep him here" Such a chance
was seldom vouchsaled TO Inc allies to teach
one of these men-widowcrs-- a lesson they
would not soou forget.
"Punish that unnatural wdower, by
saying nothing about the child. Let him
think he is lost; Let him hunt him up the
best way he cam"
The youngest Miss Jones-shc was only
forty, and naturally timld and apprehen-
sive-suggested that ait would be just like
one of these men to come right here TO Miss
Higgins's after him. There wasn't any
thing that they hadn't the face TO do. 1t
would he just like one of 'em to walk into
her sittin' room."
Here Miss Higgins remarked:
"She would like TO see him walk into her
house. He wouldn't stir n step beyond the
hall, aud as for that starcarpet, she was
| going 10 take ii up and cleanse il any way"
This remark, which was warmly applaud
| ed, terminated the conference.
| ii. 4 Il to
raugement. He was at the age when bodi-
| ~ comfort overshadowed the mental. He
| appeared TO have great deal of affection
| for his father, but there was II Bridget at
the very mention of whose name he almost
CRASHED his teeth. "Shc was awful-she
had shaken him, pinchej him, and pulled
his hair"
Eunice Higgins's warm heart almost
melted within her at the recital of his suf-
ferings.
A week passed away, and daily had Miss
Higgins's man gained upon her affections.
She was the youngest child of her parents,
and had never known the delights of child
sh society. She had dwelt so long alone,
that to have that bright manly little face
opposite hers at the breakfast table, look
ing out of the window, hailing her return
from her short absence, with his merry,
innocent prattle and ringing laugh, was
already more agreeable to her than she
would he willing TO acknowledge.
She grew lenient to the boysh nerve of
her man, for the best of boys have unregu-
lated moments; looked benignantly upon
him as he capered in the garden paths in
startling proximity TO her marrowiats and
cluster cucumbers. She raveled out a
long stocking and out Of one of her second
best Morocco shoes made a ball for him
and when he lost ii in her best meadow
she herself boldly breasted the clover
waves, side by side with him, in pursuit
GIFT.
SO that beautiful week passed away, and
one morning Euncc Higgins was called
from her snowy dairy room by ring at
her front door.
Opening il, she confronted pleasant
looking man of about her own age. Wo-
mans unerrine intuition said la her, 'ths
is he" Here was the opportunity to with
er him with her glances. But how could
she when he looked so much like Johnny,
|
face. Eunico did not witber him.
81 have been informed madame, that
there has been boy, a runaway boy here
is ii so?"
Instead of prussic acid and vinegar that
she had designed 10 have in her tone, the
likeness TO her man so sollened her voice
that II was only pleasantly acidulous, like
a ripe lemon, as she replied: "Yes, sir, il
is"
as lie here now?"
Eyes, sir, he is"
His anxious eyes so frightened at this
that she entirely for OF her carpet and her
e;mity, and actually invited him in.
No sooner was he seated than Johnny ran
in with eager eyes.
"Father lather!'
lie threw his arms around his fathers
neck, and kissed his bearded lips, and
then, in his delight, he turned and threw
his arms around Eunice Higgins's neck
and kissed her with the same pair of lips,
and still Miss Higgins could say, in the
dying words of the great statesman, az still
liveW
Mr.. Dale was a man of means aud les-
ure. lie thought the air Of the little town
exceedingly good. He obtained board fol
the summer, for himself and son, at the
little hotel. But in all Chesterville, no ali
was so pure and salubrious, he thought, as
the air of Miss Higgnss parlor conse-
quently he sought that healthful retreat of
ten, Johnny going before like an olive
branch.
Day after day did Mr.. Dale tread over the
immaculate purity of her carpets. and they
were not taken up and "cleansed." Houl
after hour did he sit upon her paror sofa
and ii was not purified with soap-suds oil
benzine.
And at last, one peaceful twilight, it was
on the fourteenth day of September, at the
close of long conversation-both of The
parties being at the time of sound mind
Johnny's father kissed Miss Higgins upon
her cheek.
When / say that she did not immediately
burn out the spot with lunar caustic, yor
may be prepared for the result
The next week Eunice Dale, late Higgins
was ANONYMOUSLY expelled from the al
lied forces of Chesterville her name wash
ed out with hot streams of Tyson and still
more burning indignation. But Eunlc,
made happy home for her man and hi
father, and rejoicing in their content, an,
, her own, she cared not for the 'allied' pro
ceeding. And thus endeth the story o
Nj ISIS IIiggins's man.
---
; Every day develops something new an,
valuable for the farmer. Not one in tel