The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1872-04-27
uistsllanp.
MISS HIGGINS MAN.

her ued every night, and had never found man
there, yet still she looked. Whether it was fear
that ,mpelled the de.th.ess search or fatality
that becoming her to hor fate, know not 1t
would seem, however, to be the former. for she
had often been heard to observe: THAT OF all
The aooninsu KS on earth, man was the most
abomiuaUle'
lnde-d, AZ the Informal ,ea-drinklng of the
allied forces OF Chesterfield, the thee Misses
Wheeler and the two Misses Jones, she had OFTEN
exceiied them all in the whitening tone win
which she would repeat: Man! man J" and no
one could breathe vreater def .nce at their foe
man than she. 1t was at one OF these tea parties
that they hid entered into solemn compact
that in the event OF woman hits giving either
OF these allies sovereign power over the nation,
an EIstern law 10 be By them imported aud
improved, and husbands burned with the dead
bodies of their wives.
As Euuice Higgins well remarked: That
would put an end to widowers pretty lively"
And with this remark the Tyson flowed, and the
wassall went on-with such a spirit that Aurelia
Wilder, the most radical. added another clause:
"That the children of widowers should be
throwed IL TOO, md not be Il botherin' other wo.
men," This vas also well received
Now if any one links that Miss Eunice Hig.
gins was a woman devoid of virtues and woman.
ly graces, pity them--,hey are so utterly mis-.
taken. She had assisted a drunken father
through the world, till he made his sxit-sus.
tanned and supported feeble mother-and three
or four children older but more helpless than
she, till the mother went homo to her reward,
and the children had found foarishing homes
for themselves, with the exception of the eldest
son, who had followed his fathers footsteps, lit.
orally. Indeed, when one contemplates the speci.
mems of manhood she had been most familiar
with, her aversion 10 tho sex does not seem 30
wonderful. She was hot shrew.eyed, but good
and kindly looking. No home was brighter thsn
hers, no farm better managed.
The night which commences my humble
history, Miss Higgins went to her room, in unus.
ual good humor. She had a tea party. The allies
had all been presented, and admitted unanimous.
ly that such fragrant tea, such snowy biscuits
and honey, such golden butter, such cakes and
sweet-neats, had not been partaken of that sea.
son. The scene of her being victory rose before
her as she took off the little switch of hair at the
back Of her head, and penslvely rolled it up ere
che put it in the top bureau drawer.
She saw again the sinking sun shining in
through her house plants in the window, upon
the crimson drugget of the dining room the
snowy tea table with its silver and pink sprig.
ged china; tie admirlng faces of her friends rs
they par,ook Of her delicious food But one
memory disquieted her: She almost mistrusted
her lemon extract was losing its strength-,he
frosting the fruit cake didn't seem to be flow.
cred quite high enough. But this haunting
mauner WAS ,ottenea by the thought that she
could get a he" bottle Tomorrow.
BY shs time she was arrayed in her long white
dress and night esp. She folded up every srti
Gle of clothing, and laid 1t down at right angles,
she looked up at her bre .st.pin. and then impel.
cd by fate she calmly advanced to the side Of her
bed, and raised the snowy valances--gave one
shriek, and fell back on the carpet, hitting her
head she did 80 on a chair rocker. THERE
WAS HEX NAN UNDER TNE BED.
Miss Higgins had often faucied how she would
awe such Il robber, such burglar, with her fear.
less aud searching gl,nces; how she would de-
fend ker property with her life. Let US not be
too hard with her--she is not tho only oae of III
who has found that it is more easy to dream OF
great achievements than to accomplish them
She IS not the only one who, ut the first shock,
has shrekei and tuMb!ed down before diverse
fat.
lut Eunice Higgins was no: the one to witber
away Iei,re Z calamity. Not long did she lie
tho,e; OGt a short time as il was, when she lift.
&c her he'd her man confronted her. lie WAS a
very smgii men, not more than seven years old
and -il.l! II that, very good looking and well
clo.'rd, although exceedingly dishevelled and
ur"no,orCtolo il appearance.
"iiJ" came You here, under my bed 2!
This the FIST question asked, but it was
repe.,ea before he answered, with dropping head
ana q noes:
i've ruined away"
"hrp away trGm whtrc?"
"trcm our folks house"
who is your folks?'
"Fa.her"
Here tAe Dialogue terminated suddenly, Eu.
nice Higgins becoming suddenly conscious tina,
aniSht gown aad night cap were not the proper
ra,u,ent in which to entertain even SO small d
ms. Cut III the pleasant sitting.room bene.t III
the warm ligh. u Kerosene cleaning through
rose eerrniums, and the keener light of Eunice
higgins eyes, the inQuisition was continued
From which these tac,s were CLEANED: That the
boy, Johnny Dale, had been so tried with hi.
father, because nc wouldn't let him go to cir
Gus, that be had away 1t was carly in the
morning, be said, aud he had got ride with y
teamster, and h,3 ridden with him till afternoon
SO ho must have come some distance. After The
tesmster had stopped to had walked on, and
coming to her door i'll tao twilight, he thought
he would ask for some supper; but there was nc
one in; Miss Higgins had gone "a piece" with
her visitors. But the tea table stood there laden
with good things; he had helped himself yener
ous'y. and then ~ he heard her step suddenly
outside, guilt, which IN kes towards Of us all
drove him into the bedroom, and, Ms tho steI
came nearer al nearer, urder the bed. His un
usual fatigue had overpowered him. and he had
fallen ssleeep, and was awakened only by bel
scream rs she discovered him.
Miss Higgins had found the man she had beer
looking for for 30 years, but now the question
arose. what was she to DO with him Az he had
no designs upon her property or her life, sht
could not Lecture him therefor. And as hi
courage arose, he displayed a pretty-a very
rtetty--face. surmounted by mass Of whit,
cuTis, IA which 'hone two hens feathers Mis-
higgins was very neat, but where is the feather