The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1881-10-19
aOur folks house. "
Who is your folks 2"

-
suit Of their oyer-questioning being
that the father of Miss Higgins man
belonged to the corrupt and shame
less sect-widowers.
Miss Higgins trembled.
Had she not better dispose of her
man at once ? Was it not partly
encouraging widowers in their neta,
rious doings, to harbor these small
men ?" :,
She asked these questions with
some relenting of heart for already
had the childish arms been upon
her. ard it was with great relief that
she heard the decision of Aurelia,
the most radical of the allies.
"No; keep him here. Such a
chance was never vouchsafed to the
allies to teach one Of these men
widowers- lesson they would not
soon forget. Punish that wretch,
that unnatural widower. by saying
nothing about the child. Let him
think he was lost ; let him hunt
him ND the best way he can"
The younger Miss Jones-she was
only forty and naturally tinlid
and apprehensive-suggested that 1t
would be Just like one of these men
to come right here to Miss Higgins
after him. There wasn't anything
they hadn't the face to do. ltwould
be lust like one of them to walk into
her sitting-room."
Here Miss Higgins remarked with
spiritthat she would like to see him
walk into her house. He wouldn't
stir a step beyond the hall, and as
for that stair carpet she was going to
take it up and clean it anyway"
This remark, which was warmly
applauded, terminated the confer
ence.
Johnny did not seem at all averse
to the arrangement. He was at the
ace when bodily comfort overshad-
owed the mental. He appeared to
have a great deal Of affection for his
father. but there was Sarah Ann
at the very mention q whose name
he gnashed his teeth. ''She was
awful she had shaken him, pinched
him and pulled his hair"
Eunice Higgins's warm heart al
most melted within her at the reci-
tai of his sufIerings.
A week passed away, and daily
Miss Higgins man gained upon her
affections. She was the youngest
child of her parents, and had never
known the delights of childish soci-
etv. She had dwelt so long alone,
that to have the bright, manly
little face opposite hers at the break
fast table, looking out of the win
dow, hailing her return from her
short absence, his merry, innocent
prattle and ringing laugh. were all
more agreeable to her than she
would be willing to acknowledge.
She grew lenient to the boyish
nerve Of her man, for the best of
bows have unregulated movements !;
looked benignantly at him as he
capered in the garden paths in
startling proximity 10 her marrow
fats and clustering cucumbers. She
raveled out stocking and out Of
one of her second-best morocco
shoes made q ball for him and
when he lost it in her best meadow,
she herself boldly breasted the clo-
yer waves, side by side with him in
pursuit of it.
So that beautiful week passed
away, and one morning Eunice Hig-
gins was called from her snowy dai
ry rooms by ring at the front door
Opening it, she confronted a
pleasant looking man of about her
age. Wonaan's unerring intuition
said to her ,g.."That is he" Here
is the opportunity to withei him
with glances. But how could she
when he looked so much like John
ny, Just such pleasant. manly look
to his face. Eunice did not wither
him.
Il have been informed, madam.
that there has been a boy, runaway
boy, here-is it so ?"
Instead of the prussic acid and
vinegar that she had designed to
have in her tone, the likeness to her
man so softened her voice that it
was only pleasantly aciduous like
ripe lemon, as she replied, "Yes sir,
it is"
'Is he here now?"
"Yes, sir, he is"
His anxions eyes so frightened at
this that she entirely forgot her car
pet and her enmity. and actually in
vited him in.
No sooner had he seated himself
than Johnny ran in with eager eyes.
"Father |! Father Y
He threw his arms around his
fathers neck and kissed his bearded
lip, and then, in his delight, he turn
ed and threw his arms around Eu-
nice's neck, and kissed her with the
same pair of lips, and still Miss Hig-
gins could say, in the dying words
ofthe great statesman
II still live r
Mr. Dale was man OF means and
leisure. He thought the air of town
exceeding good. He obtained board
for the summer, for himself and son,
at the little hotel. But in all Ches-
terville, no airwas so salubrious, he
thought, as the air of Miss Eunice
Higgins parlor consequently he
sought that healthful retreat often,
Johnny goingbefore like an olive
branch.
Day after day Mr.. Dale tread
over the immaculate purity of her
carpets, and they were not taken up
and cleaned. Hour after hour did
he sit upon her sofa, and it was
notpurifed with soapsuds and ben
zine.
And at last, one peaceful twilight,
itwas on the l4th ofSeptember, at the
close Of a long eonversation-both &C
the parties being at the time, of
sound mind-Johnny's father kissed
Miss Higgins on her cheek.
When | say that she did not i'm
mediately burn it out with lunar
caustic, you may be prepared for
the result that followed.