Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-04-14
father and mother ana brothers and sisters not

INC" said Hiram Biggs. thoughtfully. ~ shall
word at ALL"
"Theyll come, an the same" said Elizabeth.
But" said Hiram. With sparkling eyes,
| "they don't know whore we live"
"rheyu look ont your nams IN the Direc-
/ tory" sighed Elizabeth.
at Isn't there" said Hiram, chueklinR
"Not there 2" repeated his wife.
Don't you remember that We didn't move in
here until the middle OF June3 How could cur
| names be in the Directory" argued Hiram.
Mrs Biggs clasped her hands dramatically.
| enue. said she-"' H. Biggs Books. Stationery
and News Agent THEY'LL 60 there"
''Well, let them," said Hiram. "Just as they
please, so long as they don't come here" And
he threw the letter Of Biggs pere into the scrap
basket, secretly feeling himself to be avenged on
the family for all the sights and jeers and
| neglect that they had cast not only on him, but
on his gentle little Elizabeth.
But. Hiram" said Mrs. Biggs, sit seems 90
dreadful"
Not half so dreadful as visitation of the
whole Biggs family would be" said Hiram, with
groan.
But Hiram knew little Of the perseverance and
energy of the Biggses If he believed that so
trifiing an impeachment as lack of invitation or
a delay in sending addresses would keep out the
| invasion. 1t was Canute and the ocean over
again; and in three days the whole family ar
rived. all packed into one hack to save expense,
with perfect Leaning Tower of Pisa of baggage
on the roof, the driver perched in front nobody
knew how. and Mrs. Lukes two little BOYS
astrlde OF the very apex of the tower.
At the first wholesale grocery store on Bar
clay street Directory was handed in and duly
studied. and the driver, changing halfway
down, like one who gathers samphire. dreadful
trade. was hidden to drive to No. IS O12 Thir-
teenth avenue
II. Biggs." said Mrs. HoratIo.
"Bookmaker and news agent" added old
Mrs. Bggs, in high falsetto.
And the man chirruped to his horses and
drove on.
"Humph!" shifted Miss Josepha, who had had
the good luck to secure a window, ''if this is
Hilam's elegant city mansion. it don't come up
tAmy ideas Of style. Brown brick, with dormer-
windows, and only two stories high; and the
whole front store. with the shutters up, Just
exactly as if there had been death in the fam
lily"
Dear mel" said old Mrs Biggs chow YOU do
startle one! But there amt no Grape on the
door"
..Mother takes everything 80 dead in earnest!"
said Mr. Luke Biggs, scornfully.
"Lemme see" said Mrs. HOratio. crowdinp
across the old lady, and giving her best hat
poke" not intended by the milliner "Well. [
declare! | guess the book-makers business amt
80 dreadful full of money after ALL"
And hQuOr-stOre next door, and a pawn
brokers' across the street," jeeringly observed
Miss Josepha.
"Pr'aps that's the way folks lives in New
York. said old Mr.. Biggs. who was squeezed
nearly flat between his wife and Mrs. Luke on
the back seat
"'Tain't what I expected to see," said Mrs.
HoratiO. in accents of scarcely depressed scorn.
u don't know how they can accommodate us
all, sighed old Mrs. Bggs, vainly endeayo ring
to straighten her bonnet.
That's their lookout" said Mrs Luke. lean
Ing comfortably back, with the heel OF her boot
balanced on her father-n-laws most sensitive
corn.
The driver having by this time tumbled off his
perllous seat. and rung the doOr-bell twice with
out evOking any signs of life from within.
looked appealingly toward his fares.
what am to do?" said he
Ring again" said Mrs Horatlo
And the hackman rang again. this time with
SO much energy as to pull the whole bell-wire
out, ana preclpltate himself backward on the
pavement, like Hamlet at the first sight of his
fathers ghost, at which the little bows laughed
engagingiy. and hat-bOX tumbled down from
the Leaning Tower into the gutter, where it
split open like an overripe nut. revealing Mr.
Horatio Biggs' best black felt hat
Boys. boys, do set steady up there" screamed
Mrs Biggs. Look! There's some one coming
at last Is it Hiram? Or is it Elizabeth"
lt was neither one nor the other, as it hap
pened, but stout old woman in flannel dress
pg-goWn, carpet slippers. and red nose
MIR. Bgss' folks to homer" shrilly INQUIRED
Mrs. Horatio, who had constituted herself
spokeswoman for the party, without any formal
appointment.
"0h yes" answered the old woman, in a
snuffy confidential sort of tone. they're to
hum. But p'raps the children hadn't better
come in"
BY this time the hackman had opened the
ooor OF the vehicle, and the tide OF Biggses had
begun TO flow out on the pavement. But Mrs
Luxe stopped abruptly on the carriage STEP
with her father-in-law's bronzed yisage peepinp
over her shoulder.
.'Not come I'M" said She 'sWhy, we're their
relations-come to visit EN-"
Not but what they're a deal better. and the
doctor says there amt no more danger of con-
tasion, reassuringly added the old woman.
"ContagiOn! echoed the Bggs family.
"Hadn't you heard 2" said the old woman
with the solid satisfaction which old women
generally evince in communicating any startling
piece of information. "Well, it amt no secret
IN the neighborhood, especially as people amt
best pleased with the Board OF Health's con-
cindin to insulate 'em here instead of sendn'
EN- to hospital. They've every one of EN- had
the smallpox. And that's the reason the store
is shut up. I'm here to nurse EN- / amt
AFRAID OF the smallpox, bein' as I've had it
Already"
(Which was self-eyident fact to any one
VINO looked upon her broad smiling cOunte-
nance
" Bless me.' said Mrs. Luke. promptly re-
treating into the hack. VERY thoughtless of
hiram folks not to let us know Mother!
Josepha. Harriet Ami come in at once Pick
up the hat-bOx. Tell the man to drive back to
the ferry as fast as he can P'raps we'll be
able to catch the four o'clock train back to
Biggsville."
. | didn't know" suggested the old woman.
rather disappointed at this sudden withdrawal
OF the invading forces. but you might have
come to help nurse EN-"
Nothing of the sort" Mrs Horatio answered.
as. forcing herself into the already oyerfuli
hack, she slammed the door with an emphatic
bang: and shouted to the driver to .'Go on"
The smallpox" groaned Mrs Biggs senior.
land not one Of the children has been yacci-
nated!"
WED better stop at the nearest drug store
ana have 1t done at once" said Mrs Luke,
breathlessly.
..It'n be dreadful expensive" said Mrs. Ho-
ratio.
but it'll be cheaper than having the small
pok." argued Mrs. Biggs senior.
SO, after this important sanitary ceremonial.
during which the Biggs boys bawied as II they
were being fayed alive, the family returned.
without loss of time. to Biggsyllle
And Hiram's folks did not have the pleasure
then or ever, OF entertaining their relations In
fact, they never dreamed how near thew had
been to that happiness The BfggsyiIle Biggses
declared over and over again that they never
should forgive their city relations, but as Hirams
folks did not know 1t, they were saved from anv