Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-05-18

amt no business at all. If 1t was car
pentering, now, or the hardware line, or
if Elizabeth had energy enough to go
into the millinery trade, instead of pay
ing 81 in good, hard money for q spring
hat, MS she did when she was staying here
in April! But I've no faith in their calcu-
lations, and never had"
Mr. and Mrs. Hiram Biggs, however,
had ambitions which the family never
dreamed of. Hiram's tastes had always
been of refined and literary nature, and
several simple stories of rural life, which
he had ventured to send, with fear aud
trembling, to popular monthly maya.
zine, had been accepted and literally paid
for. And Elizabeth, though she could
not trim hats, and abhorred the dress
making business, had n delicate fancy
with her pencil in illustrating the ideal
dreams of others, and she, too tried hey
luck and succeeded in the artistic world,
much to her own amazement. And as
time went on their good fortune became
more pronounced. Mr.. Biggs wrote n
satirical novel under the nom de plume
OF "Paul de Savez," which Ind wide
and brilliant circulation Mrs. Biggs il
Illustrated popular poem which was
brought out in m edition do luxe ut
Christmas. And the young couple be-
cumc the fashion.
TIE Biggsea, of Biggsvillc, not being
| literary, were a long time in finding out
that their kinspeople were succeeding il
the world. At first they declined to cred-
it the thing at all, having a settled idea
that Tho "bookmakipg business" as they
persisted in calling it, was but grade
above the avocation of the rag picker.
But when at last they realized matters
they decided that Hiram and Elizabeth
ought TO be encouraged.
1--WE never been to New York, said
old Mr.. Biggs Folks tell me it's quite
a stirring place. l guess I'll so and
stay spell with Hram's folks. And it'll
be a good opportunity for mother to buy
herself that new alpacky gownd she's
been cacklin about this ever SO long
~ don't sec why 1 shouldn't see the
world as well as other folks" remarked
Mrs. Biggs senior.
81 shouldn't wonder if / went along
too, to get a look at the fall fashions, y
said Miss Josepha.
| "Well, while we're about it, suggested
Mrs. Horatio, "Why don't We make up a
party and get excursion tickets cheap ?
I've always wanted 10 see what the city
was like myself, only I don't care about
paying hotel prices"
| Mrs. Luke entered with ardor into the
scheme, and the old man sat down, with q
single sheet of fibrous paper, q muddy
inkstand, and a stmmpy steel pen tied on
Il stick with II thread, to concoct letter,
in which he formally notified Hiram
folks" of the pleasure which they might
prepare themselves to expect.
The document was brought just as
Hiram Biggs was getting into the spirit
of his mornings work in his study, with
Elizabeth dreaming at an adjoining table,
and the breath of avase of Niphetos roses
pertaining all the room.
"My DEAR" said he, looking aghast at
his wife, "what are we to do? All the
family are coming TO visit IFS. With the
proof sheets of my last novel coming in,
and your etchings of Wild Rose only
half completed"
1--WE must do the best we can, Hiram,
said Elizabeth, perplexedly knitting hei
pretty together.
"My darling child, there's no best
about it," groaned Hiram, tearing his
hair-which, being brown and curly,
looked none the less picturesque for the
operation. "You don't know the pecu
liarities of the Biggs family as do. You
will be dragged up and down Grand street
Eighth avenue and the Bowery from
morning until night-you will have to
visit every show theatre and picture gal
lery in New York, and pay all the bills
Your housekeeping will be picked tc
pieces, your dress criticised, and ten tc
one my mother will offer to come here
and take charge of the baby, while Jose.
pha will volunteer TO improve your most
cherished drawings"
Mrs. Hiram Biggs glanced with terror
at the plump baby WHO, in charge of its
white-capped nurse, was being carried up
and down the pavement in front of the
house. Then she looked piteously around
the pretty Brussels-carpeted library, with
its deep, crimson-curtained bay windows,
its tall Dracana plants in maiolica vases,
its oil paintings and japanese scrolls, its
cage of green paroquets and shelves of
china and bric-a-brac, and pictured to
herself the whole Biggs family spread
ing themselves over its sacred precincts
she was only human, too, this young
wife; she could scarcely help remember
| ing how Mrs. Horatio had snubbed her
when she first came, timid and shrink
ing bride, to the Biggs farmhouse how
Mrs Luke had once refused to lend her
% cents, in Hiram's absence, to pay the
charges on telegram, alleging as rea-
son that it wasn't never good policy to
have business matters between relatives,
nor how old Mrs. Biggs had cried and
said THAT Hiram had shown dreadful
poor judgment in selecting his wife,,
while Miss Josepha had taken especial
pains to contradict every statement she
made, and Luke and Horatio had ignored
her altogether.
Hiram laughed my little darling"
said he, II can interpret that look. You
shall not be tormented out of your ex-
istencc to become a convenience t. n
swarm of relations in-law, who didn't any
of them care copper cent for you. If
they had ever treated us dccentlyit would
be II different matter. AS it is
"But, Hiram, you can't send word to
your father and mother and brothers and
sisters not to come, pleaded Elizabeth.
NO" said Hiram Bggo, thoughtfully,
81 shall do nothing of the sort. But /
shall send no word at ALL"
"They'll come, all the same" said
Elizabeth.
But" said Hiram, with sparkling
eyes, "they don't know where we live"
They'll look out your name in the Di-
rectory," sighed Elizabeth.
at isn't there" said Hiram ehuckling
Not there2" repeated his wife.