Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1883-05-19

and trembling to a.popular monthly
magazine had been accepted md lber-
ally paid for. And Elizabeth, though
she could not trim hats, and abhorred
the dressmaking business, had a deli
cate fancy with her pencil in illustrating
the ideal dreams of others and She, too,
tried her luck, and succeeded in the ar
tistic world, much to her own amaze
ment. And as time went on their good
fortune became more pronounced. MI.
Biggs wrote a satirical novel, under the
nom de plume of ..Paul de Savez,"
which had a wide and brilliant circula-
ton; Mrs. Biggs illustrated a popular
poem which was brought out in an eda-
tion de lace at Christmas. And the
young people became the fashion.
The Biggses of Biggsyille, not being
literary, were a long time in finding out
that their kins-people were succeeding
in the world. At first they declined to
credit the thing at all, having a settled
idea that the "book-making business"
as they persisted in calling it, was but a
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.
give never been to New York." said
old Mr.. Biggs. s.Folks tells me it is
quite a stirring place. I guess I'll so
and stay a spell with Hiram's folks.
And it'll be a good opportunity for
mother to buy herself that new ala
packy gownd she's been cacklin' about
this ever so long"
81 don't see why I shouldn't see the
world as well as other folks" remarked
Mrs. Biggs Senior.
81 shouldn't wonder if I went along,
too, to get a look at the fall fashions"
said Miss Josepha.
"Well, while we're about it," sug-
gested Mrs. Horatio, ''why don't we
make up a party and get excursion
tickets cheap? I've always wanted to
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
a single sheet of fbrous paper, a muddy
inkstand and a stumpy steel-pen tied on
a stick with thread, to concoct a letter,
in which he formally notified ''Hiram's
folks of the pleasure which they might
prepare themselves to expect.
The document was brought just as
Hiram Biggs vas getting into the spirit
of his mornings work in his study, with
Elizabeth dreaming at an adjoining
table, and the breath of a vase Of Nj
photos roses pertaining all the room.
':My DEAR" said he, looking aghast
at his wife, sswhat are we to do? AL
the family are coming to visit us! With
the proof-sheets of my last novel coming
in. and your etchings of wild Rose
only half completed!"
"We must do the best we can
Hiram," said Elizabeth, perplexedly
knitting her pretty brows together.
''My darling child, there's no best
about it," groaned Hiram, tearing hi
hair-which, being brown and curly
looked non the less picturesque for tn
operation. "You don't know the pecu
l~iarities of the Biggs family as I do
You will be dragged up and dow
Grand street, Eighth avenue and tn
Bowery from morning until night-yo,
will have to visit every show, theate
and picture-gallery in New York, ant
pay all the bills. Your housekeepin!
will be picked to pieces, your dres
criticised, and ten to n my mothe
will offer to come here and take charg
of the baby, while Josepha will volun
teer to improve your most cherishe
drawings"
Mrs. Hiram Biggs glanced with terro
at the plump baby who, in charge of it
white-capped nurse, was being carrie
up and down the pavement in front c
the house. Then she looked piteousl
around the pretty Brussels-carpeted l
brary, with its deep crimson-curtaine
bay-windows. its tall Dracana plants i
majolica vases, its oil-paintings an
japanese scrolls, its cage of green pare
, quets, and shelves of china and bric-s
brac, and pictured to herself the Who'll
> Biggs family spreading themselves owe
+ its sacred precincts. She was only hi
man, too, this young wife; she coul
, scarcely help remembering how Mr.:
, Horatio had snubbed her when she fir:
> came, a timid and shrinking bride,
the Biggs farmhouse; how Mrs. LUX
had once refused to lend her twenty-fv
, cents, in Hiram's absence. to pay til
r charges Oh a telegram, alleging as
reason ''that it wasn't uever good 20
icy to have business matters between II
lations," nor how old Mrs. Biggs ha
cried and said "that Hiram had show
dreadful poor Judgment in selecting h
p wife," while Miss Josepha had taken e
+ pecial pains to contradict every stat
q ment she made, and Luke. and Horat
had ignored her altogether.
o Hiram laughed. ''My little darling,
0 said he, 81 can interpret that look. Yc
q shall not be tormented out of your e:
' istence to become a convenience to
swarm of relations-in-law, who don
Y any of them care a copper cent for yo,
e If they had ever treated us decently
e would be a different matter. AS it is
d "But, Hiram, you can't send word
your w father and mother and brot
ers and sisters not to come" pleadt
Elizabeth.
"No," said Hiram Biggs, though
u fully, II shall do nothing of the sol
a Butt shall send no word at ALL"
l. They'll come, all the same, sa
Elizabeth.
But" said Hiram. with sparklir
d eyes. ''they don't know where we live.
p "They'l look out your name in Il
) Directory" sighed Elizabeth.
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