McCook weekly tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 188?-1886, 1885-03-19
JULIANA KEZIAH SKIGGS.

JULIANA KEZIAH SKIGGS.
"Annie," said MIR. Somers, as he
entered his cozy parlor one afternoon
in midsummer, ''why, in the halcyon
days of Our courtship, did you never
mention your cousin, Juliana Keziah
Skiggsp"
Surprising her lord and master jocu-
larly inclined, Mrs. Somers replied in
Yankee fashion:
''My dear John, why did not You
make your Uncle Obadiah the subject
of your conversation at that never to
be forgotten period?''
Because" promptly, 81 have no
such relative"
Neither" serenely, "am l the
fortunate possessor of cousin j. X.
So
perhaps this" laying an open let
ter on the table beside her, "will con-
vince you to the contrary"
SPYNsTERvILLE, Aug. -, 19S-.
"MR. JOHN SoMERs: Having lately
heard that few blissfully distracted
moons ago, you were disunited in the
hollow bonds OF matter of money to
Miss Annie Harding, second cousin
twice removed of my maternal deriva-
tive, with whom in childhood's happy
hour | often sported on the glade, like
the young rams so brisk and gay,
hasten to offer you my personal con-
dolences, and demonstrating that a
visit to your celestial mansium might
rejuvenate the amatory pneumatics
with which | am inflicted, | take the
liberty of denouncing the datum of
my intended visitation, the 10th of
August, Ammo Dynous 1SS-. Tena-
ciously yours,
GUIANA KEzIAH SKIGGs.''
john gasped Mrs. Somers, with
Mortified countenance. "This woman
is crazy. I never heard of her be-
FORE" tenaciously. s'She is coming to
stay, I presume, and tomorrow is the
10th. What shall we do?"
'.Dissmiss all care, my DEAR" said
John solemnly. 1--WE can scarcely re-
fuse to receive her; but 1 will invite
DR.. Peter Columbus Haekemup to pre-
scribe for the fair Juliana Keziah."
With many forebodings Mrs. Somers
watched John depart for the tram the
next afternoon. She was an orphan,
with no near relatives, dependent upon
her own eXertions for livelihood.
While teaching school in a country
place. she met John, who at once fell
in love with her winning face and
amiable disposition. The little school
mistress, although obliged to fight her
own way through the worlds broad
field of battle" was not easily won.
John, however, was an undaunted and
perseverving wooer. Miss Harding
finally consented to resign her ''de-
lightful task to teach the young idea
how to shoot" and was transformed
into Mrs. John Somers. 10 confess
the truth she liked the change. Now
the mistress of the pretty home to
which her husband had brought her,
she was free from worldly care.
But" she soliloquized Indignantly,
''am [ to be invaded by host of peo-
pie whom l have never known, and
probably would never have sought to
know me had 1 not become the wife of
the prosperous young lawyer?''
At this moment Mr.. Somers and the
expected visitor appeared at the gate.
Mrs. Somers started in dismay, and
could have lifted up her voice and
wept. John was tall man, but Miss
Skriggs' bonnet feathers waved proud
ly over his head. Her forehead and
chin seemed running backward from
her nose. of which (although some
what askew) the noblest Roman of
them all would not have been ashamed
in point of size. Inquisitive, bead
like eyes, nondescript in color, peeped
from beneath whitish yellow brows,
while on her prim mouth was a per-
petual smirk, the nose CHASTITY, as
four false teeth which ornamented
her upper jaw occasionally dropped
therefrom.
This beautiful nymph, whose figure
was personifcation of lens tn without
breadth or thickness, was attired, from
her soaring feathers to her No. 6 gait
ers, in brilliant green.
Mrs. Somers looked at John. His
face, to her loving eyes an open book,
wore the imperturbably innocent ex-
preston she knew betokened inward
delight.
''This, my dear, is your cousin Ju-
Llama Keziah Skiggs," said he, sweetly,
leading the giraffe, as Mrs. Somers
mentally called the stranger, up to
his wife. Words of welcome were not
needed. Swooping upon poo. Mrs.
Somers. and clasping the shrinking
little woman in her bony arms, she
pressed affectionate kisses upon her
averted cheek. The recipient of these
unwelcome favors, disengaged herself
as quickly as possible. hurriedly
showed Miss Skiggs to her room, and
informing her that tea would be ready
in half an hour, few down stairs to
pour out her soul to John.
..Never mind, little woman" said
that gentleman, anticipating her in
IL b