The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1890-11-14
LEAVING THE TOWN.
An Uudertaker Explains How Ungfateful
Some People Can BE.

An Uudertaker Explains How Ungfateful
Some People Can BE.
81 remember" said tho Colonel when
the party reached the end of a good din
ner and the walters stood behind tho
chairs with lighted matches. 81 remem-
Der an incident which stamped upon my
mind the fact that when q man has an
eye for business he has eyes for nothing
else"
Tho Colonel tells story we'll and
paused here, waiting for the cigars to
be lighted and for the inspiring fra
GRANGE of tho Havanas
VI shall not tell you how long ago it
was, for am getting too old to speak
lightly of decades. But when first set
foot-and it was tenderfoot let me
say-in Hugo, Col, at once conceived
great respect for a man named Hig-
gins. I could not help feeling a rever-
ence for Higgins. Higgins was an I'M
dertaker He was the only undertaken
within hundred miles and he was get
ting rich. Never day passed but my
friend Higgins had a funeral on hand.
He was tho most cheerful undertakes,
perhaps, that ever fourished.
II remember we'll the day that 1 babe
Higgins goodbye. He was as light
spirited as grasshopper, and thou
sand times expressed his regret that
was going into tho interior until l felt
clammy lest he might be grieved at the
thought that some one else might have
the profitable job of burying me.
when 1 next saw Higgins it was
after two-yoars' experience of chasing
wild steers. was glad to see him, he
was such jolly old undertal1or.
Hello, Higgins, l said, cheerfully,
when l walked into his establishment.
How are you, old man?'
Higgins shook his head mournfully,
and then l stopped short in amazement,
for l saw that he was mailing down boxes
and packing up his stock.
You aren't going to move, arc you?'
| cried in surprise, but he only iammcd
roll of Grape into dry-goods box and
went on with his work.
See here, Higgins l cried, What's
tho trouble? Tell me about it.
1.-THE old man turned on me wrath
fully.
"'Ain't been one O. Hugos best citi-
zens?' he asked, stcrnly.
"'You have, Higgins
Amt paid my taxcs?'
"'You have, my friend
Didn't organize Board of Educa-
tion?"
"'You did
Wasn't It's president?'
"'You certainly wore, and 4 good
one, although we haven't any school
yet
"'Didn't I head the citizens move
mont for law and order?'
"'You did, Higgins
"Well, that's all. Now, how do you
think this pesky town has treated its
foremost citizen?'
Tell me, Higgins. You have my
sympathy
"'Well, ! was maxim decent livin'.
let out contracts for the only brick
building in the town.
eyes
L was goin' to call it the Higgins
block. was goin' to let the volunteer
fire department have rooms in my block
for nothin'. proposed to have n tenn
perance union in the town. l hoped to
have free library. You know I'm a
"'You are, Higgins
Ncii' WHdt no you Lnlnk TINS town
has done for me?'
Surely nothing bad, Higgins
Nothing badr he screamed. DO
you know what they've done? They've
lynched Bill Smith. and if ever there
was cowardly blow aimed at fore
most citizen, it was that
But you can bury him, Higgins
Bury him! he screamed. Bury
him! Bury Bill Smith! Why, man, Bill
Smith was maxim fortune for me.
He killed his man as regular as the sun
went down; and buried every one of
'em. He was worth so day to me, he
was. So I'm goin' to leave 'em. This
town don't offer no inducements to an
honest man like me. Think what Eve
done for 'em. was goin' to erect
monument to our departed brothers.
And now there won't be death in this
town once n month Poor Billr and
Higgins seized winding-sheet and
tried to stifo his sobs. IN Y. Tribune.
COUNTING BANK BILLS.
The Methods Employed by the Receiving
TalIA