Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1892-07-02
MIGGS'S WIFE.

Quite a cozy, comfortable bachelors
party. There was Briggs, from the drug
store; Higgs, who occupied himself with
something or other at the State house
Diggs, who had something to do with
pianos, and Miggs, the married man.
Every member of the party was staid,
business like, and solid the sort of man
who could be depended upon to smoke
no more than two cigars per diem, and
to imbibe no more than one cocktail at II
o'clock in the morning punctually; every
one, that is, except Miggs, the married
man.
Each member Of the party could be
safely put down as good for few thou.
sand dollars, and who enjoyed the COM
forts of existence in an eminently respect.
able manner, and always went to church
on Sunday; each one, that is, except
Nliggs, the married man.
Miggs was an insurance agent No
one knew for certain even where he lived,
except that he was generally to be found
somewhere within the limits of the State
of Massachusetts. He appeared to float
around promiscuously in as many differ
ent places as he could possibly think Of
and there never was such man to turn
up Unexpectedly as Miggs.
He bubbled over with geniality, con.
VITALITY, and fraternity; he was inconsis.
tent, audacious, and irrepressible-and
he was married
But Miggs's whereabouts were not more
mysterious and bewildering than the
condition Of his affairs and the position
of his social connection, and nei-
Their Briggs, nor Higgs. nor Diggs would
have been very much surprised if he had
married 20 times OF not at all.
Yet when Miggs raised his eyes rever-
entially until they rested upon the cell.
ing, and said "Ten years ago to-day was
my wedding day." Briggs snapped out
"Your wedding day. When?"
"That," said Miggs, still contemplate
ing the ceiling. SHOWS how much inter
est mans acquaintance take in his
career Not one Of you has ever thought
of inquiring if l were married. might
tell you some outlandish yarn about my
family-that my wife was the present
Queen Of Sheba, in which case, of course
my eldest son would be Emperor of
China; but, no! I will confine myself
strictly to the unvarnished truth, and
give you the plain history of my court
ship and marriage.
ut was on a pleasant autumn after
noon that happened to be at Winthrop
and wandered along as far as Growers
Cliff. There was not soul to be seen,
and was counting the grasshoppers as
they jumped to get out Of my way when
suddenly beheld a woman standing
right on the edge of the cliff, who was
waving her arms about, and making
quite violent gesticulations. AS 1 strolled
along I saw she had no hat, and that
about three feet of her hair rippled in the
breeze; but what astonished me, when I
came near. was to find that she was
singing, or, rather, chanting.
"Isaid to myself, 'Miggs, brace up, and
investigate this thing ! and went little
closer. When I came within hearing
she was delivering herself as follows:
AZ stand on the edge of the giddy steep;
Shall make the terrible. awful leap2
Shall pillow my head on the waters deepl
In the caverns Of ocean shall sleep?'"
Here, come off /" growled Briggs.
Find another rhyme.
II raised my hat" continued Miggs,
"and said:
MADAM, l implore you not to take
such desperate course for my sake
"She turned around with look of as
stonishment, and made an imperious
gesture which appeared to be intended to
convey the impression that she despised
the world in general and myself in par
ticular. She was tall and dark; her eyes
cleaned like diamonds in the sunlight;
her nose was proud and aquiline, her lips
were red and full.
MY heart began to beat audibly with
in my bosom as I contemplated that pan
Drama of loneliness. Looking over the
cliff, l saw her hat lying at the bottom
just out Of reach of the water; and be-
ing possessed, gentlemen, of a quick
sympathy and comprehension, made
sudden resolve; and, having resolved,
Immediately acted.
MADAM, said, here are all the ele-
ments of a noble romance. You have
lost your hat, and I-how could l do
otherwise than lose my heart? l will
rescue your hat, and You shall rescue my
heart. l implore you to live for me,
madam, for mel A million Cupids arc
besieging me on every side, and rein
forcements are rapidly arriving. Their
arrows are transfixing me by companies
and batallions. Be mine Oh, be mine ?
And knelt on one knee in the grass.
"For minute she regarded me doubt
fully, and that minute seemed an age.
Then she put her hand in mine, and l
impressed upon it an ecstatic kiss. Oh,
rapture! Oh, delirious happiness Then
went right down the cliff after her hat,
and arrived at the bottom in the midst
of landslide of overwhelming proper
tons. What did care? She was mine,
mine l felt that the crisis of my life
had arrived, and that had successfully
surmounted it.
Il shouted to her to come out to the
end of the cliff, and then handed her hei
hat, and felt myself the most blessed OF
mortals.
"'Lucilla, my lover 1 said (she wore
her name engraved on brooch). there