The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1893-03-24
JUST FOR AMUSEMENT.

l have Just been celebrating All FOOLS
Day. LISA happy anniversary to me; and
together with my family, celebrate 1t regu'
larly; not In the customary off.hand manner
of the world at large. but In way and for
reason of my own. The way that this part,c.
ular observance of the Higginson family first
originated may be learned from perusal Of
the following lines:
On the morning of the first day of Apri
1882, ] ate my breakfast at little village
hotel IN one of the northern counties OF Ar
kensas; and, after paying the modest sum Of
a "dollar and two bits" assessed for the feed
and lodging of myself and horse, mounted
and resumed my journey along the highway
leading to Little Rock; and If ever poor,
homeless. wayworn traveller carried heavier,
| ess COME lted, heart In his bosom than mine
upon this particular morning, must say that
l commIserate him tn my whole soul.
To state the case plainly, was completely
Disguised with the rambling, aimless life that
l had led since drifting away from my old
home In the northern states; and, though my
business of cattle-buying was quite profitable,
l had found that l had lacked the disposition
TO save the money gained, and, as rule, had
to do the bulk OF my trading on borrowed
capital; paying the money lie nder principal
and interest after each transaction was COM
peted. and then living extravaeantly on the
surplus as long as 1t lasted, when. reduced to
my botto.n-iollar, L would solicit another loan
and pin myself down to business again for
few months.
On the trip from which was just return
Ing had been particularly lucky-considering
the earliness of the seasou-and was return
ing to head quarters with enough In my
purse to llquidate all claims and have coupe
of hundred left. But still was heartily sick
of 1t all, and was debating seriously with N.Y.
self the ACCESSIBILITY of selling my horse and
saddle at the first opportunity and leaving
the southwest forever.
was In just such a frame of mind that l
believe that should hardly lave hesitated If
an opportunity had Oflerad to change places
with any person happy enough to possess a
home; and, as l rode along the highway past
the comfortable houses of the hardy noun
tair-farmers, / made myself miserable by
noting the careless, contented faces of the
people / encountered, and COMBATING their
lot in life With my OWL, and always TO my
own disadvantage.
At my feet. a gentle slope, of perhaps a
quarter of mile, led down to small stream
that gurgled along past cultivated fields on
either side, hidden, however, ct the GRO Sing
by growth of small trees. Beyond was a
second ridge, similar TO the one upon which
had passed though somewhat lower; and
near its summit, environed with grove of
peach trees radiant with bloom, stood a snug
little cottage, looking so homelike and attrac- |
tive with Its glory of white paint and blue |
cornices that | could have strangled its happy |
owner for being so much more fortunate than
myself.
the road horse was tied.-a big sorrel, with |
white stockings that reached well up the leg,
and, as looked. saw a man come running
toward 1t from the house. pursued, az far as
the gate. by three female forms, and there
came, waited on the morning air, loud shouts
OF feminine mirth,-clear, ringing peais of
laughter that rang In my ears like the sweet.
est of music. II the man joined In the merrl. |
ment 1t was silently, for lifting his hat with
ap;extravagance of courtesy. he rode down
the hill to meet me: and. as his horse was I'm
patient and full of fire, he passed the stream
first, and we met In the shade of the low elms.
totally concealed by their branches from those
be had just left.
Somewhere have read the statement that
II there are more people In the world than
there are hairs on the human head, there
must, consequently, be two people IN ex-
silence possessing the same number of hairs.
rhe truth of the proposition Is self evident.
Bs the same logical -easoning.--if the world
contains more individuals than indivIdua,ltes.
some man must needs have double aud,
1 found myself confronted
With mine.
The recognition of this fact was instanta.
leous and mutual. When 1 first saw him pass ,
rom the house to the gate l bad detected
emethiDg familiar IN his appearance: and !
low. when be drew rein within ten feet Of Z
ne, could see that In form and face aud
eneral bearing, even to the cut of the mou.- !
ache and the lump on the oc-prominent
ose, ne was exactly my Image in every re-
rect. i,
1 was thunderstruck. IL my own sstoni.h- |
1eDt had not been SO complete, / might have
rjoyed laugh at the amszed. open. mouthed 9
gonder with which he regar ded me. As it | y
7ss, however. he recovered bis self posses. i
ion first, end extended his band.
II am awful gil d 10 meet you, D,ck NIL Q
TIT he said, With n grin. Same to YOU, a
barley Higginson." said /. and we shook ,