The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-06-11
THE HIGGINS WELL.
How Henry Procrastinated and Re
pented.
BY RERCHTA DU BoIs.

by bEhAdIA Db bOASs
Mis- Higgins l don't see how you live
with no curb to that we'll; and you with
all these grandchildren runnin' round the
yard. sh'd think you'd be crazy expectin'
one of 'em to fan in"
Mrs. Higgins looked beyond the depart
ing caller on the step and regarded the
curbless well with mild solicitude, on her
grandmotherly countenance. "Well it has
worried me some" she admitted. Henry
has ben meanin' to fix 1t this long time, but
he don't seem to get to it. S you say. l
get kinder world about the children, 'spe-
cially Clay Ambrose so Venter-some. He
seems bewitched to dip up water an I've
thought more'n once he'd topple over"
Clay Ambrose, white headed boy of six,
fired with ambition at hearing this refer
ence to his dipping proclivities. Immediate
ly seized a pail and ran to the we'll He
fiattened himself close to the edge upon
his little stomach with his bare legs wav-
ing wildly In the air as aids to his valiant
efforts to dip up a pailful of water just
beyond his reach. His mother wife to the
busy Henry, sat within the door, swaying
her knees from side TO side to quiet the
nerves of her youngest born, who lay
stretched across her lap whimpering over
a new tooth
Il tell mother she's foolish to worry
about the children as she does, don't, be-
cause I've told 'em time an agen they
mustn't go near the well"
She smiled reassuringly at the visitor rs
she made this placid statement and her
eye, wandering beyond, fell upon Clay
Ambrose's expressive legs.
asNVal I declared CLAW Aruhr0sAf CLAW
Ambrosel You come here this minute! The
times I've told that child TO keep away
from that well. You want me TO come there
an get your" A desperate struggle of the
legs was the reply. and Clay Ambrose
triumphantly assumed the upright position
and trotted back TO the house with an over
flowing pail.
His mother settled back in her chair with
restored placidity. HE scarf me most to
death, thought sure he was goin' in that
time. Don't you never go near that weH
agen! You understand"
Clay Ambrose nodded in token that he
comprehended. Here, gramma," he said,
and held up the pail OF water with both
hands.
Mrs. Peckham gathered up the reins and
clucked TO the horse after she and Mrs.
Dayton returned to the rafting wagon,
and amid cordial injunctions to Come
agent soon," and Yes, we will, an you
must come an see u.s." they ratified away
Il never saw such an easy-goln' critter
as that wife o Henry's is. Mess twas
Henry himself or Mis- Higgins s the
only one in that family that's got one
spark of real get up an get along. an
she amt any more idea of COVER ment
than old tabby cat that alers would take
care of her own kittens and the young
cats kittens too an aet both sets torment
the life out of her" Mrs Peckham hand
ed the reins of her companion ana tucked
| her green bonnet strings inside her dust
cloak 10 secure from fading. before she
assented.
''Well, It's largely Henrys brngin' up.
! l don't know as he oughter be blamed al
! together But she always did do ev'ry
| thing for him when he was boy an LEI
him set round and now he's grown ur
an has this greet family of children on his
4 hans he don't seem to RELY know how
TO manage"
Miss Dayton slapped the reins on old
| Whitey's back and hurried him around the
corner, then checked his progress while
she carefully spread a blue barege vel
over bonnet and gathered the corners IN.
der chin. 'Therel l know this bonnet's
| getting just as fun of dust as il can hold
and there won't be ray of color In il
| with the sun beatin down on it this way
! But Florette makes such a fuss If l don't
look jus so when we're out ridin' that
don't dare put on a veil nor hardly a dus.
ter l believe that clouds bone round an
we shant have a shower after all. Gel
up WhiteyH' Whitley logged down the hin
and into his own dooryard where Mis-,
Dayton's brother, the man of the family
was tinkering a one-horse moving ma.
chine
Meanwhile Merwin, Mrs. Higgins Ode,
grandson, gazing down the road after IN.
retreating caller, had been reused nv !
birdlike call apparently falling down out
of the aeecy fecked blue above. He hest
tated not a moment in locating il. mi,
sister Melissa was perched in the cherr,
tree over the wall and trilling clearly n,
a signal for him to join her In another
moment he was winging himself w e
the bough above her where he settled n
her occupation of pulling generous hand
fuls of ripened fruit and slipping them ON
of sight as quickly as possible. Thu,
happily engaged he entertained Meuss,
with an account of the afternoons so
cial pleasures. She nodded her head an.
preciauvely as ne ended Il don't tbtnt
that wells real safe myself one of th,
stones slants right down an it's dreffu
| slippery when you splash water on il"
"Show grunted Merwin with masculine
ioftiness, Il amt fraid."
We'll mebbe there amt for you" per
! sisted Melissa, but some of the children
n be fallin' in sure as. fate. n then I shat
have lem to take care Of. l wish pad fl,
IT,"
We'll he won't yet awhile. cos he an
mas goin' up TO Pettipaug TO Ann
I,oizy's tomorrow to stay two or thre.
days; I bet you anything they won't be
home for week" And melissa did not
offer to take the bet
II.
The next afternoon Grandmama Hig.