The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1899-01-06
MR, AND mrs. N|LM|Ql,

they both passed into the village and
did not halt until they came to neat
little cottage near the end of the village.
On the side of the door there was u pa
per tackled, and on it was written:
Summer Board.-For Respectable
Family-Clinda higgins"
Reading the above they assembled the
stoop and pulled the bell, which was i'm
mediately answered by thin, spinster
lady of perhaps SO. with kind-looking
face.
''You have accommodations for board
ers, believe" began the gentleman.
Eyes, sir, and better can't be found
in this village, marm," nodding to the
lady. -.
see the Interior"
"Certainls, sir. Walk in, marm,'' and
she led them into one Of the contest
houses they had ever seen. Everything
was neat, inviting. The visitors We're
delighted with it.
Have YOU much of a householder"
asked the gentleman, who had given his
name as Mr.. Wilmot.,
mot much, sir, only Tom Troddles,
Sary Anne Bugbear, my niecei Billy, the
cat, and Bobby, the poodle: Them's all,
marin, and we're quiet family, sir, as
! everyone can tell you"
Before night arrangements were made,
and Mr.. and Mrs. Wilmot became the
boarders of Clinda higgins.
Three days had passed, and Miss Mig
gins had nothing to complain of her new
boarders. In fact, she liked them very
much, as they were pleasant and agree
able at all times.
But Miss higgins never could find out
Mr. Wilmot's business or profession.
Whenever she touched that subject
they would always manage to change the
conversation. and but for what is told be-
low Clinda higgins would never have
known the occupation of her boarder.
''One thing" Miss higgins would say to
old Peggy Troddles, they be great
readers, for from morning till night they
do nothing but read out little yaller Gov
cred books, which think must be novels,
which l think is very foolish of EN-
So days heightened into weeks, and at
last August came, and with it something
| which startled that sleepy little village
into CONFUSION of horror and excite
ment.
The cottage of Clinda higgins is
wrapped in slumber and quiet as tomb,
for though the hour is but 8 o'clock, the
spinster's household is in silence.
The only thing to be seen issues from
the boarders' window in the second story.
Clinda higgins can't get any sleep this
| night, for the mosquitoes bite savagely,
and for an hour that lady has done moth
! ing but murder all she can.
So 10 o'clock comes, and Miss higgins.
being awake, hears a noise upstairs ard
| rises to listenl Not hearing we'll at her
| own door, she throws on her dress and
goes upstairss Standing at the landing
some feet from the boarders' room she
| comes to pause and listens.
1t is Mrs. :Wimot that is speaking now
aS ~ s BIZ Il. BIN, have ever been true
to you; have, upon my soul :, -.
'"You lie, woman, you lieY' says Mr..
Wilmot, and Miss higgins is astounded.
II have proofs of your jnfdelity. You
have betrayed me to the police. You have
betrayed me to her; nay, do not deny it,
Miss higgins can't move nor speak
with terror: at what she hears.
''Think not to blind me-" fercely an
swers her husband; ''you have betrayed
| me; do you know what I shall do with
you, false Helene?''
II am innocent, Bill: oh, I am inno-
tones.
"You must die, yes, die, and so pay
the forfeit of betraying me to the po-
licev'
Miss higgins is paralyzed with terror;
she goes to her boarders' door and looks
through the keyhole, her heart fluttering
with fear and her tongue glued and
powerless.
Miss higgins sees Mrs. Wilmot in the
center of the room on her knees, her hair
hanging over her shoulders, and an
agonized look Oh her face. Mr.. Wilmot
stands near by, grasping his wife's hands
and looking into her face with mad
mans stare, as he holds uplifted over her
' "Lord! Lord. says the Mortified spin
ster to herself, hes a-going to murder
the poor, dear woman!
Again Mrs. Wilmot began to plead with
that heartrending voice of hers.
"Mercy, Bill!' she cried, wringing her
hands in entreaty; don't take my life,
in mercy, don't; your soul is crime-stained
enough now; don't add murder to it. On,
Bill, by the love you once bore me, spare
my life and believe my innocence
"Silence, woman; all your prayers are
useless"
And with these words Miss higgins be-
held Mr.. Wilmot upraise the bottle he
held in his hand and bring it down upon
his wife's forehead again and again, and
the poor wife, clasping her hands on her
forehead. which was now red with blood,
fell on the floor of her room.
Miss higgins could stand no more; in
terror she flew down the stairs, yelling
Murder" at the top Of her voice.
Out of the front door and into the vii
lage street went bowling the terrified
every house ON the village street heads
were popped out, people began to gather
in the streets and crowds to congregate
before the house Of murder.
A minute after and twenty people filled
the spinster's house and stood by the
door of Mr.. .Wilmot's apartments; Miss
higgins weeping among the crowd: r..
bles. the head village constable, rapping
at the door:
On the instant the key was turned in
the lock, and Mr.. Wilmot, with surprise
on his pleasant face, opened the door of
the room.
% In heavens name. my good people,
he innocently asked. .".what is the matter:
Is the house on fire?'
ooh, you vile villain! Oh, you assas-
"Hey?'
"You murderer, you"' went Oh Miss
Clinda, shaking her fist at Mr.. Wilmot;
"you needn't try to hide your guilt. see
you do it, and my evidence will hang
YOU"
"Hang ME? What on earth do you
mean, Miss higgins? You haven't been
drinking, 1 hope?''
you've killed your wife; see you kill
the poor, dear creature, and -
Gracious: me, Robert, what is this con-
fusion about?" and Miss higgins saw Mrs.
Wilmot come up to her husbands side,
looking as pretty as ever, and not wound
ed.
WHAT gasped poor Miss higgins, rub
bling her eyes, "ain't you wounded. Mrs.
Wil%9o t. :, dea q =, Amt you killed-and
"Wall, :Clindy Niggins!'' cried out the
head constable. you've been a-makin
a nice time, aiI't ye, and all about moth
in. too?"
'T seen him through the keyhole,"
groaned Miss higgins. 81 see him strike
her with a bottle. seen =
She was interrupted by a fit Of hearty
mot, as they dropped into chairs as if to
burst their sides. II - }|2.'. ~ .v.7.@
"PoOr sonlv' exclaimed Mr.. Wilm0t, ex-
hausted with laughter. 81 suppose I
ens my S wife Is an aetpess and am
an actor, both engaged during the fall and