The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1913-03-10
Higby's
Last Cure
1t Was the Successful
One
By cLARIssA MAcKIE


sssssssssesssssessssssssss
Mr.. Highly threw aside the evening
newspaper and folded his arms across
his breast. "Anastasia," he said reso-
lutely, 1--WE struck the very thing at
last!'
His wife looked up from her needle
work. what is it now, HenryY'
"A cure for my rheumatism" he an
nounced triumphantly.
81 didn't know you had rheumat ism,
Henry"
II have had it lately; stiffening Of
the joints and general Discrimination
to move around much"
"Humphw calculated his wife skep-
tically. you've been jumping up and
down all the evening, Henry, and this
is the first grunt I've heard out Of you.
Maybe it's growing palms,"
Mr.. Highly arose painfully from his
chair and with bent back proceeded to
limp slowly from the room. Anasta-
sia's kind eyes followed his progress
with mingled tears and laughter in
their depths. At last pity and love
triumphed, and she arose and went to
him.
Forgive me, Henry, for being so
cross! Do come back and tell me what
can do to relieve you," she said with
her cheek against his.
Sunny hearted Henry Highly turned
a beaming face to hers and forgivingly
kissed her on the brow. He permitted
her to lead him back to his comforta-
BILE morris chair and to pile several pill
lows at his back.
"Now, tell me what new cure you
have found, dear?" she said, sitting
down to her embroidery once more.
1--WE. just read about it in this pa
per-" explained Mr.. Highly enthusiast
Hcally, forgetting to groan as he cross
ed his legs comfortably. "It's sim
pie cure. and that is what appeals to
me. It costs absolutely nothing save
few pine boards and half a days
work. Living in the suburbs as we do,
the trees are already provided for the
purpose"
"What trees" asked Anastasia curl
ously.
"The trees for the cure. You see 1t
is this way: Some scientist has figured
that the outer air is the natural at
| mosphere for man to breathe. He says
If animals can sleep in the open-that
is, If some can make their homes in
damp and oozy spots without contract
ing rheumatism and kindred diseases;
If others can sleep in cold caves on
rocky floors without dire results; If
birds can nest in the trees without
catching cold from the rains that beat
in, why should not man who was made
to live and breathe the pure air OF out
of doors, why should not rheumatic
man sleep out in the open and cure
his ills? Great idea, isn't it?"
"Grandr' agreed Anastasia without
enthusiasm.
"I'm going to try it."
what are you going to be, an AMI
NAL in an oozy swamp or bird k1 p
1 A->e?" she asked. -l4H6
salrr,osa your, -
man mud baths for rheumatism ri -
Eyes"
"Then the idea of the oozy swa.S E
not farfetched. expect to try the TIL
cure"
You're going to build nest?" she
asked, incredulity struggling with
| amusement.
"Of course not. One has to exercise
common sense in such matters. shall
modify the idea, of course. shall
build a platform between those -four
tall chestnuts-say about forty feet
above ground. 1 shall have strong
wire fence all about it and place col
there"
you will not only lose your rheuma-
| tism, but all your other ills, Henry,
and you will sleep thereafter in the
cemetery on the hillside" asserted his
wife dryly.
"Fiddlesticksr' laughed Mr.. Highly
with great good humor. you said the
same thing when tried the fish diet fol
nervousness You thought would de
velop fins and get to swimming In the
bay until somebody caught me with q
mummy club and made me into a
chowder. Why, you had the table all
set for a chowder dinner, with me as
the chief ingredient. Eth, Anastasia? p
| He tweaked his wife's ear playfully
| and made for the door. Il guess I'll
telephone down to Flakes house and
ask him to send up some lumber from
the mill in the morning."
Quite forgetful of his rheumatism,
Mr.. Highly went into the hall and shut
himself into the telephone booth.
Anastasia laid aside her needlework
| and closed her eyes. She was tired of
her husbands many fancied illnesses,
and she was startled at the rapidity
with which one disease followed an
other. And yet, and yet, as an actual
fact Henry Highly had never had a
days real sickness in the twelve years
they had been married.
As for his imaginary ailments-well
there had always been for a standby
the grip. then neuralgia of head and
heart, asthma, bronchitis, tuberculosis.
Insomnia, pains and sprains, symp-
toms of whatever disease was the fad
Of the moment, and he had had more
attacks Of appendicitis than all the
other citizens Of his suburban town
put together.
He had Just recovered from an at.
tack Of appendicitis and had only
spent two days at his often neglected