The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1913-02-18
Higby's
Last Cure
II Was the Successful
One
BY cLARIssA MAcKIH

ssoesseseessssesessssssoss
Mr.. Highly threw aside the evening
newspaper and folded his arms across
his breast "Anastasia," he said reso-
lutely. Tvs struck the very thing at
laatl's
His wife looked up from her needle
work. What is it now, HenryT'
"A cure for my rheumatism" he an
nOunced triumphantly.
II didn't know you had rheumatism,
Henry"
Il have had 1t lately; stifrening OF
the joints and general dislnclination
to move around much"
~Eumphr 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 pains"
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
tr1umphed, and she arose and went to
him.
Forgive me, Henry, for being so
crossI Do come back and tell me what
can do to relieve you." she said with
her cheek against his.
Sunny hearted Henry Highly turned
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 Dill
lows at his back.
Nov, tell me what new cure you
have found, dear?" she said, sitting
down to her embroidery once more.
I've just read about it in this pa
per-" explained Mr.. Highly enthusiast
tically, forgetting to groan as he cross
ed his legs comfortably. ITS a sim
pie cure, and that is what appeals to
me- 1t costs absolutely nothing save
a few pine boards and half a days
work. Living in the suburbs as we do,
the trees are already provided for the
purpose"
what treesT asked Anastasia curl
ousIy.
1.-THE trees for the cure. You see ii
l. 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. II 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 it2"
"Grandr' agreed Anastasia without
enthusiasm.
"T'm going to try It,"
what are you going to be, an ami
NAL In an oozy swamp or bird In q
treef" she asked.
/ i
man mud baths for rheumatism
Eyes"
.Then the idea Of the oozy swamp is
not farfetched. expect to try the tree
cure"
You're going to build nest?" she
asked, incrsdulity struggling will
amusement.
"Of course not. One has to exercise
common sense In such matters. l shall
modify the idea. Of course. l shall
build platform between those -four
| tall chestnuts- about forty feet
above ground l shall have strong
wire fence all about it and place a 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.
"Fiddlesticks" laughed Mr.. Highly
with great good humor. you said thu
same thing when tried the fish diet FOL
nervousness. You thought ! would de
velop fms and get to swimming In the
bay until somebody caught me with s
| mummy club and made me into {
| chowder. Why, you had the table al
set for chowder dinner, with me al
the chief ingredient Eh, Anastasia p
| He tweaked his wife's ear playfully
and made for the door. Il guess II
telephone down to Flakes house ant
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 shu
himself into the telephone booth.
| Anastasia laid aside her needleworl
and closed her eyes. She was tired Of
her husbands many fancied illnesses
and she was startled at the rapidly
with which one disease followed an
other. And yet. and yet. as an actua
fact Henry Highly had never mad 6
| days real sickness in the twelve years
they had been married.
AS for his imaginary ailments-well
there had always been for standby
the grip, then neuralgia Of head ant
| heart, asthma, bronchitis, tuberculosis
! insomnia, pains and sprains, symp
/ toms of whatever disease was the fac
| Of the moment, and he had had more
attacks of appendicitis than all tbs
| other citizens of bis suburban towr
put together.
He had just recovered from an at
tack Of appendicitis and had only
spent two days at bis often neglected
| business when rheumatism stared him
In the face
Anastasia sighed as she thought OF
the fuss and bother that must attend
Henry's adoption of a new sleeping
place. He had slept all over the house
In the past. From attic to cellar ev'
cry room had known his restless slum-
bers, and last summer he had slept on
| the front piazza until he was startled
one night by awakening to discover q
tall. gaunt framed woman standing
over him with small lantern held
close to his face.
"Its only you. is itf" she had said
contemptuously and passed into the
house. The next morning Mr.. Highly
| discharged Bridget for imperHnenct
and the following day found new do
nestle installed in the kitchen, one
who was not given to nocturnal wan
derings.
The next few days witnessed busy
period In Mr.. Higby's existence. AS
i sisted by carpenter he constructed 6
square platform between the foul
chestnuts in the large back yard
When 1t was all completed and a com
Portable cot bed within the wire in
closure, Mr. Highly invited bis neigh