The Bienville Democrat., 1922-11-16
Aunt Myrtle
Legacy
Bv CLARA DELA..lEL0

81
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convr,,bt. 1921, wsstsra Ns"4yIv'r on'on
Hlgglns had had sort OF cola'
h1ooded liking for Aunt Myrtle, but
he could never stand the atmosphere
Of her apartment, with Its Victorian
borsehalr, its STIFFNESS, and the par
ROT that shrieked invective at MN
whenever he appeared.
Yet, as the only heir to Aunt Myr.
ties fortune, Higgins had tolerated
these things. He had fed the parrot
sugar, and had smiled when 1t nippeo
him In return, as the beast had a habit
Of doing. Their hate was mutual
Aunt Myrtle died and was buried
Higgins sat in the drawing room with
the old housekeeper, waiting for the
lawyer to, appear with the will. Hlg'
gins nerves were tense.
There came the expected ring at the
door, and old Mrs. Field went to ad
NIT Mr. Prentlss. At the same mo
ment came a shrek from the parrot.
"Silly fool! silly fool, Arthur Hlg
pinsm It called. think you'll get tn
old womans money, don't you"
With sudden insane fury Higgin'
rushed into Aunt Myrtle's bedroom
where the green and gray dew
watched him from its perch, one ey
sbut, its head on one side, judging
condemnlng him.
"Silly fool" 1t shrieked.
Higgins seized 1t from the perez
wrung Its neck, snapped the chain tina
held It, and tossed 1t into corner Q
the room.
He returned Just In time for Mr.
Field and the lawyer.
The will was read. Mrs. Field g
q thousand dollars. Arthur Higgir
got
ITO my nephew, Arthur Higgins,
consideration Of his attentions to h
old aunt during lifetime, my hou'
on Park street and a capital sum
forty thousand dollars, to be invest'
IN government bonds, the intere
thereof to be paid to him so long
my darling Flou.dou, my parrot,
mains alive and well. Upon the dea
Of the said Flou.Hou. the said caplt
sum to be divided between the Hor
for Feathered orphans and the pal
chial schools.
Even as he listened to the ghas'
: Jest Higgins felt sure his aunt h
imagined parochial had something
! do with parrots.
And Flou.dou lay dead In Aunt M'
ties bedroom!
"Then this house Is mine" ask
Higgins.
ut is, Mr.. Higgins, and
: "How soon can take possession
. IT."
"Immedlately," replied Mr.. Prenti
1.-THE house is yours"
"Then," said Higgins desperate
: T want to be left quite alone for
rest Of the day. in order to familiar
: myself with 1t. Mrs. Field, you {
r take a days holiday"
I, He&zoothed the mystlaed and a
d tie Indignant ssssuseksspeE. who:
|. length put on her hat and depar
for her married sisters, leaving b
Gins instructions to be sure and
forget to put out some sunaower Sc
4 for Flou-nou.
8 As soon as the house was EN-
q Higgins rushed downtown to an
!. NAL dealers shop he knew. Th'
q among other feathered denlzens,
II an almost exact replica Of the d
=. which he had killed, He knew r
n aou by sight, and this one was feat
>. for feather the same bird.
~ The only drawback was that 1t
Is peared to be Of a slngularly gentle
I'd position. However, there was no
Il. for It. Higgins completed the
Mt chase and, taking his acquisition
". small, wooden cage, he hurried b
with It.
Rushing into Aunt Myrtle's bedr'
he had soon affixed the new Flou
"a oA to his perch. He was about to
III for the dead bird when there car
ne tapping at the door OF the llVlhg r
pie Hurrying out with muttered obJr
tions, Higgins saw, Mrs. Fields.
,ol. The good woman was breathles'
No. Just hurried back to say, Mr.. H!g
,m that Flou5dou has to have her
49, every afternoon" she said.
.'' !. shades have to be drawn; and
on she wakes up she'll want a little '
ITO and"
all "Bz.z.z.zzl" from Aunt Myrtle's
,ro- room; and then q sound as II al
not feathered devils In hell had gor
r 4 the rampage.
bor TITS Flou.aou! A cats got
-. screamed Mrs. Field and. despite