The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1922-07-07
Aunt Myrtle's
Legacy
BY CLARA DELAFIELD

Higgins had had a sort of colo
FLOODED liking for Aunt Myrtle, Blu
he could never stand the atmospher
or her apartment, with its Victorial
horsehair, its STIFFNESS, and the par
rot that shrieked invective at hin
whenever he appeared.
Yet, as the only heir to Aunt Myr
ties fortune, Higgins had tolerate,
these things. He had fed the parro
sugar, and had smiled when 1T nippet
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 Hig-
gins nerves were tense.
There came the expected ring at the
door, and old Mrs. Field went to ad-
NIT Mr.. Prentiss. At the same mo-
ment came shrek from the parrot
"Silly fool Silly fool, Arthur Hig-
ginsl" it called. think you'll get the
old woman's money, don't your"
With sudden insane fury Higgins
rushed into Aunt Myrtle's bedroom,
where the green and gray devil
watched him from its perch, one eye
shut, its head on one side, judging,
condemning him.
"Silly fool !" It shrieked.
Higgins seized 1t from the perch.
wrung its neck, snapped the chain that
held 1t, and tossed 1t into q corner of
the room
He returned just in time for Mrs.
Field and the lawyer
The will was read. Mrs. Field got
q thousand dollars Arthur Higgins
ITO my nephew, Arthur Higgins, in
consideration of his attentions to his
old aunt during lifetime, my house
on Park street and a capital sum of
forty thousand dollars, to be invested
in government bonds, the interest
thereof to be paid to him so long as
my darling Flou-fou, my parrot, re-
mains alive and WELL Upon the death
Of the said Flou-fiou, the said capital
sum to be divided between the Home
for Feathered orphans and the paro-
chial schools.
Even as he listened to the CHASTITY
jest Higgins felt sure his aunt had
imagined parochial had something to
do with parrots.
And Flou-fiou lay dead In Aunt Myr- l.
ties bedroom!
'Then this house is miner" asked
Higgins.
TT is, Mr.. Higgins, and
"How soon can take possession of
it?"
Immediately" replied Mr.. Prentiss.
"The house is yours"
Then" said Higgins desperately,
II want to be left quite alone for the
rest of the day, in order to familiarize
myself with it. Mrs Field, you can II
take a days holiday" -
He soothed the mystified and a lit
lie indignant housekeeper, who at
ength put on her hat and departed
'or her married sisters, leaving Hig-
gins instructions to be sure and not
'orget to put out some sunfower seeds n
or Flou-fou
AS soon as the house was empty
Higgins rushed downtown to an ami
nal dealers shop he knew. There,
Imong other feathered denfzens was
n almost exact replica of the devil
which he had killed. He knew Flou-
lou by sight, and this one was feather
or feather the same bird.
The only drawback was that it APP
cared to be of a singularly gentle dis
osition. However, there was no help
Or It. Higgins completed the pur-
base and, taking his acquisition in a
nall, wooden cage, he hurried home
18th it.
Rushing into Aunt Myrtles bedroom,
: had soon affixed the new Flou-fou
his perch. He was about to look
r the dead bird when there came a
piping at the door Of the living room.
Hurrying out with muttered obiurga-
ms, Higgins saw Mrs. Fields.
The good woman was breathless. 81
st hurried back to say, Mr.. Higgins.
at Flou-fou has to have her rest
cry afternoon" she said 'aThe
AIDES have to be drawn; and when 90
e wakes up she'll want little water "a
d." =
'Bz-z-z-zz J" from Aunt Myrtle's bed
ON; and then sound as If all the
altered devils in hell had gone on
E rampage. TIE
IT'S Flou-foul A cats got ini"
Mrs. Field, and, despite Hig- ID
Is efforts to hold her, she darted NS
st him and was in Aunt Myrtle's
broom In a fash
'Bz-z-zz! Ee-e-e-eeI Yow-ow-ow
~ came from the room, and. min III
d with the sound of screeching and
whir Of flying feathers and the
fling Of the chain, came Mrs. Fields
rcing shrieks
ike man who goes to meet his A6
e, Higgins walked into the room.
uproar suddenly ceased, and the
? sounds now heard were the con-
sive sobs Of the housekeeper.
pom the perch, the chain about its
sat the new parrot that Higgins
bought, preening the bald places
.rR feathers had oooa haop UIo