Evening star., 1928-12-31

American writer Of stories, including. Twice
Told Tales The Wonder Book" THE
Tanglewood Tales" etc.
A ycung fellow, a tobacco peddler by
! trade, was on his way from Morristown
J to the village of Parkers Falls. on Sal
mon River. After an early breakfast
/ the peddler. whose name was Domirl-
Gus Pike, had travelled seven miles
through a solitary piece of woods, With
/ out speaking a word to anybody but
himself and his little gray mare. 1t
being nearly O'Clock, he was as eager
J to hold morning gossip as city shop
! keeper to read the morning paper.
( A man came over the brow OF the
hill with a bundle over his shoulder
on the end of a stick. He looked as
though he had been afoot all night and
meant to keep it up all day. DominicuS
asked him for news. The stranger
/ finally whispered in the ear of the
peddler:
.'Old Mr.. Higginbotham Of Kimball-
ton was murdered In his orchard at
o'clock last night by two men. They
strung him up to branch OF st.
Michael's pear tree, where nobody would
find him till the morning"
+ The stranger then Immediately went
on his way. This was news, indeed, and
Dominicus recognized in it elements of
truth, for he had often sold tobacco to
Mr. Higginbotham, and he knew that
the OLD man had an orchard, that he
was in the habit of arriving home at 8
o'clock each night that he always
passed through it and that the orchard
contained ST. Michaels pear tree.
The story therefore must be true. So
Donlinicus went on his way, telling the
tale to every one he met.
However, Dominicus Pike came to the
conclusion that the stranger must have
made mistake in the time. Since, so
early the same morning, miles from the
scene of the crime, the relatives Of Mr..
Higginbotham may not yet have disz
covered the body, surely no one else
could know of the catastrophe. It
must have been the night before last
that Mr.. Higginbotham was murdered
and yesterday morning that the deed
had been discovered.
Yet, though he came closer and
closer to ParkerS Falls and to Kimball-
ton, Dominicus could find no corrobora-
ton for his story. To every one he met
It was news and he gloried in his abil-
ity to impart so startling tale for the
first time along the countryside.
In Parkers Falls it created a sensa-
ton. Mr.. Higginbotham was we'll
known there and property owner, too.
The Parkers Falls Gazette brought out
a special edition a day ahead of time,
IN large type, emphasized with the
heading: 'Horrid Murder Of Mr.. Hig-
ginbotham!" Among other dreadful de-
tails the printed account described the
mark Of the cord around the dead
mans neck and stated the number of
dollars of which he had been robbed.
There was much pathos also about the
aflictfon OF Mr.. Higginbotham's niece
who had gone from one fainting fit into
another ever since her uncle was found
hanging on the st. MichaePs pear tree
with his pockets inside out.
The village poet likewise commemo-
rated the young lady's grief in II
Stanzas Of ballad. The Selectmen held
o meeting and in consideration of Mr..
6lgglnbotham's claims upon the town.
determined to issue handbills Offering a
reward OF $500 for the apprehension of
his murderers and the recovery of the
stolen property.
Dominicus Pike was the great man of
tne moment. He was known and hon.
ored Tor spreading the dreadful news of
Mr.. Higglnbotham'S catastrophe. The
populace OF Parkers Falls buzzed over
him and about the news for hours.
Tne sudden arrival of a coach from
hlmpauton heated the interest to fever
pitch. Now the whole story would be
learned. But the crowd was hushed,
and not a little disappointed, to learn
that the two passengers were the at
4 torney of Mr.. Higginbotham, who de-
MED the story of any murder, and Mr.,
Algglnootham's niece, who said:
This strange story is quite unfound-
co as 70 my uncle and to myself. Mr..
Higglnbotham has the kindness to give
me home in his house, and I left
klmballton this morning to spend the
vacation OF commencement week with
friend about five miles from Parkers
Falls. My generous uncle, when he
heard me on the stairs, called me to his
bedside and gave me $3.50 to pay nv
stage fare and another dollar for nv
extra expenses. He then laid his pock-
etbook under his pillow, shook hands
with me and advised me to take some
biscuit IN my bag instead of breakfast
ing on the road. feel confident, there
fore, that I left my beloved relative
alive and trust that shall find him so
! on my return"
A stranger would have supposed that
Mr.. Higginbotham was an object of
adherence at ParkerS Falls, and that
thanksgiving had been proclaimed for
his murder, so excessive was the wrath
OF the Inhabitants on learning their
mistake. The millmen resolved to be-
stow public honors on Dominicus Pike
only hesitating whether to tar ant
feather him. ride him on a rail or re-
fresh him with an ablution at the town
pump.
Only the eloquent appeal OF the
pretty niece Of Mr.. Higginbotham saved
Dominicus from some awful fate. He
left town hastily, the target of many
balls Of mud flung by the eager younger
generation. He meant to go to Kim.
ballton and see for himself whether ol
not Mr.. Higginbotham's corpse was
hanging to the ST. Rich S pear tree
in his orchard!
Dominicus rca, pot at Just
8 o'clock in tn Dominicus
knew the place, ana t.. little mare
stopped short by instinct. He knew he
could not get hy the gate unless he in