Year: 1871

Mrs Jones, however, amatron possessed o. some.
where near two hundred and fifty pounds of " too
solid flesh, who was there in behalf of her
daughter Betsy Ann, discounted the advances of
the old maid. Far from talking about embracing
opportunities, she put her arms around Virgins
neck and actually embraced him, in order no
doubt to show him what an uncommonlv good
thing he would have in that line when he was
" one flesh with Betsy Ann.


Were the rest of those women going TO see
anything of that kind going on and not have a
hand it? Not if they knew themselves-and they
thought about that time they did.


They went for Virgins en- mdSSe. They "came


like the waves come when nayies are stranded"
They hugged him from all sides, all at once, and
in every variety of style. Virgins wanted to
go home. He said he hadn't lost any women,
and didn't want to find one. He tried to get
out of the room. Just try to get out of a room
sometime with seventeen women hugging you
all at once, and you II find ont how it is Yourself


The probabilities are that Wiggins never would
have survived that occasion had not the dashinp
brunette accidentally pulled off the bewdering
blondes back hair while trying to get better
grip on Virgins. The aggrieved one retaliated,
the scullle became general and grew into a free
fight. In the melee that followed Virgins
" folded his tents like the Arab, and as silently
stole away and laying perdu in a neghbor-
ing building soon had the melancholy satisfaction
of seeing the combatants retire from the scene,
each one waving scalp in token of her prowess


Late that night tatigued but not disheartened,
Virgins sat alone in his office. There came
rap at the door, somewhat timidly he calculated,
4" come in y when the door softly opened and
rose-lippcd, hluc-cyed, brown-haired, and alto
gether one of the most lovely specimens of femi-
uinity he had ever seen, entered and stood blush.
ing in his presence,


Virgins was cnraptured. In her he at once
recognized the ideal woman whom he had so
often pictured to himself, but had never before
seen. She ON the other hand appeared to be
equally prepossessed with the appearance of
Wiggins. Itmust be acknowledged that Virgins
was very good looking man, which, however,
is always the case with people in any way con-
nected with newspapers


Timdy, yet gracefully, she told her story.
She was resident of the neighboring village of
Parksyille. She was an orphan, and lived with
an aunt who treated her harshly and made her
life unhappy in the extreme. She had long been
dcsirous of escaping from her dependent position,
and when she saw the advertisement in the Slug
rifle Banner, which paper circulated extensively
through PHrksyille, she beheld at last path
opening before her which promised her the hap
piness she had long desired.


More she said to the same effect, in a voice
winch fell like music on the ears of the delighted
Wiggins Why longer delay the announcement
which the sagacious reader must already perceive
is inevitable? Enough to say that Virgins felt
all his dreams Of happiness realized as he clasp
ed the charming creature to his bosom and re-
ceiyed from her lips the assurance that she had
long secretly known and loved him through the
medium of his writings.


There was marriage the next day, and since
that time Virgins has been the happiest Of men.
To crown his felicity, his wife not long since pre-
sen,cd him with twins, both boys aud the picture
of their proud and happy father. One of them
has been named Addison and the other Adhubal
in order, rs Wiggins says, that he may be con-
staniy reminded of the circumstance to which
he owes his good fortune, for he calls them his
little Ads.