'ji'.ji ;;!r'HiiniNi:iiii!iiliiiiiijiiininillj'
t.J I r I. U
VOL. XV.
NEW BLOOMFIELD, TUESDAY, JUNE 14, 1881.
NO. 21.
THE TIMES.
An Independent Family Newspaper,
IS PUBLISniDaVBUY TUK8DAT BT
F. MORTIMER & CO.
TE11MS t
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from the above terms will be made If payment Is
made la advance.
' Advertising ratal furnished upon appllca
Hon.
Miss Higgin's Man.
FOR thirty years Miss Higglus bud
looked under the bed every night
and had never found a man there, yet
-still she looked. Whether it was fear
that impelled that deathlike research or
a fatality that was beckoning her to her
fate, I know not. It would Seem, how
ever, to be the former, for she had often
been heard to observe ; " That of all the
abominations on earth, a man was the
most abominable."
Indeed, at the informal tea drinking
of the allied forces of Chestervllle, the
three Misses Wheeler and the two Misses
Jones, she had often excelled them all
in the withering tone with which she
would repeat :" Man 1 man I" and no
one could breathe greater, defiance at
this foeman than she. It was at one of
these tea parties that they had entered
into a solemn compact that, in the event
of Woman's Rights giving either of
these allies sovereign power over the
nation, an Eastern law was to be by
them imparted and improved, and hus
bands burned with the dead bodies of
their wives.
As Eunice Hlgglns well remarked :
" That would put an end to widowers
pretty lively." And with this remark
the Hyson flowed, and the wassail went
on with Buch a spirit that, Aurelia
Wilder, the most radical, added another
clause: "That the children of widowers
should be thrown in too, and not be a
botherin' other women." This was
also well received.
Now if any one thinks that Miss
Eunice Hlggins was a woman devoid of
virtues and womanly graces, I pity
them they are so- utterly mistaken.
She had assisted a drunken father
through the world, till he made his
exit sustained and supported a feeble
mother and three or four children
older but more helpless than she, till the
mother went home to her reward, and
the children had found flourishing
homes for themselves, with the excep
tion of the oldest son, who had followed
his father's foot steps, literally. Indeed,
when one contemplates the specimens
of manhood she had been most familiar
with, her aversion to the sex does not
eeem so wonderful. She was not shrew
eyed, but good and kindly looking. No
home was brighter ,than hers. No farm
better managed.
The night on which, commences my
humble history, Miss Higgins went to
her room in unusual good humor. She
had had a tea party. The allies had all
been present, and admitted unanimously
that such fragrant tea, such snowy
biscuits and honey, such golden butter,
such cakes and sweetmeats had not been
partaken of that season. The scene of
her benign victory rose before her as she
took off the little switch of hair at the
back of her head, and pensively rolled it
up ere she put it in the top bureau
drawer.
She saw agalri the sinking sun shin
ing in, through her house plants in the
window, upon the crimson drugget of
the dining room ; the snowy tea table
with its silver and pink sprigged china ;
the admiring faces of her friends as they
partook of her delicious food. But one
memory disquieted her. " She almost
mistrusted her lemon extract was losing
its strength the frosting on the fruit
cake didn't seem to be flavored quite
nough." But this haunting manner
was softened by the thought that " she
could get a new bottle to-morrow."
By this time she was arrayed in her
long white night dress and night cap.
She folded up every article of clothing,
and laid it down at right angles, she
looked up at her breastpin, and then
Impelled by fate she calmly advanced to
the side of the bed, and raised the suowy
valances gave one shriek, and fell back
on the carpet, hitting her head a she
did so on a chair rocker. There was her
man under the bed.
Miss Hlgglns had often fancied how
she would awe such a robber, such a
burglar, with her fearless and searching
glances; how she would defend her
property with her life. Let us not be
too hard with her she Is not the only
one of us who has found that It Is more
easy to dream of great achievements
than to accomplish them. She is not
the only one who, at the first shock,
has shrieked and tumbled down before
adverse fate.
But Eunice Higgins was not the one
to wither away before a calamity. Not
long did she lie there; but as short a
time as it was, when she lifted her head
her man confronted her. He was a very
small mau, Indeed, not more than seven
years old, and Binall at that, very good
looking and well clothed, although ex
ceedingly dishevelled and uncomfortable
iu appearance.
"How came you here, uuder my
bed?"
This was the first question, but It was
repeated before he answered, with droop
ing head aud glances :
" I've ruuned away."
" Run away from where ?"
" From our folks."
"Who is your folks?"
"Father."
Here the dialoguo terminated sudden
ly. Eunice Hlgglns becoming suddenly
conscious that a night gown and night
cap was not the proper raiment in
which to entertain even so small a man.
Out iu the pleasant sitting room, be
neath the warm light of kerosene gleam
ing through rose geraniums, aud the
keener light of Eunice Higgins' eyes,
the lnqlusitiou was continued. From
which these facts were gleaned : That
the boy, Johnny Dale, had been so tried
with his father, because he wouldn't let
him go to a circus, that he had run
away. It was early in the morning, he
suld, and he had got a ride with a team
ster, and had rode with him till after
noon, so he must have come some
distance. After the teamster had stop
ped he had walked on, and coming to
her door in the twilight, he thought he
would ask her for supper, but there was
no one in; Miss Higgins had gone "a
piece" with her visitors. But the tea
table stood there, laden with good
things ; he had helped himself gener
ously, and then, as he heard her step
suddenly outside, guilt, which makes
cowards of us all, drove him into the
bedroom, and, as the step came nearer
and nearer, under the bed. His unusual
fatigue had overpowered him, and he
bad fallen asleep, and was awakened
only by her scream as she discovered
him.
Miss Higgins had found the man she
had been looking for for thirty years,
but now the question arose, what was
she to do with him ? As he had no
designs upon her property or her life,
she could not lecture him therefor. And
as his courage arose, he displayed a
pretty a very pretty face, surmounted
by a mass of white curls, in which shone
two hen's feathers. Miss Higgins was
very neat, but where Is the feathered
bed that will not occasionally shed a
few tears, dry tears happily falling over
memories of former nights ?
Miss Higgins' good sense, backed by
her good heart, taught her that what
her man needed now was a good supper
and a bed. But in the morning the
question agaiu vexed her. What was
Bhe to do with her man should she
advertise him? Again she questioned
him in the sun lighted dining room at
his excellent breakfast. i
"Whereabouts do your folks live in
what place V"
He looked up mildly at her, with a
large piece of peach pie midway between
his plate and his mouth, and answered
obediently :
"Our folks' house."
" Who Is your folks?"
"Father."
The allies were called In ; the stlflly.
starched inquest sat on Miss Higgins'
man. The additional result of their
over-questioning being that the father
of Mlsa Hlgglns' man belonged to that
corrupt and shameless sect widowers.
Miss Hlgglns trembled.
" Had she not better dispose of her
man at once? Was it not partly en
couraging widowers in their nefarious
dolngB, to harbor these small men ?"
She asked these questions with some
relenting of heart, for already had the
childish charms of her mau been upon
her, and it was with great relief that she
heard the decision of Aurella, the most
radical of the allies.
"No! keep him here. Such a chance
was seldom vouchsafed to the allies to
teach one of these men widowers a
lesson they would not soon forget.
Punish that wretch, that unnnturnl
widower, by saying nothing about the
child. Let him think he was lost; let
him hunt him up the best way he
can."
The younger Miss Jones she was
only forty aud naturally timid and
apprehensive suggested that "it would
be just like one of these men to come
right here to Miss Higgins' after him.
There wasn't anything they hadn't the
fucetodo. It would be just like one of
'em to walk into her slttin'-room."
Here Miss Higgins remarked with
spirit: " She would like to see him walk
into her house. He wouldn't stir a step
beyond the hall, and as for that stair
carpet she was going to take it up and
cleanse it anyway."
This remark, which was warmly ap.
plauded, terminated the conference.
Johnny did not seem averse to the
arrangement. He was at the age when
bodily comfort overshadows the mental.
He appeared to have a great deal of
aflection for his father, but there was a
Sarah Ann at the very mention of
whose name he almost gnashed his
teeth. "She was awful, she had shaken
him, pinched him and pulled his hair."
Eunice Higgins' warm heart almost
melted within her at the recital of his
sufferings.
A week passed away, and dally had
Miss Higgins' man gained upon her
affections. She was the youngest child
of her parents, and had never know the
delights of childish society. She had
dwelt so long alone, that to have that
bright, manly little face opposite hers
at the breakfast table, looking out of the
window, hailing her return from her
short absence, his merry, innocent prat
tle and ringing laugh, were all more
agreeable to her than she would be.
willing to acknowledge.
She grew lenient to the boyish nerve
of her man, for the best of boys have
unregulated moments; looked benlg
nantly at him as be capered in the
garden paths in startling proximity to
her marrowfats and cluster cucumbers.
She ravelled out a long stocking, aud out
of one of her second best Morocco shoes
made a ball for him ; and when be lost
it in her best meadow, she herself boldly
breasted the clover waves, side by side
with him in pursuit of it.
Bo that beautiful week passed away,
aud one morning Eunice Hlgglns was
called from her snowy dairy rooms by a
ring at the front door.
Opening it, she confronted a pleasant
looking man of about her own age.
Woman's unerring intuition said to her,
"That Is he." Here was the oppor
tunity to wither him with her glances.
But how could she when he looked so
much like Johnny, just such a pleasant,
manly look to his face. Eunice did not
wither him.
"I have been informed, Madam, that
there has been a boy, a runaway boy,
here is it so?"
Instead of the prussio acid and vinegar
that she had designed to have in her
tone, the likeness to her man so softened
her voice, that it was only pleasantly
acidulous like a ripe lemon, as she re
plied, "Yes, sir, it is."
"Is he here now ?"
" Yes, sir, he is."
His anxious eyes so brightened at this
that she entirely forgot her carpets and
her eumity, and actually invited him
in.
No sooner was he seated that Johnny
ran in with eager eyes.
"Father! Father!"
He threw bis arms around his father's
neck aud kissed his bearded lip, and
then, in his delight, he turned and
threw his arms around Eunice Hlgglns'
neck, and kissed her with the same pair
of lips, and still Miss Higgins could
say, In the dying words of the great
statesman:
"I still live I"
Mr. Dale was a man of means and
leisure. He thought the air of the town
exceedingly good. He obtained board
for the summer, for himself and son, at
the little hotel. But in all Chestervllle,
no air was so salubrious, he thought, as
the air of Miss Eunice Higgins' parlor,
consequently he sought that healthful
retreat often, Johnny going before like
an olive branch.
Day after day did Mr. Dale tread over
the immaculate purity of her carpets,
and they were not taken up and
cleansed. Hour after hour did he sit
upon her parlor sofa, and it was not
purified with soapsuds or benzine.
And at last, one peaceful twilight, it
was on the 14th of September, at the
close of a long con versation both of the
parties being, at the time, of sound
mind Johnny's father kissed Miss Hlg
glns upon her cheek.
When I say that she did not immedi
ately burn out the spot with lunar
caustic, you may be prepared for the
result which followed.
The next week Eunice Dale, late Hig
glus, was ignominously expelled from
the allied forces of Chesterfield; her
name washed out in hot streams of
Hyson, and still more burning indigna
tion. But Eunice made a happy home
for her man and his father, and rejoic
ing in their content and her own, she
wisted not of the "allied" proceedings.
And thus eudeth the story of Miss Hig
gins' Man.
A Small Boy's Pluck.
THE boy marched straight up to tho
counter.
" Well my little man," said the mer
chant, complacently he had just
risen from such a gloriously good din
ner "what will you have to-day ?"
" Oh, please, sir, mayn't I do some
work for you ?"
It might have been the pleasant blue
eyes that did it, for the man was not ac
customed to parley with such small gen
tlemen, and Tommy wasn't seven yet,
and smali of his age at that. There
were a few wisps of hair on the edges of
the merchant's temple, and, looking
down on the appealing face, the man
pulled at them. When he had done
tweaking at them, he gave the ends of
his cravat a brush, and then his hands
traveled down to his ve3t pocket.
" Do some work for me, eh ? Well,
now, about what sort of work might
your small manshlp calculate to be able
to perform ? Why you can't look over
the counter."
"Oh, yes, I can, and I'm growing,
please, growing very fast there I see if
I can't look over the counter."
" Yes, by standing on your toes. Are
they coppered ?"
" What, sir ?"
" Why, your toes. Your mother
couldn't keep you in shoes, if they were
not."
" She can't keep me in shoes anyhow,
sir," and the voice hesitated.
The man took pains to look over the
counter. It was too much for him ; he
couldn't see the little toes. Then he
went all the way round.
" I thought I should need a mlcrco
scope," he said, very gravely, " but I
reckon if I get close enough I can see
what you look like."
"I'm older thad I'm big sir," was the
neat rejoinder. "Folks say I'm very
small of my age."
" And what might your age be, sir?"
responded the man,' with emphasis.
"I'm almost seven," said Tommy,
with a look calculated to impress even
five feet nine. "You see, my mother
hasn't anybody but me, and this morn
ing I saw her crying because she could
not find five cents In her pocketbook,
and she thinks the boy that took the
ashes stole it and I . havn't had any
any breakfast, sir."
The voice hesitated again and tears
came to the blue eyes.
"I reckon I can help you to a break
fast, my little fellow," said the man,
feeling in his vest pocket. " There, will
that quarter do ?"
The boy shook his head, " Mother
wouldn't let me beg, sir," was his sim
ple reply.
"Humph I" Where's your father?"
" We never heard of him, sir, after
he went away. He was lost, sir, in the
steamer." ' ,
"Ah I you don't say I That's bad.
But you are a plucky little fellow any-.
how. Let me see," and the merchant
puckered up his mouth, and looked
straight down into the boy's eyes, which
were looking stialght up into his.
"Saunders," he asked addressing a
clerk, who was rolling up and writing
on parcels, "Is Cash No. 4 still sick ?"
" Dead, sir ; died last night," was the
low reply.
" Ah! I'm sorry to hear that. Well,
here's a youngster that can take his
place."
Mr. Saunders looked up slowly then
he put his pen behind his left ear then .
his glance traveled curiously from Tom
my to Mr; Towers.
"Oh, I understand," said the latter;
"yes, he is small, very small Indeed,
but I like his pluck. What did No. 4
Eet ?"
" Three dollars, sir," said the still
astonished clerk.
"Put this boy down four. There,
youngster, give him your name,and run
1 1 A 1 1 i 1 . 1 1 ,
uuluu unu leu your motner inai you ve
got a place at four dollars a week. Come
back on Monday, and I'll tell you what
to do. Here's a dollar in advance ; I'll
take it out of your first week. Can you
remember ?"
" Work, sir ? Work all the time?"
" As long as you deserve it,my man."
Tommy shot out of that shop. If
ever broken stairs, that had a twist
through the whole flight creaked and
trembled under the weight of a small
boy, or perhaps, as might be better
stated, laughed and chuckled on account
of a small boy's good luck, those in that
tenement house enjoyed themselves that
morning.
"I've got It, mother! I'm took! I'm
cash boy ! Don't you know wheu they
take the parcels the clerks call Cash ?'
Well, I'm that! Four dollars a week,
and the man said I had real pluck cour
age you know. And here's a dollar for
breakfast; and don't you never cry
again, for I'm the man of the house
now !"
The Tiouse was only a little ten by
fifteen room, but how those blue eyes
did magnify it! At first the mother
looked confounded; then she looked
faint, and then she looked well, it
passes my power to tell how she did
look, as she caught the boy in her arms
and hugged and kissed him, the tears
streaming down her cheeks. But they
were tears of thankfulness now.
Selling Penn's Estate.
The last of the line of William Penn,
bearing his name, being dead, according
to the authorities on the subject, the
agents of the property in Philadelphia
have been gradually settling up the
estate, until now there is very little left.
Four lots in Sunbury Manor, the only
large proprietary tract remaining; four
more small tracts In Luzerne county,
one of which is given up as lost through
a long standing squatter's title, and a
few irredeemable ground rents on im
proved property la Philadelphia the
largest, one a $300 a year, on the square
on the north side of Race street, between
Twenty-first and Twenty-second streets
constitute the only remaining portion
of an estate which once included the
whole of Pennsylvania and what ia now
the State of Delaware. The property
never brought much income to the
Penns even in its palmiest days, and
William Penn himself, as all acquainted
with his history are aware, was impris
oned for his debt upon his return to
Eugland. What Is now the State of
Pennsylvania was part of a grant to
William Penn by Charles II., ostensibly
in consideration of the services to tho
Crown of Admiral Penn, his father, but
really in consideration of large sums of
money owed him. Two beaver skius a
year were required as a rent and the
receipts for these skins by officers of the
household at Windsor Castle up to - the
time of the Revolution can be seen now
at the rooms of the Pennsylvania His
torical Society.
0lt is a grander thing to win a soul
for Christ than It would be to launch a
new star into space, for when all the
stars are dim the soul will shine on, re
flecting the glory which comes from the
countenance of God.
t3T Virtue itself offends when coupled
with forbidding manners.
KJ-They who forgive most shall be
moat forgiven.