Mr. Higginbotham's Catastrophe

Every day along his sales route Dominicus Pike passes on important news of the day. One day he hears about a catastrophe that befalls the esteemed Mr. Higgenbotham, so he relays that startling news immediately. But his story doesn’t add up as further details emerge. Was Dominicus relaying news or just telling a tale? Find out by reading Nathaniel Hawthorne’s most charming story, its charms magnified via fabulous pen and ink drawings by Marc Johnson-Pencook.