Nathaniel Hawthorne’s "Mr. Higginbotham’s Catastrophe" - An Essay

A rumor can outrun a man’s own footsteps, yet it’s the living breath of truth that finally catches up. I read  Nathaniel Hawthorne ’s “ Mr. Higginbotham’s Catastrophe ” this morning.  And though it isn’t one of the stories folks usually brag about reading, it’s got a certain hometown flavor to it, the kind of tale you might hear from an older neighbor leaning against his truck in the driveway, telling you a story he swears is true even though the details keep sliding around on him.