Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-06-21

"Tske her," he said with emotion; "and
may God prosper you! We will have the
most important thing first, and dinner after
ward: The guests are already getting impati.
ent"
I glanced at Alice's dress. 1t was bridal
white; and her besutiful hair was crowned
With wreath Of orange blossoms.
The sight. gave me tremor. / felt weak
and faint. My pailOr must have alarmed
Alice; for she clutched my arm wildly, and
gazcd into my face with painful anxiety
What is it, Richard? Are you illf Mer.
ciful heaven. Helen, look at him He is ill ~
at is nOthing-nething :" gasped, ''only
1 cannOt-cannOt marry you -"
ooh! heayen!P cried Alice, in horrifed
dismay; and seeing she was about to fall,
flung my arm around her for support. At this
moment the hall door was opened, and turn
ing to the sound, I saw, with my own eyes,
my second self enter the room! My exact
counterpart. Richard Smith, No. 2.
His fierce eyes took in the scene at one
sweeping glance. He rushed toward me with
a wild ejaculation, and, tearing the half.faint-
ing Alice from nay arms, he planted his firm
grasp upon my threat. 1 put my hand upon
the same locality of his body.
"What are you boing?" he thundered in
"what arc you doing ?'' 1 thundersd in
response. ..-....
''Your life shall pay the fOrfeit!' he ex-
claimed, with mad violence. The man who
has dared to win Alice HerefOrd's love shall
die :" r.... -s
"Gentlemen''-interrup the sweet voice
| of her whom they called Helen-"bs patient !;
there is some mistake. Which of you is named
| Richard Smith % .--
Il am,' replied I.
Il ami replied my counterpart. -
'.But which Of you is Richard Smith-the
son Of Archibald Smith 2" .....
Il am, said my second self.
"And | am not, said /; "my fathers name
| was Robert"
Helen looked at me a moment, half in doubt,
| evidently, how to treat me after what had oc-
| Cured Finally she held out her hand.
II beg your pardon, Mr.. Smith; it was all
a careless mistake Of my own. Can you for
| give me2n
thought Of the kisses she had given me,
| and wished the same mistake might be made
over again, though | was wise enough not to
| make known my wish.
Let me explain" she continued, frankly.
"He were expecting my brother Richard
homo from the South, where he has been some
1 four or five months past; aud We were quite
| sure that he would arrive on the train which
I brOught you; he has been some years engaged to
I Miss Hereford, and the marriage ceremony
was 70 take place Immediately on his arrival
l / went down to the depot to welcome him. and
Il
pec1iye personal Appearances, I mistook a
| stranger Tor my brother. That is all. Brother
\ Richard, Mr.. Smith is entirely blameless of
4 any wrong. We gave him no time for expla-
nations. Let me present you to each other as
I friends :"
BY counterpart shook hands with me, and
begged my pardon for dislocatin my neck-tie
l granted it, and begged his pardon for COM
\ mitting like depreciation on his neck-tie.
And then, at sign from the elderly gentle
man, we all walked into the drawing room,
! where in a brief space of time, my counter
4 part was made the husband Of his bIushing
4 Alice s r..... --
The acquaintance so singularly begun with
i the Smith family sOOA ripened into friendship,
\ and became one Of the most precious Of life q
blessings to me.
1 Helen Smith had kissed me, and she could
1 not forget il. If a man can get q woman to
think Of hint hardly matters in what way
I-he has claim on her; and so it was in my
case. | believe that never met Helen but
| she blushed ut the memory that stole over her
4 Three months after our first meeting, she
kissed me again, and called me ''Dear Rich
! ard" And this time she was we'll aware thai
4 she was net addressing her brother.
Il Is IL a fortunate or an unfortunate thing, tC
have a counterpart? When / think Of the
boarding house keeper, / say, -"No ~ bu
7 when look on Helen and recall the circum
stances ef our introduction, am accustomed
TO answer, eyes" - -