Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1874-04-17
For the vEaxoSr FARMER
The Twin Brothers:
DR. THE UNEXPECTED BLESSING
BY FRANKLIN q. GAGE.

Boast not myself Of tomorrow, for thou
knowest not what day may bring forth"
Henry Sterling laid down the telegram he
had just read, and repeated the words with
sigh. Only the morning previous he had
left his home for IA journey to Boston. He
had left home with no thought that death
would invade the home circle during his
brief absence. But now that he had arrived
i'll Boston he found dispatch awaiting him
with the intelligence that his twin brother
was dead. He had been killed by falling
iron building. Surely no man knoweth
what day may bring forth
Henry and Robert Sterling were twin
brothers They were born in quiet New
England village Their father was car
penter by trade, poor but upright man.
He had quite a family of children to support
aud educate. But by dint OF economy and
hard labor he succeeded in bringing them up
10 a creditable manner Robert and Henry
the twins, were bright, active boys. They
came up to be handsome, promising young
men. With common school education and
= will to labor, they commenced life with
nothing but their own hands. Henry chose
the mercantile profession and entered the
employ Of a merchant in his native place.
Robert preferred to learn some mechanical
trade, and he finally settled down to be a
carpenter. Both the brothers were econOm-
ical and temperate. They were steady at
their business. Under such circumstances
it is not strange that they prospered, and
each laid up something against the time
when they might have more need for it.
They were very much attached to each other,
and whenever one knew what was likely to
be Of advantage to the other, that was al
ways shared with him.
In his twenty.iith year Robert became
acquainted with two orphan sisters, Alice
and Clara Barclay. Their parents died
while they were young, and an uncle who
was III moderate circumstances took them
into his family, and gave them equal adVan.
tages with his own children. They were
beautiful. intelligent girls. Robert and
Alice were not long learning that they had
preference for each other. The preference
at last ripened into an affection that ended
in marriage. Robert hired place in hu
native village, and they settled down to mar.
ried life. They were happy and content,
After they had been married some months
Clara came from the distant town where Sd,
lived TO visit her sister. 1t was here tina
Henry first saw her. He was much prepos
sessed in her favor. His good opinion wa
strengthened as he saw her day after day
during the few weeks OF her visit. Whe
she returned home IL was with promise I
correspond with each other, The correspond
ence led to more serious thoughts, aud
transpIred that another year brought about
marriage between them, aud they commenc
ed married life in the same village, only
short distance from where Robert lived. S
il happened that the twin brothers marie
the two orphan sisters, and lived happily i
their quiet country homes.
For some years nothing occurred to ma
their happiness. They had enough to met
all their necessary wants and no serior
sickness entered either family. Robert ha
two children and Henry three, Duriu
these years, by uniting their money, III
brothers had purchased lot aud built the
house Here both dwelt contentedly und'