Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1875-02-12
A. SLIGHT MISTAKE.

My brother and / are twins. There
can be no mistake about that, for our
likeness to each other is so great that it
is positively unpleasant to our friends
and ourselves. The celebrated COrsican
brothers were not more alike than we
are; that is, as far as personal appear
ance goes; beyond that Jim and | are
utterly dissimilar. For instance: | am
fond of trade, jim hates it; have q
great dislike to horse-racing, Jim dotes
upon what he pleases to call "The Turf. !"
/ avoid danger to such an extent that |
have heard some uncharitable people
call my caution cowardice; now, nothing
pleases my brother better than running
risks; | am quiet and peaceable to a
fault, while Jim is always up to mischief
and constantly in hot water; in word,
two creatures more alike in features and
unlike in character never existed.
How | did it | cannot tell, but by
some means managed to offend big,
hulking fellow, whom | recognized as
the owner of a butchers shop exactly
facing my establishment. / tried all [
could to soothe the monster, but he
glared at me like an ogre and made such
very strong remarks. that l thought it
better to keep silent, hoping thereby to
let the storm blow over. Vain hope!
The butcher, being unable to speak to me
in consequence of my silence, vented his
malice by speaking at me. He COM
planned about tradesmen opening new
shops in opposition to the old ones; de-
Clared that he had been made quite sick
by some bad butter he had seen that day;
hoped, when the Inspector of Weights
and Measures visited the neighborhood,
that he would look after some shop
keepers in particular for he, Mr.. Grote,
had watched one fellow tampering with
his weights and scales all day.
L knew he meant me, for | certainly
had amused myself in the intervals of
serving nay customers by polishing up my
scales and weights, and as saw by their
looks that the company knew that the
wretch intended me / had no help for it
but to reply.
"Sir," said |, in the most conciliatory
manner possible, &" am exceedingly sor-
ry that should have unwittingly offended
you, as 1t appears | have done, but can
not fail to see that your observations are
evidently intended for me-"
." II the cap fits you may wear it,"
grinned the brute. u shan't- mention
names to give anyone the opportunity of
getting the law of me; amt so green" "
The cap does not fit," / replied, " for
/ beg to say that my butter is excellent,
my scales. just, and that. all your accusa-
tions are entirely false.n
With a howl of rage the brute sprang
from his seat and dashed his pipe in my
face. Luckily two of his companions
seized him so that / was able to make
my escape from the room; but as / fled
/ could hear him vociferating, "Come
on, you coward-let me go-yah! you
curw and so on, until ! had left the
house.
From that moment my life was full OF
misery. That horrid wretch, Grote
would not let me alone; he teased me
morning, noon and night, until | became
the laughing-stock of the neighborhood
and consequently my trade fell off unit
ruin seemed to stare me in the face. MY
neighbors avoided me as if | had the
plague and some even went so far as tx
Join the butcher in annoying me, so tha
at last became too frightened to go ou
and passed my evenings in the little par
lor behind my shop making up my books
One night whilst was SO engaged {
rlng came at the bell. i opened the door
ana man clad ia long cloak, the col
lar el which was turned up so as TO con
ceal the lace, rushed into the passage, {
preceeolng no sooner remarked than
lmmedlately prepared to rush cut int
the street, for I cannot hear burplars
but before l could execute NV nurnos,
the fellow caught me by the shoulder