The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1879-08-07
THOSE PRECIOUS TWINS.


woman in the ladies room. 80 she asked
Mr. Miller 70 bold the children for a
minute while she ran out 10 get it.
Just as she reached the waiting-room
the train started
Miller did entertain . faint hope that
she migh',have jumped into the guard S
carriage; but no; she did not appear
and he began the journey in a condition
Of frenzy. with baby upon each knee.
To add to the horror of the situation.
be remembered that the nursing bot
ties and the other appurtenances were
in that very sa,chsl Mrs Miller went to
get.
For a while tho babies were good.
The passengers eyed him little, aud
hs had an unpleasant feeling that be
was possibly regarded as kidnapper:
but he bore mp under it bravely.
AhsxA>~rs't.y''' mnss ods. ohs . Of the
twins began TO cry.
Trying 70 soothe him Miller let Poly
carp. the other baby, tip over so that it
was Necessary TO catch snide1ly at him
and bring him up with jerk.
This set Polycarp crying. and Miller
kept both knees going IL ar effort TO
quiet them.
But the harder Miller joltei the
louder the twins cried.
He felt Is if he would like 10 sing
TO them. but he Was ashamed to do so
befois the passengers.
So he gave Polyc.rp his watch to
play with.
That quie,ed Polycarp.
But Ivanhos clutched at the watch,
aud organized q contest with POlycarp
over it.
This induced Polycarp TO tune up,
and the consequence was that between
them the watch dropped on the floor.
While STOPPING over to pick it up.
Miller let lvsnhoe drop 50 that he
bumped bis nose against the arm Of the
seat.
Ivanhoe lifted up bi, voice and wept.
and Polycarp gave equally vio!ent
expression TO his emotion.
Mill felt r,ain they were hungry.
bu; T., u, ahs net moral of fool IN
IL" tf"in 'Ao"pi S'rg'inui-, aud he
k",w tLey a,uA st tt. tables stom.
acli- at.e
Besides. they hid nn teeth
Miller had huff ~ notion reckl, SLY
to cram them full nf the fac cut tobacco
he lad III hi. ,,oo ke:. and 10 steel his
h"a I Ia take tie consequences. But
ju~t thea the tain suddenly stopped.
Puttrg the babir- on the seat, lie
rushri cut AID Donght two slices OF pie,
the only Wand for Sd c. and then rushed
back with it,
Polycarp WAS on the floor head down
wards, and Ivanhoe had swallowed
three inches Of q shawl strap.
He Strengthened them out. and stuffed
them with pie until their eyes bulged
out.
1t WAS effective for a while. but pref
~ soon they began to cry with the
stomach ache, and in q few moments
both OF them were sick.
Miller began to feel that death would
be welcome relief from all this woe.
He began to wish that he had re-
maiEed single. But there was nothing
but to stand it.
When night came Miller put the ba-
bies, grimy with dust and smeary with
pie. into the berth with him.
They cried all night. and the stmos-
phers of the carriage WAS heavy with
improper sdjec,ives hurled at Miller
and the twins by the sleepless and ex
cited passengers.
In the morning, as they glided into
Pittsbure. Miller found that Polycsrp
had got turned around and bad been
lying on the top Of Ivanlioe, kicking
his heels into IvSnhoe's face during
most of the night.
Whom he shoulSered the twins and
walked out into the station Re felt Is if
he looked like a tramp.
He didn't dare to 60 to hotel lest
be should miss Mrs. Miller. who would
be certain to come III the next train, so
he sat down in the recn 10 wait for
her
A crowd began to gather around him
and to watch him with curiosity; and a
policeman, who was about to collar him
and run him in. WAS restrained only by
Q rehearsal Of his sad story.
Mr.. Miller waited there eight hours.
feeling certain that the twins would be
dead by the time their mother arrived.
He was utterly miserable, and he
knew she would be nearly frantic.
A train entered the station.
A moment later in walked Mrs. Mil
Ter. bright and smiling.
She said
why, John. what's the matter ]!
Amt you well!'
Amt wellI'
The babies, too. they look awfully.
What on earth have you been doing TO
them ?"
Doing to them replied John. get
ting angry.
why, you havent taken bit Of care
Of them, l declare" said Mrs. Miller.
beginning to cry. "Tll never trust
you with the dear little darlings again. y
Miller rose.
He planted Polycarp firmly in one
seat, he soused Ivanhoe down in the
other.
Turning to Mrs. Miller. with . tragic
Air. he waived his hand and said
There madam, are your little dsr-
lings. your internal little darlings
Tsks::csrelof them yourself" D."
Then he pulled bis hat over his eyes
and walked grandly out. resolved to
commit suicide on the spot.
But he didn't-he returned in half an
hour, and took the family to . hotel
bu. he has registered VOW never to