The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1879-10-23
RANKIN BROTHERS.
A REMARKABLE PASSAGE IN THE HIS
TORY OF THE FIRM.

Harry Rankin was married. His
elder brother and senior partner, George
Rankin, now, for the first time, fully
realized the fact. True, he had that
very morning arrayed himself in un-
wonted tinery, had gone to church in
an uncvmmonly solemn frame of mind.
and assisted at the wedding. He had
even gone SO far rs to print brotherly
kiss upon the lips of the bride, as she
and Harry set out on their bridal tour.
Still he had not fully mast red the fact
that Harry Rankin was married until
now. He poked his fire into blaze
and planted his chair fairly in front of
it, by way of asserting his sole occu-
pancy of the hearth. Around him were
all the bachelors traps that he anf
Harry had accumulated during their
long joint tenancy of the room. He did
not inventory them in his mind-he did
not see them, for he was looking ut the
tirc--stil they were there, and he knew
they were there and tcl, their influence.
lie felt That the room would never be n
home again-nothing but It hermitage
This is worse than having tootl
drawn" said he to himself. 1t was
dull enough here with him, after he got
to prosing eternally about Eva, and
both ei ing me with his ground plans for
cottage houses. | thought should b,
glad when it would all be over, and !
should have heard the last of Eva and
double parlors and winding stairs, but
now that it is over and have heard tl,
last of it, don't seem to be very lively
The old den will never be itself again.
The firm of Rankin brothers is dissolved
so far as this place is concerned.
shall have to carry on this branch of the
establishment alone. | suppose | shall
get used to it after awhile, but just now
/ feel like II fellows left leg when the
surgeon carries off the right one in n
sack. l ought to write three or four
letters to night, but there's no use in my
trying to do anything. If | do | won't
accomplish as much us bluebottle fly
on wooden gods nose. ! shall have to
resort to opium, or chlOroform. or
Josephus, or something, to get to sleep
in this haunted chamber tonight"
With these cheerful reflections and
many others of the same sort, he whied
away the evening until about nine
o'clock. when the solitude became 80
oppressive that he sailed forth, stick in
hand, and walked by starlight until
about eleven O'clock, after which he
turned in and slept soundly.
The interesting event mentioned in the
above paragraphs did MT prevent the
senior member of the firm of Rankin
brothers from resuming his uniform
routine of habits and duties the next
morning. At precisely eight o'clock,
his long established breakfast hour, he
took his accustomed chair at the hotel
table, and was supplied with his i'm
memorial breakfast of toast, coffee and
medium boiled eggs.
The rustling of n lady's dress called
his attention from his breakfast TO the
opposite side of the table. There sal
his brothers bride.
"Why, Eva," said he, "you hereG
Did you miss the boat? Where's Harryp
"Sir!" said the lady, with stare oi
unutterable astonishment.
"How does it happen that you didn't
get off? You had ample time to reach
The boat. Did the carriage break down
on the way to the landings" said Mr.
Rankin. a little discomposed by the
amazed look of the lady, it is true, but
still confident that he was addressing
his brothers wife.
By this time the lady began to see the
true state ofthe case.
"You mistake me for some other per.
son." said she.
It was now Mr.. Rankin's turn to b'
amazed. The lady before him so eX
actly resembled his brothers bride il
every line of her face and figure. ever!
!. trick If countenance, lip and eye. tina
Z he felt more disposed to doubt her SAINT!
: than her identity. There was the same
: slight, 1.-THE figure, the same, smootl
brown hair, the self-same hazel eye, tn,
identical high, clear forehead and petite
spirituelle lower face;
" Can it be possible that l am mis-
taken?" said he. 81 took you for m,
brothers wife. The resemblance il
most extraordinary, and if there be an.
dissimilarity in your personal appear
ance and hers l cannot perceive it.
don't believe / should ever learn to dis
tinguish you. Your voice, even, is tn
very counterpart of hers"
An old gentleman, who was seated b.
the young lady, here took up the conver
sation.
my daughter" said he, "has beel
annoyed by the unusual degree of atteh
tion she has received since she cam
here last evening. Her every move
ment has been watched by several curl
Gus people. Probably the resemblance
Won speak of has deceived others as we
as yourself. May inquire the maide
name of the lady you speak oiP Such
remarkable resemblance could hardl,
exist in the absence OF any family rels
tionship."
1.-THE lady I referred to-" said MI