Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-03-13
Gales and skelfbrs.
RANKIN BROTHERS.
fcontinncd from yesteraay. }

s'And father, said the young LADY. now
for the first time taking an animated part
in the conversation, and blushing and
stammering over her difficulty in calling
a strange gentleman father" IF you On
ly knew how kind he has been 70 me. yon
wouldn't blame me. even now that have
found my true father and mother. He has
spoiled me with his indulgence, as you
will find, am afraid, will try TO be
good daughter to you, and always call you
father If you please, sir. But won't
yot let me continue to call him papa, as
have done so many years ~
NV daughter said the Judge. with
emotion. II shall value you in proportion
10 your gratitude and affection for your
benefactor. If he has spoiled you with
indulgence. IA you say he has-and as
can easily believe from what ] know OF
him. though now we meet tor the first
time--it Is well that your sister was mar
ried and gone before you came, Tor u
would be inconvenient 10 have two spoiled
girls. two only daughters. in the same
family. Besides. If your sister had not
secured a husband before you came
don't believe she or you ever could nave
got one What man would ever be bold
enough, 10 make love to one OF two girls
that he couldn't tell apart don't see,
for my part. how he could possibly make
M his mind which he wanted
Mr.. Cummings and Mr.. Rankin took
dinner with Judge Noble. and his lady
and their newly found daughter that day.
Mr.. Rankin had never been violent adj
mirer of the lady whom his brother had
wooed and won and wed. He had re-
parsled her az n very nice girl and a very
suitable match for Harry. Further than
that he had never committed himself in his
own mind in her favor. Now that he was
seated by one whom he could not posi-
bly have distinguished from her had she
been there and similarly dressed. he be-
gan to be sensible of charms which had
quite escaped his attention before. In
fine, he went away from the dinner party
smitten man.
Il was agreed that Mrs Harry Rankin,
should not be informed Of the discovery
and return of her sister until she came
back from her bridal tour. and her moth
or undertook 10 communicate this ar
rangement to every person who would be
likely to correspond with her in the mean
time.
Mr.. George Rankin was a very frequent
visito. at Judge Mobiles house, where he
was so cordially welcomed that he soon
made bold to propose to Miss Ella. He
was frankly accepted by the young lady,
to the undisguised satisfaction of her pa
rents.
After some little dcmur on the part of
the young lady and her mother. II was ar
ranged that the wedding should come off
before the return of Harry and his bride,
which arrangement was duly carried out.
A bridal tour was ont of the question as
Mr.. Rankin could not leave hiS business
during his brothers absence. He and his
bride took furnished house and proceed
cd TO establish home forthwith.
When Harry and his bride returned.
they were received by Judge Noble and
his lady at their house. As soon ~ the
first rush Of questions and answers be-
tween mother and daughter had subsidized,
George and his bride appeared and the
latter was duly presented.
IIarry's establishment Mt finding his
brother married to fac similc of his own
wife. though very great. was not TO he
compared with the amazement of his
bride. She seemed To he confronted with
her own image in mirror. Ella. though
fully prepared for the interview. was al
so strangely impressed with this first
sight Of her sister. She seemed to see her
own features on another face. and to hear
her own voice from the lips of another.
To their husbands and parents the ex-
traordiuarv likeness of the two ladies was
astonishing and bcwildering. but to the
ladies themselves it was magical and al
most uncanny. II was at first hard for
either of them to regard her double other
wise than rs an appartion.
Harry was the first to speak. George"
said he. IL knew you trusted my taste
more than your own. but | really didn't
expect you To duplicate my wife"
at must--it must be Ella said Eva.
in suppressed tone, such as one involun-
tarily adopts when overwhelmed with
astonishment. "Wherc-where was she
found?"
When the whole story had been duly
told to the new-arrived. the sisters wen;
up to Eva's old room and there made
such changes in their toilets rs destroyed
their previous identity. They then pre-
scented themselves before their husbands
and required them each to make no mis-
takes
Rankin 4 Brothers were obliged to sur
render at discretion and confess that they
could not recognize their own wives.
Since then the ladies have been careful
to dress so differently that their husbands
and other members of the families should
be able to distinguish them. but their Won
derfnl likeness still causes perplexity in
theta large circle Of acquaintances.
Maine News.
Hop Bitters. which are advertised in our
columns. are sure cure for aguc. bilious
~.~l H.. A -.