Daily Kennebec journal., 1880-03-11
Gales allo skettbes.
RANKIN BROTHERS.

Harry Rankin was married. His elder
brother and senior partner, George Ran
kin, now, for the first time. fully realized
the fact. True. he had that very morning
arrayed himself in unwonted finery. had
gone 10 church in an uBconmonly solemn
frame Of mind. and assisted at the we'd
ding. He had even gone 30 far as TO print
brotherly kiss upon the lips OF the BRIDE;
~ she and Harry set out on their bridal
tour. Still he had not fully mastered the
fact that Rankin was married until now:
He poked his fire into a blaze and planted
his chair Ialrly In front Of it. by way OF
asserting his sole occupancy Of the hearth.
Around him lwere all the bachelor traps
that he and Harry had accumulated dur
ing their long joint tenancy Of the room.
fie did not inventory them in bis mind
he did not see them. for he was looking at
the fire, still they were there and ne felt
their influence lie felt that the room
would never be a home again-nothing
but hermitage.
This Is worse than having a tooth
drawn said he 10 himself. 1T was dull
enough here with him alter he got to pros
ing eternally about Eva, and bothering
me with his ground plans for cottage
houses. thought should have heard
the last Of Eva and double parlors and
winding stairs, but now that Is over and
/ have heard the last Of il, don't seem to
he very lively.
The old den will never be itself agaIu.
The firm Of Rankin brother@ Is dissolved
80 far as this place is concerned. shai!
have To carry on this branch Of the
establishment alone. ! sup ,osc shall
get used to It after while but just now
I feel like fellows left leg when the sur
geon carries on the right one in sack.
| ought to write three or four letters to-
night, but there's no use in my trying to
do anything. II do won't accomplish
"a much as blue bottle fly on wooden
gods nose. shall have to resort to Opt
um, of chloroiprm. or ,josephus. or some
thing to get to sleep in this haunted cham
ber tonight
With these cheerful reflections and many
others of the same sort. he whlcd away
the evening until about nine O'Clock when
the solitude became so oppressive that he
sailed forth. stick in hand. and walked by
starlight until about eleven O'Clock after
which he turned in and slcpt soundly.
The interesting event mentioned in the
above paragraphs did not prevent the
senior member of the firm oi Rankin
brothers from rcsumng his uniform rou-
tine Of habits and duties the next morn
ing. At precisely eight o'clock. his long
established brc kiast hour. he took his ac-
customed chair at the hotel table. and was
supplied with his immemorial breakfast
Of toast. coffee and boiled eggs.
The rustling of a lady's dress called his
attention from his breakfast to the oppo-
site side of the table. There sat his broth
er's bride
"Why. Eva" said he won hcrc2 Did
you miss the boat b? Where's Harry"
.'Sirl" said the lady. with II stare of
unutterable a,tonishment
''liow does it happen that YOU didn't
get offP You had ample time to reach the
boat. Did the carriage break down on
the way to the landing?" said Mr.. Ran
kin. little discomposcd by the amazed
look Of the lady. it is true. but still conf
dent that he was addressing his brothers
wife.
BY this time the lady began to see the
true state of the case.
"You mistake me for some other per-
son. said she.
II was now Mr. Rankin's turn to be
amazed. The lady before him so ex-
nctly rcsembled his brothers bride in
every line of her face and figure. every
trick of countenance. lip and eye. that he
felt more disposed to doubt her sanity
than idenity. There was the same slight.
little figure. the same smooth brown hair.
the selfsame hazel eve. the identical
high. clear forehead. and petite. spiritu-
ellie lower face.
.'Can it be possible that | am mistak-
emp said he. II took YOU for my broth
cr's wife. The resemblance is most ex-
traortlinary and il there be any dissimlar-
ity In your personal appearance and hers
l cannot perceive it. | don't believe
should ever learn to distinguish YOU.
Your voice even. is the very counterpart
Of hers"
An old gentleman who was seated by
the young lady. herr took up the CONVEX
sation.
"My daughter" said he has been an
noyed by the unusual degree of attention
she has received since she came here last
evening. Her every movement has
been watched by several curious persons
Probably the resemblance YOU speak of has
deceived others rs wei rs Yourself Nav
l inquire the maiden name of the lady YOU
speak OFF Such remarkable resemblance
could hardly exist in the absence Of any
family relationship.
1.-The lady referred to. said Mr. Ran
kin. "was called Eva Noble until vester-
day, when she was married to my brother
She is the only child of Judge Noble of
this city. BY the way" continued he.
brightnipg up as n new thought struck
him. Al have heard that Eva had twin
sister who was lost in the woods here.
when mere babe, just able TO run about.
Continued tomorrow.