Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1881-02-01
OLD DUPLICATE.

quaint old gentleman, who was rs good
and honest q man az could BIO found in Il
years travel. He is dead and in Heaven
now, we believe firmly. His twin broth
er died at birth, but he lived to become
an old man and was beloved by every
body.
From his earliest days he had pro-
pensity to possess two things just alike |;
when o boy he wanted two knives, two
marbles, two kites, two tops, etc, etc.
When he had come to manhood, Us be
was rich and never married, he was
bound to carry out his old idea, and he
always bought two Of everything that
he took o notion to; two horses, two
watches, two coats, two hats, ETC., etc.
He wanted to adopt two boys, but he
could not do so because he could not
find two inst alike.
He had big, old fashioned house,
and everything in it was in duplicates
two parlors, two dining-rooms, two IL
braries, two clocks in the hall, two hat
racks, two mirrors, and so on through
out. He even wanted to eat two break
fasts, two dinners, two suppers daily,
but his servants growlcd too much over
that, and, as he found that he had not
two stomachs, he gave up that idea.
His idiosyncrasy was so apparent that
everybody, in good-natrred way, cali
ed him Old Duplicate, and he rather
liked the nickname.
He had anephew, wild young fell
low, of whom he was very fond, who
bled him pretty freely and humored his
oddity great deal.
Among many other duplicates about
his double house he had two guest
chambers that were as much alike as
art, taste aud money could make them !;
the furniture, ornaments, curtains, and
everything else were exact counterparts
and the doors leading into them from
the hall and the lambreqnins over the
door were exactly alike, too.
Those chambers had caused trouble
more than once. One SIMMER, when
Old Duplicate was at the springs bis
nephew had been to wedding, very
rainy day, and came home elevated and
exceedingly wet, and sloshed around in
one of the elegant rooms, and finally
tnInbled through the silk curtains into
The bed with his wet clothes and muddy
boots Oh, and lay there very restless
for an hour or two; then he got up with
% tremendous headache aud went down
stairs for bottle of soda water, which
he drank with nervous haste, went az
stairs again, and, by mistake, he Went
into the other elegant room, sloshe(
around there, and tnmbled through the
silk curtains OF chat bed with his clothe,
and boots on, and slept heavily till nexl
morning. Atanothcr time Miss Jane
the housekceper was busting one Of th'
rooms aud was called off when she wa
half Through to answer the door-bell, ant
when she returned she half-dusted tn,
other room. and never discovered th
error. And at still another time Ok
Duplicates old college chum was il
town on visit, and, as he always wen
to bed on little sherry, he rang tn
bell for Miss James brother. the butler
to bring him his wine after he had re
tired, and the butler always conteadet
that he did just as he was ordered, ant
left the sherry at tho gentleman's bed
side, but the fact was he left it in til
other room.
If such mistakes as these were mad
by the occupants Of the double house, /
| it at all remarkable that strangers mad
far greater ones Is it to be wondere,
at if parties unfamiliar with the man
sion stumbled into errors that involves
lifelong regrets and terrible chagrin {!
We should say not.
One day his nephew said to Old Du
plicate: "Uncle, there are twin bride
groOms down at the hOtel.' Indeed ?
eyes, Uncle, and they have marie
twin sisters" SIS it possiblew eyes
Uncle, wouldn't it be jolly for you t
get acquainted with them, and hay
them here to dinner ~ Delightful
my boy-could you bring it about
, ayes, know them. They will stay al
night if you press them, and they ca
occupy the duplicate chambers" d.
lightfuls again, my boy. Dear me
what jolly idea how appropriate
1t is TOO good to be true. Bring thel
here at two o'clock tomorrow, and I
give them bird dinner that will be to
choice to be soon forgotten, and 20
uust stoy IN dinner TOO