The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1883-08-24
TAKING THE MALLORY TWINS.

Beside the SandersOns, Ben was called
upon in due time to take some of the
neighbors. His greatest trial, however,
was with the Mallory twins. Mrs. Nal
lory was very fond and proud of the
twins-so extravagantly fond of them
that she often said they were good
enough to eat. They were as like each
other as two peas; indeed, Ben thought
they were good deal more alike than
any two peas he had ever seen. They
were just one year and two months old.
Why Mrs. Mallory was so proud of the
twins, except for tho fact that there were
find out; but she was, and that was
enough for Mrs. Mallory, and indeed for
Mr.. Mallory, too-they were both very
proud of the twins, and the taking of
their pictures was great event.
The appointed day arrived. Ben was
told to come with his instrument at elev-
en- o'clock exactly, for that was the time
the twins awoke from their morning
maps. He went accordingly. He was
shown into the parlor, where the whole
family was gathered awaiting him. Ben
by this time felt quite experienced; he
had taken almost everything else but
baby, and, although it was a bold thing
to commence with twins, Ben felt pref
ty sure of himself. Presently the twins
were brought in, and straightway there
was chorus of admiring relatives
'Darlings," CANCELS" ''cherubs,
''pets, )" lambs little dears," etc.
Ben didn't join in the chorus; he didn't
exactly know what to do, and so only
stood and twirled his thumbs, and look
ed foolish. He knew very little about
babies, and still less about twins; ''but,
as he told Sissy privately, ''he couldn't
see anything to make fuss over; he
should great deal rather have couple
of nice rabbits They were chubby
babies; and they were dressed in long
white dresses, tied up ut the shoulders
with pink ribbons. They were girls and
their names, which their mother had
made it point to get as nearly alike as
possible, were Emeline Anna and Evel-
inc Hannah.
And now there was great dispute as
TO how they should be taken. Some
thought in the cradle, some thought in
the baby-wagon, some thought in their
mothers lap, some thought on their
fathers lap, while their aunt Jane said
they looked "too cunning for anything"
in the clothes-basket. But soon Mrs.
Mallory settled the question by emphat-
ically taking them one on each knee.
Now Ben went to work; he pointed his
under the black cloth, and was Just upon
the point of saying a word, when sud-
denly Emeline Anna set up cry. Three
- h.
which made her cry louder than before.
Mrs. Mallory then sent the aunts away,
and by some stratagem of her own Sc
cured silence. In few minutes they
weee all ready to start again, when, un-
happily, Eveline Hannah espied the
ribbon on little blue and white sock,
sticking out from under her dress, and
directly was seized with wild desire
to clutch it. This endeavor brought the
three aunts and the father promptly to
the scene. All at once it occurred to
their Aunt Jane that il would be $50
sweet to have them ''looking up
Thereupon she went and got the dust
pan, and, standing on q chair behind
Ben and the camera, she pounded il
with clothes-pin. This struck Papa
Mallory as such very clever thing to
do, that he went and got the poker and
tongs, and stood on another chair and
banged them together. This produced
the desired effect. The four eyes were
strained upward in gaze of dumb as
constituent.
Now, quick, quickr' cried every.
body.
Ben, in a futter, pulled off the cap
The whole family stood rigid with sus'
pense for several seconds. Ben, q,
length, replaced the cap, crying tri-
Ilmphantly, "DoneT" Alas! in another
moment he found that, in the confusion
and the excitement of getting the twins
fixed, he had forgotten to put in the
plate and of course there was no pic
ture.
Up went Papa Mallory and up went
Aunt Jane on the chair again, bang
went the poker and tongs, and clan2
went the clothes-pin and the dust-pan.
This time, however, the plan did not
work. Eveline Hannah suddenly took
it into her precious little head to be
scared at the noise, and at once set up q
cry which when Emeline Anna present.
lyioined in became loud andprolonged
duet. 1t was plain that something else
must be tried. II was, therefore, decid'
ed to let Papa Mallory hold the twins.