Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1886-03-17
THE FANCHER TWINS.

New York, on the Hudson river, neighbors,
kindly bent on ministering TO one In the most
sacred of all necessities. And when the md
day shadow began to permeate the atmoS-
phere, and to grow denser and denser, and
the CHASTITY light revealed the other and I'M
usual sights without, the neighborS sat
crouched before the great fire in the living
room, close together and speaking only i'll u
hoarse whisper, casting half-averted giances
from the window into the weird light beyond
But one, motherly mafron, was in the in
ner room, whence once she appeared with
gloomy countenance, saying: 1t were bet
ter that it were dead, for this will blight
its life"
And the neighbors asked in whispers, not
for the child, but for the mother, and the
matron replied: "She does not know that the
sun was darkened when the baby came to u. J"
By and by the matron came into the great
room bearing burden in her pillowei arms.
and having lifted the blanket of soft wool,
she permitted the friends to peer at the little
child
rs it-does it liver one asked.
Pity it, for it does. 1t is a boy, and nc
VIII be dark and fierce, and who knows what
for do you suppose that such as that VIII Il
happened to the sun will not prevail over crc
who at that time came to uss'
And the infant even then opened his e.
upon them.
HE does not cry" said one.
mo, but his fists are doubled" sail an
other.
"They always are; that signifies nothing,
said the matron.
aye. but not clenched and firm with -
sistance like his"
If he would cry / would Ike it. continued
the first.
Il doubt if he ever sheds tear sail tte
matron, who bore him upon her arm.
And then the father came and loobea fC-
many moments upon his first born, and at
length he said His name shall he Daniel
Then, when the shadow on the earth had
gone and just as the sun was setting behind
the White Plains hills, the matron came
again, bearing another burden gently, and, as
she lifted the tip of the covering to iet them
see. she said, Twas when the SIN was
shining brightly this one came TO US aud he
will he fair and gentle and comedy, but IL,
shadow of his brothers birth viii lie upon h-i-l
all his days"
The women, when they saw this infant
said that his eyes Were Fancher cyes-that :
to say, were fairly blue: and his hai:. Nj :,
was IKE uitiS ray OF sunlight. lil.t 4t-l
mothers and all her kin.
When the father had looked upon ,ili5 Csc
he said: "He shall he called David
As they grew the people all agreed t.ie-
rather than Daniel and David their names
might better have been Esau and jacob; FOR
Daniel was dark. like some of the Indians who
lived near by, and his head was shaggy, with
thick, black hair He was fierce ana :;1,Deri-
: p
hunter, or else a warrior. for he talked OF ,sr-
and bloodshei and before he was 10 year. o..
had led bis brother far away in search OF Ia
dams to conquer. Bat David was g,gtl, lie
loved the farm and the cattle, but ne cared
for no other mates, because h was co..tenj
with Daniel
When Daniel had come into possession of
his strength bis fame as strong man sp.eS
far and near. and they said that he had feli''
an OK with a blow, and had captured w
robbers from the town below and held them
with a grip of steel, each 10y an arm; and nc
one said yes or no to him until his desire was
first ascertained But David they loved Ie-
cause of his gentleness.
I There lived in the town of Bedford, some
miles distant. Miss Persis Rowland, and it
was said of her that, fair rs all other maids
/ were. there was none like her, and she knew
it. and was pleased therear, and tina. sh'
coveted not only admiration, but the aclInow!-
J edgement of it, whereby many a stalwart
Young fellow had favored her wish to bis
sorrow.
One day Miss Persis summoned one who
obeyed her always, and said to him: "Ther,
is to be the great assembly of the year on st.
Valentines eve, and the sleighing is fine
That Will be well, mistress. But whether
the sleighing was fine or not the young fell
lows from miles around would come
mo doubt The winter is dull
AYE. but It's not that; and YOU know
well mistress why they come, and why, If
YOU were not there, they would quickly de
part"
But it tires me TO see the same faces, with
their staring, yearning eyes. There's ne
spunk in them. l hear OF one below who,
they say neveis even 50 much as lets his eye
rest on maid; not from aJashmehT, but
because he cares not for them, at all, beinc
in love with his own shadow-that Is, Ia
twin brother. 1t would please ne to set my
/ eye upon such man.
"Ah. he never saw Won, mistress, for Il he
had the brother would lie forgot"
Have YOU seen him, what looks he Ike,
b Is he stron& and fierce, and does he scowi,
and docs he permit himself a beard
.Re is all these things. and all men seem to
fear him but the brother, and he says notain !,
to the women
"If YOU wish 10 please me. as 80 often yoU
assert YOU do, YOU viii sec that this strange
! being and his brother are present az TIE Is
1 semriv The sleishing viii be fine, sad.
50 IL happened that the young man. bcIn-
! yrcativ DESTROYS of doing Whatever rli-s;
make this woman smile even for iiist .rt
! upon him, with caution approached DAVID.
I asd at last won his promise that be and
Daniel would attend the assembly. But
/ when David and his brother talked about Il,
| Daniel said: You have said we would go
/ therefore we viii But why do they chatter
/ SO of tins young woman. l. she unlike ON
er-s! Have they not all eyes that they east or
Young men. David. ami do they not all IA ,ker
1 their lips that their smiles may seem more
I pleasing. Fools they lie who are bewitched
( thereby: hut YOU have said we Will go, and
/ We do what we say. David
! So. as the young men and women were en-
Z Gagged III the courtly minuet, in the grea; as
/ sembly room. there came among them the
/ Fancher twins They stood side by side IN
/ the further end of the room, where the light
/ from the great burning logs revealed them
( clearly They were of an even height and
! tall BIZ: one was muscular and strongly built,
and his face seemed in the dim light moro
swarthy than it really was. and his ;hick
/ black hair stood in Shaggy rlaSss-s. as natur'
Lad arranged it, and without the rigid drtsS'-
ins Of the time Tn other was hight and fair
d maid. and there WAS smile UPON h.s
face. for the bright faces and the gay dresses
and the twinkling of candles pleased him
Miss Pers;s had sen them as they entered.
AMI though with dernure and s,racetGl s..sIl-
ner she seemed occupied with the evoiutiens
II the dance vet she saw them all the while
When the catiIiion was ended she summoned
Er ada-er and said: The dark one, that Is
De Why do yoE permit them TO stand ,here.
VIII his brother h. his partner in the next
him - me-
And the youth in stiff perake and
silken stockings and satin brs-ech.s went to
Daniel. and bovins, said: It's duh for you
/ fear,
III - we can 20 as we came
-Bgt not until YOU have been preSentei'-
We came TO see. not 70 te sen
He wishes TO present YOU, Daniel, said his
twin brother David
Wei, be may do it-
But the youth with some embarrassment
perceived tha: DANIEL had no though: Of
moving when David were by. and be thought
how often he had beard IL said: The fair
one Is the others shadow But be led them
bosh 10 the hish-hacked hair wherein the
fair FeTsis sat; and though Daniel stood
3 f-2f.1 k.a- L. H.