The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1886-12-03


for years. and gave hsx oversight Of
the whole establishment. She was to
select her own servants 1.-TWO besides
the laundressl, and to do the market
ing. each couple paying a fourth of the
expenses, and each lady ordering the
meals, week and week about.
There were rooms enough on the
two floors for each to have a suite be-
sides the general parlor and the
Square" as we had always called it,
which merits q description by itself.
1t was the we'll OF the great old
fashioned square stairway, just back
OF the main hall, and was lighted only
by the dome-shaped skylight far above,
except in the cooi weather, when the
great open fire opposite the portiere,
which shut it in from the main hall,
made it the brightest snuggery imag-
Unable. Here the chairs were all easy,
the small tables conveniently placed,
with their piles of publications ready
for any lounger; and here we met for
gossip after meals, for the mail in the
morning and for the games or music
at night. Being so shut / n by sur
rounding ooms no hint OF storm or
change seemed to invade It's privacy,
and a snug, safe feeling pervaded the
whole place.
For a time our household machinery
al as if in oiled grooves-our table
was exquisitely furnished ara served,
while all pleased with their rooms
and with each other. We acted char
AIDES, played progressive euchre ~
read aloud, sang. and, in fact, did
everything but quarrel.
The. rooms Celtic had reserved for
our use opened into the square
from the left, those OF the Dicksons
from the right, and this proximity
served to cement more closely our old
friendship. Day after day the little
women talked, sewed and dreamed
together, as women will, and many OF
the tiny articles they made we're cut
from the same material and fashioned
after the same patterns, while Will
and / came and went like brothers.
1t was a bit Of Eden descended to the
nineteenth century-but alas! alasl-
for the serpentl
1t was a day of unusual chill and
gloom for the OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
the two heirs of the Dickson and Tup-
per families arrived, and that, too,
within an hour of each other, both
great healthy boys of much the same
size, weight and general uncertainty Of
outline and feature. A bright fire
burned in the Square" and Mrs.
Dickson's nurse FASTENED there with
her young charge, which, after dressing,
she left swathed in blankets and calm
ly sleeping in an armchair. A little
later Cettie's nurse entered, and, going
through the same ceremony, deposited
our treasure IN a comfortable chair,
which happened to be exactly like the
other.
Still later, the two doctors, with the
new made papas, came in for a look
at the wonderful little creatures, and,
the better to see them, wheeled the
chairs close to the fire, talked them
over a bit, and pushed them back
again, after the usual careless fashion
of mankind, then left the room.
When /, shortly after, returned
alone, it was to find Mrs. Dickson's
nurse standing irresolute between the
two chairs which contained our hopes,
a perplexed, almost wild, look upon
her face, which grew into actual con-
sternation as | entered.
What could have happened
[ asked the question breathlessly,
and she answered with a nervous
laugh.
"The babies-somebody has chang
ed the chairs, / think. Which one
this is yours, isn't it?"
why, yes, THAT is"-Iechoed her
nervous laugh-"where did you put
your baby, anyhow"
aThat's what / can't seem to re-
member; you see, these chairs are ex-
actly alike, and / was in such a hurry!
Besides, both have been moved from
where they stood"
A strange thrill creptdown my back.
! stepped closer, and, uncovering the
wee faces, gazed at them int emily.
Would no lurking likeness, no family
feature, no fatherly instinct avail me
now? Not one!-to me they seemed
as much alike as two leaves on q bush,
and | looked up helplessly, only to
meet her brows contracted in q per.
picked frown.
Then q bright thought came TO me.
"Why of course; you can tell them
by the clothes, Mrs. Hart"
She shook her head and explained.
Alas! those misguided little mothers,
thinking it would be $50 cute" had
made their first clothes precisely alike,
from shirt to blankets.
dropped into q chair; cold perspir-
alton started from every pore.
Here was a case where even mother
love could not avail, for neither OF
the new-mothers had yet seen her
child. What could we do?
Don't" I gasped, "don't for the