Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1888-10-05
That T'hOmpkins Twin.


grace again. He was the worst boy in
creation. Everybody said SO and what
ever, body says there is no use in de-
nying. lie was the terror of the in
Ia oitants for three blocks around, and
every bit of mischief perpetrated with
in that region was In d-and perhaps
not unjdstly--at the door OF 'that
Thompk Ms twin"
Even his mother had said. upon d f.
ferent occasions. when sorely tried by
his incorrigible ways. that he would
be tho death of the family. But the
family on the contrary. had thus far
shown no signs of becoming extinct by
reason of the woeful wickedness of
this small sinner. And in spite of his
:. depredations at home and abroad. the
Thompk ms family were continually in-
creasing so that that prophecy SEEM
cd to be in no immediate danger OF full.
fllment
The mother of "that Thompkins
twin" in moment of rel gious fervor,
and thinking perhaps that the name
III ght have regenerating influence
upon its bearer. had named him John
Wesley Thompkins." But as the child
grew and waxed strong. the name was
so evidently a misnomer. that the fam
lily dropped it for the more convenient
and appropriate title of Jack" while
among the neighbors far and near
he was known rs that Thompkins
twin"
Now the fact that he was twin pre-
supposes another fact viz that ut
some time previous to the opening of
this story, there had been, as it were,
another of him. III story doth not re-
late what became of the other one, but
il is only reasonable to suppose that
providence resentirg the introduction
of two such mOrtals into q peaceful
and unsuspecting neighborhood, had,
under the gulse OF cholera infantum,
measles, or scarlet fever. mercifully
removed one OF them from this wicked
world.
But, as we stated at the outset the
Thompkins tw n was in disgrace again;
and this was the way it happened. He
had set the alarm clock in NOrah's
room TO 90 off at three o'clock In the
morning. thereby arousing that func-
tionary two hours earlier than usual.
and insuriug bad state of feeling in
the kitchen through the entire da
Then, on the previous evening. n
systematicallI arranged 'tick-tack"
had been fastened against the window
of the doctors house. across the way,
and his wife, who was OF nervous
temperament was nearly frightened
into fits; and the doctor himself had
been over that morning 10 say that
such pranks must be stopped or he
would enter a complaint against the
boy to the proper authorities. Now
be it understood the Tompkins twin
felt in his heart not the slightest ami
mostly toward the doctors family. In
fact, a most unaccountable friendship
existed between himself and little Nell
lie Walters. the Doctors only child.
She. with quick instinct of child
hood, recognized beneath the boy sh-
Nkss the real though incipient man.
hood i'm the lad. and became his firm
champion and advocate.
He, in return, bestowed upon her a
friendship both grateful and chival-
rous. aud many were the gay valen
tines. brightly colored advertising
cards apples. candies. and nuts. that
found their way by stealth into her
desk ut school.
In acknowledgement of these favors,
she one day presented him with re-
markable drawing. done in colored
crayons on large sheet of blotting
paper exceedingly blue sky, load
ed with clouds which resembled gran
ite boulders; some distant mountains
OF most imposs bile green; trees in
the foreground. with sheep grazing
near-sheep so enormous as readily to
be mistaken for elephants; and beside
which the trees were dwarfed into cur
rant-bushes But 1t at least had the
merit of originality, and in the eyes OF
its recipient it was II most incompara-
BILE work of art. and was cherished as
though it were gift of the gods.
But OIL this particular morning OF
which we write. this unfortunate boy
seemed determined to bring down ruin
upon his devoted head.
As a last exploit he found some
cans of paint which his father had left
in the second story BALCONY, prepa-
ratory to repanting the garden
chairs. His fert lie bra n at once con-
ceived a brilliant and admirable
scheme.
OOaAlHS laIpe gray -HOuuu UeIong-
ing TO the proprietor of the corner
grocery up INTO the balcony. he sue
ceeded in covering his body and head
with coat of glowing scarlet with
legs and tan of light and cheerful
shade of green.
This Joke would have been COM
plete success if the dog had not insist
ed on rubbing himself against the ban
,oto oil ha or nd
finally rolling over on the light Turk
ish rug at the hall-door.
On emerging from the door into the
street an enthusiastic crowd of child
rem and dogs immediately gathered in
witness the novel spectacle.
The '.twin," as the hero OF the oc.
casiOn. entered at once into a glowing
MI Of a ND mn Aar ri