The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1889-09-19
TOO MUCH ALIKE.

Middlesex bar.
81 knew the mother of these girls and
her sister and their parents, more than
thirty years ago. The grandparents of
these girls were clients of the man with
whom read law, and afterward their
children became my clients, and now l
am legal adviser of both the grandchil-
dren. l don't think, however, these
children are so much alike as were their
mother and her sister. You could not
tell them apart at all, unless you had
them together"
At this point one of the young ladies
returned, with little rush and furry,
saying in a very pretty tone
Il beg your pardon, Mr.. Bird, but
went off without my gloves"
Don't apologize, don't apologize, |
pray, Miss-Miss-ah Miss Annie. l
am only too glad to see you in my office
or my home, at any time"
"Alice, you mean, Mr.. Bird, but l
thank you for the compliment all the
same" and away she fluttered.
"Confound it ~ growled the old gen.
tleman, as he resumed his seat, after
closing the door upon the fair visitor.
I'D have sworn that one was Annie"
Then he looked up with smile, after
thinking few minutes, and resumed I:
eff you can spare five minutes, and care
to hear it, l will tell you how | came
near going crazy getting acquainted with
the mother Of those young ladies and
her sister,"
OF course nothing would please me
better, and said so at once. Mr.. Bird
produced an ancient and most respecta-
Bile brand of cigars, and when we had
lighted up, he proceeded
1.-THE maiden name of those young
ladies' mother and her sister was Van
SERVER, and their father, old John Van
Server, was large farmer and miller,
quite wealthy, residing near Princeton.
had been admitted to the bar only
about year when he died, and my pre-
ceptor, in whose Office was still located,
had the settlement of the estate.
"On one occasion he wrote to the girls,
who were the only heirs, that he needed
certain memoranda from certain papers
in the homestead, and that on certain
day he mentioned he would be there to
get them, asking the girls to look the
papers up in the meantime. When the
day came the old man was particularly
engaged. and asked me to take his hor-
ses and carriage and do the errand, and
was only too glad to oblige him.
.'In due season reached the home
stead, was received by staid, elderly
housekeeper, and ushered into parlor,
where was greeted by one of the bright
est and most beautiful young ladies |
had ever met with. l told her who l
was and how l came to be there.
"'That is all satisfactory, Mr.. Bird.
We are glad to see any friend of Mr..
Adair's. Be seated, and will have the
paper ready for you in few minutes.
Excuse me, please, and she disappeared.
II sat pleasantly thinking of the young
lady who had just left me, when the
housekeeper came in with cake and
wine, after the then good old-fashioned
custom, and soon left me to enjoy them
had been alone again but very short
time, it appeared to me, when the young
lady returned with papers in her hand
but instead of coming forward, she
stopped and stared at me in most en-
barrassing way.
"'Did you find the papers p l asked,
in my best society tones.
Sir 7 she exclaimed, with a Jack
Frost in her beautiful voice. Did l
what p
"'Find the papers you went after
"'What are you talking about ? Who
are you, sir, and pray what are you do
ing here P
THE only thing am doing at pres
emit, madam, l responded in tone quite
as glacial as her own, lis leaving here as
soon as possible
"'Oh, thank you, she replied with
InftU Trho nifu tho nln6Hpat UnDnD
man in New Jersey slammed the door
behind HIM.
"Long afterward learned that l had
hardly driven away when the house
keeper re-entered the room, and Miss
Laura Van SERVER, with her dignity still
in it's full height, demanded
"'Who was that horrid, impudent
young man l found in the parlor just
nowr
"'Why, be's the young man Mr.. Adair
sent down for some papers that Maggie
has gone to get. Where is he P
miss Laura responded by dropping
into a chair and exclaimlng with almost
O scream:
"'Oh, my haven't done it Why,
Mrs. Elkins, actually drove the poor
fellow out of the house. What in the
world will do2 Don't, for gracious
sake, tell Maggie. I'll make it up with
Mr.. Adair somehow, indeed l WILL
1.-The result was that Miss Maggie Van
SERVER never heard of my cavalier treat
ment, and was for some time filled with
wonder as to what manner of business
man could possibly be, having driven
fifteen miles to do an errand, and then
gone off without courtesy or perform.
ance.
81 nursed my wrath and kept it nice
and warm until l reached home, and
than poured it all out 10 MIR. Adair,
whose laughter was 30 long and uproar-
ious that took on fresh installment of
virtuous indignation. and was about CIV
ing the old gentleman piece of my
mind, when he babe me shut up, while
he wiped away the tears of hilarity and
comforted me by saying, Bird, my dear
fellow. it is all my fault, / utterly for
got to tell you that the girls are twins,
and 80 terribly alike that you can't tell
one of them from BOTH
"The next day brought wondering
letter from Miss Maggie, asking what
had caused my sudden and unaccounta-
BILE departure, and desiring to know If l
was Son of Temperance, whom she had
inadvertently Mortified and insulted by
sending him cake and wine, and would
Mr.. Adair please tell her what it all
meant, anyhow.
"'Now, here's your chance, Bird,
said the old man, handing me letter.
Just take my team and have another
ride down there. You can fix up the
mistake, whatever it is, in jiffy, and
get what want this time, sure.'
"Away went, and IN due time was in
the Van SERVER parlor. took critical
look at the young lady as she came for
ward and offered me her hand, which /
lost no time in taking. l was sure of
Maggie Van SERVER now.
"1'm very glad to see you, Mr.. Bird.
Pray what made you leave 80 uncere-
moniously on Monday ?
"'Well, Miss Maggie, thought it was
about the best thing could do under the
circumstance
"What Just because l offered you a
little wine and cake ?
"'Not at all. The refreshments were
as acceptable as they were gracefully
rendered.
"'Then why did you 90 away before
returned p
"I didn't go away before you re-
turned. / stayed until you came back
and, practically, turned me out of the
house.
al turned you out Of the house she
exclaimed, in blank astonishment. why
never did anything of the kind
"I am sorry to contradict lady, but
you certainly did,
"By this time l had forgotten all about
the twins in the case, and Mics Maggie's
brow darkened ominously as che said
gravely;
Mr.. Bird, have you been drinking
I wish Won to distinctly understand thai