The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1889-08-17
TOO MUCH ALTK E.

yes, SIT, as you observe, they are very
pretty girls, and their likeness to each
other, in every way, is truly wonder.
full"
The remark was made i'm answer to q
tribute of respect which the writer had
paid to a pair of young ladies--I use the
word "pair" advisedly, because they
were twins-who had passed out of the
Office of Mr.. Bird, one of the oldest and
most highly respected members of the
Middlesex bar.
81 knew the mother of those girls and
her sister, and their parents, more than
thirty years ago. The grandparents of
those girls were clients of the man with
whom | read law, and afterward their
children became my clients, aud now
am the legal adviser of both the grand
children. l don't think, however, that
those children are as 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 very pretty tone:
Il beg your pardon, Mr. Bird, but l
went off without my gloves"
"Don't apologize, don't apologize, |
pray, Miss-Miss-ah, Miss Annie. / am
only too glad to see you in my office or
my home, at any time"
"Alice, you mean, Mr.. Bird; but |
thank you for the compliment all the
same," and away she fluttered.
"Confound itr' growled the ola gen
tlenan, as he resumed his seat, after
closing the door upon the fair visitor
"Fd have sworn that one was Annie" !"
Then he looked up with a smile, after
thinking few minutes, and resumed:
"If you can spare five minutes, and care
to hear it, 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 l said so at once. Mr.. Bird
produced an ancient and most respect
able brand of cigars, and when we had
lighted up he proceeded:
"The maiden name of those young
ladies mother and her twin sister was
Van SERVER, and their father, old John
Van SERVER, was a large farmer and
miller, quite wealthy, residing near
Princeton. had been admitted to the
bar only about year when he died, and
my preceptor, 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 a
day he mentioned he would bo 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 horses
and carriage and do the errand; and /
was only too glad to oblige him.
SIN due season 1 reached the home
stead, was received by a staid, elderly
housekeeper and ushered into the parlor,
where l was greeted by one of the bright
est and most beautiful young ladies
had ever met with. told her who !
was and how came to be there.
"'That Is all satisfactory, Mr.. Bird.
We are glad to see any friend of Mr..
Adair's. Be seated, and l will have the
papers ready for you in few minutes
Excuse me, please, and she disappeared
81 sat pleasurably 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 the most
embarrassing way.
"'Did you find the papers?' l asked.
in my best society tones.
"'Sirr she exclaimed, with a Jack
Frost in her beautiful voice. Did /
whatT
"'Find the papers you went after.
"'What are you talking about? Who
are you, sir, and pray, what are you do
ing hereT
1.-The only thing I'm doing at present,
madam responded, in tones quite as
glacial as her own, lis leaving here as
soon as possible.
"'Oh, thank you, she replied, with
lofty urbanity, as the maddest young
man in New Jersey slammed the door
behind him.
Long afterward learned that had
hardly driven away when the house
keeper re-entered the room, and Miss
Laura Van SERVER, with her dignity still
at its full height, demanded:
"'Who was that horrid, impudent
young man / found in the parlor just
nowY
"'Why, he's the young man Mr.. Adair |
sent down for some papers that Maggie |
has gone to get. Where is he?
"Niiss Laura responded by dropping
into chair and exclaiming, with almost |
a scream;
"'Oh, myl haven't l done it9 Why,
Mrs. Elkins, actually drove the poor
fellow out of the house. What in the /
world will l do? Don't, for gracious
sake, tell Maggie. I'll make it up with |
Mr.. Adair somehow, indeed will
"The result was that Miss Maggie Van |
SERVER never heard of my cavalier treat |
ment, and was for a 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.
II nuTsed py wrath and kept it nice
and warm until / reached home. and |
then poured it all out to Mr.. Adair,
whose laughter was 30 long and uproar-
ious that took on a fresh installment |
Of virtuous indignation, and-was about
giving the old gentleman piece of my
mind when he bade me shut up, while
he wiped away the tears of hilarity and
comforted me by saying: Bird, my dear
fellow, 1t is all my fault. l utterly for.
got to tell you that the girls are twins,
and so terribly alike that you can't tell
one of them from both
"The next day brought a wondering
letter from Miss Maggie, asking what
had caused my sudden and unaccount-
able departure, and desiring TO know If
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