Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1889-11-27
TOO MUCH ALIKE.

TOO MUCH ALIKE.
eyes" assented Mr.. Bird, with evident
appreciation, as he ran his fingers caress-
ingly through his iron gray hair; "yes, sir,
as you observe, they are very pretty girls,
and their likeness to each other, in every
way, is truly wonderful
| The remark was made in answer tn q
tribute of respect which the writer had
paid to pair of yo1ng ladies-I use the
word .spair'' advisedly. because thev were
twins-who had passed ont 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 sfterEard their
children became my clients, and now | am
the legal adviser of both the grand children.
! I don't think, however. that those children
are as mnch 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 re-
turned, with little rush and furry, saying
in a verv pretty tone:
81 beg your pardon, Mr.. Bird, but |
went off without my gloves"
Don aDphtRfZo, Coh dpotoSizc, i
pray. Miss Miss ah, Miss Annie. / am
only too glad to see you In my office or my
home, at any time"
"Aiice, You mean, Mr.. Bird; but thank
you for the compliment all the same" and
away she futtered.
ssGonfound it!'' growled the old gentle
man, as he resumed his seat, after closing
the door upon the far visitor ''Td have
sworn that one was Annie" Then he
looked up with smile, after thinking a
few minutes, and resumed: "If you can
spare five minutes, and care to hear il, |
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 I said 30 at once. Mr.. Bird
produced an ancient and most respectable
brand of cigars, and when we had lighted
up he proceeded:
"Tke maiden name of those young
ladies' mother and her twin 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 a
year when he died, and my preceptor, iu
whose office I was still located, had the
settlement of the estate.
"On one eccasioo he wrote to the girls.
who were the only heirs, that be needed
certain memoranda from certain papers in
the homestead and that on day be men
toned 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 horses and carriage
and do the errand; aud l was only too glad
to oblige him.
HIn due season reached the homestead,
was received by staid, elderly house
keeper aud ushercd into the parlor, where
was greeted By one of the brightest and
with. l told her who I was aud how
ca to bs there.
90 That ia all satisfactory, Mr.. Bird. We
are glad to sea any friend of Mr.. Adair's -
Be seated, and l will have the papers
ready for you iu few minutes, Excuse
me, please and she disappeared.
81 sat pleasurably thinking of the young
lady who had Just left ne, wheD the
housekesper came in with cake and wine,
after the then good, old fashioned custom, |
ard soon lef5 me to enjoy them. l had
been alone again but very short time, it |
appeared to me, when the young lady re-
turned with papers in her hand; but in
stead OF coming forward, she stopped and
stared at mo in the most embarrassing
way.
{" Did you fiud the papsrss' I asked, in
my best sool.ty tones
' 'Sirp she exclaimed, with Jack
Frost in her beautiful voice. Did l
what?
Find the papers you went after
"sWhas are you talking about? Who
are you, sir, aud pray, what are you doing
here?'
"'The only thing I'n doing at present,
madam l responded. in tones quite as
glacial as her own, 'is leaving here as soon
as possible
& Oh, thank YOU she replied, with lofty
urbanitv, as the maddest young man in
! New Jersey slammed the door behind
him.
Long afterward I learned that I had
hardly driven away when the house
keeper re- entered the room, and Miss
Laura Van Server, with her dignity still at
it's full height, demanded:
| who was that horrid, impudent young
man I found in the parlor just now?'
| "'Why, he's the young man Mr.. Adair
sent down for some papers that Maggie
has gone to get. Where is he?
miss Laura responded by dropping into
chair and exclaiming, with almost a
scream:
'Oh, myl haven't I done its Why,
Mrs. Elkins, actually drove the poor fel.
low out of the house. What in the world
will do9 Don't, for gracious sake, tell
| Maggie. I'll make it up with Mr.. Adair
somehow, indeed l WILL
'"rhe result was that Miss Maggie Van
SERVER never heard of my cavalier treat
ment. and was for time filled with
wonder as to what manner of business man
I could possibly be, having driven fifteen
miles to do an erraud and then gone off
with ,ut courtesy or performance.
81 nursed my wrath and kept it nice
and warm until | reached home, and then
poured it all out to Mr. Adair whose
laughter was so long and uprosrious that
took on fresh iustaliment of virtuOns in
diguation, aud was about giving the old
gentleman G piece Of my mind when he
bade ne shnt up, while be wiped away the
tears of hilsrity and comforted me by say
ing: Bird, my dear fellow, it is ell my
fault. utterly forgot 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 wondeuug letter
from Mss Maggie, asking what had caused
my sudden and unaeeoartahle departure,
and desiring to kuoa if ! was Son of
Temperance whom shd had inadvertently
horrided and InsulGed oy sendlng hlm 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 the letter. Gust
take my team apd have another drive dowu
there. You can fix mp the mistake, what
ever it is, in a jifFy, aud get what l want
this time, sure
"Awsy went aud in due time was In
the Van SERVER parlor. I took critical
look at the young lady as she came forward
and offered me her hand, which l lost no
time in taking. l was sure of Maggie Van
Scriver now.
Pm very glad to see you, Mr. Bird.
Pray what made yoa leave so unceremoni-
ously on Mouday?'
], "'Well, Miss Maggie, thought it was
about the best thing could do under the
circumstances.'
Z" 'What9 Just because l offered you 3