Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-07-15


But the Joke Of Il r." sid Goa Bt.sNe,
Who came In TO inquire about my prosr :.
one DAP; s-the Joke Of it Is, be has marrissi
the same beautiful creature who once jiirsd
poor Perk- weybrandt"
.Y1F
Aren't you rather surprised a. IaArT
NO; | knew bed marry that k.qd Of 9
woman"
-.Confound it, Charles You're never sur
pri~st at anything
Bislee sputtered this out as If he were vex-d
with me. but why ne should have bs-n Is
more than ! know.
The shock from my accident was greater
than had supposed, and | had to stay cooi sd
up IN MY room for weeks Now and theii
caller came In, my supply Of reading matter
was ample, and the picture On the ulaiitel
went far toward making me contentei II
Was always the first picture, the one t"ok
myself on the rock The second vas shut Up
in my album For some reason or other
did not feel 50 strongly attached TO II
One day, when my recovery WAS near CO IL
pIete. Chauncy Webster burst into my roam
and seized my hand
Heard all about your accident before cot
your letter-deucei sorry you couldn't cone
TO the wedding-drove right here as -1Sou as |
reached Boston, said he and then happenins
TO glance at the picture on the mantel, be *
claimed with start: but say. see herel
Whered you get thatf
DO YOU recognize isf' asked.
Recognize it, Well, should think
ought tor and ne broke into a laugh he
ssizei the picture and scanned it closely
Who Is itf7 demanded
You know who it Is, Vi coursei"
Your assumption is wrong, As your as
sunIptions usually are"
Come nowl Get down from your hi Ii
horse, old man, said Chauncy, with queer
look; who do you think 1t isf'
is il your wifef' asked coolly, feeling
ali the while as II somebody had taken the
trouble to break my ribs again.
Chauncy looked at the picture and laughed
- before.
Really" said he, this is quite prediea-
ment"
Never mind the predicamen.i Why don't
you answer my question: Is that picture
Of your wife''
1.-THE fact is, don't know."
Absurd"
mol don't know, said he deliberately,
gazing at the picture; 'I-really-can tell
whether it's my wife orr
"Or whof
Her sister They're twins"
The situation was slightly bewild~ing, and
| was silent
And | suspect, old fellown-Chauncy
began.
"No,"I interrupted, you don't suspect,
you know; told you all about it once
YES, yes, but I'd forgotten-so many other
things to think Of lately"
"Yes-have = cigar" said l, lighting one
myself.
But perhaps-perhaps it's her sister, ex-
claimed Chauncy.
I've quite made up my mind as TO that"
said |, calmly
What do you thinkf'
at must have been her sister 1t isn't at
all likely that a woman who fascinated you
would have attracted me-"
Chauncy had a very severe choking fit it
was really alarming
Those miserable birthstone matches" he
cried. ''But-but-w | was going TO say
is, didn't you receive letter and picture
from mef'
"Whenw
Last summer. sent you a photograph
Of the woman was to marry and wrote you
all about her-and never heard a word from
you"
by Jove, what mistake"
What do you mean by thatf
II mean" said land told him what
meant. that the picture had come to me all
right but his letter evidently had been host.
II had given myself rather more agree
able explanation Of the receipt Of the pct
ure,n said l.
why you didn't write to me was some
thing couldn't explain at all, said Chauncy.
ppt tall i.nth ha Rar
Harbor two summers agof
YES"
~ thought So"
"Whyfr
"Oh, | knew it, have some sagacity,
Chauncyl Perhaps you'll admit it one OF
these days"
We'll, they're both here in Boston now.
You knew that. too, | SUPPOSED
Indeed, guessed it,
"Of course Ny wife's sister will remain
with US quite while You must call and
make the acquaintance of the two ladies.
The other one is not married Charles"
II gathered as much from what you have
said. Will you be at home to-nightf'
Certainly Come up
That evening presented myself at Chaun
cy's and he introduced me to his wife and her
sister, Miss Katherine De Witt Both had the
same straight profile, the same full figure,
and the same buoyant poise that my photo
graph illustrated Both were handsome
women. and they looked almost exactly alike.
fancied, however, that saw in Miss De Witt
a certain charm that her sister did not pos
sess; and while had no real proof Of it, out
side OF my own heart soon came to believe
that she was the object OF my two years pur-
suit. This conviction grew stronger as be
came better acquainted with her If ever
had any doubts they all disappeared.
Before many weeks had passed my oppor-
tunity came and told Miss Dewitt the
whole story of my Bar Harbor adventure
told her Of my falling in love; told her OF my
long and devoted search: assured her of the
ardor of my passion, and asked her for her
hand
How very, very queerl" she said with
thrilling little laugh
You must remember seeing met e1-
claimed
But l can't" she said in a perplexed tone,
dropping the silks with which she had been
daintily working.
Don't You remember climbing over that
cliHr
''Oh, dear me- l was climbing over the
rocks half the time that summer, and SO
photographers
Well WE'LL it's Of no consequence; will
you marry met That's the question, and
assure you, my dear Miss De Witt, that am
very very anxious for you to say yes!"
'Oh. Mr.. Overlook, you're too hasty. You
haven't looked at both sides of the case"
There is only one side to it want you
to marry me-
But stop n moment YOu cav yo,,ye
loved a woman in picture for two years
have loved nobody else and can love nobody
else. You're not sure that | am the woman
There is no way Of determining whether am
or not, Suppose I'm not. Suppose you should
marry me and then ascertain from positive
evidence that tine one to whom you gave your
heart two years ago for keeps was my sister,
and you'd actually married n woman whom
you never loved' Don't you see that you'd
be in a fri5htfully false and disagreeable lo-
sition-and l. tooT-and a little SILVER passed
over her.
felt a chill, too. Strange to say, this as
pect of the case had never presented itself to
me. 1t came upon me now with overwh helm
ing force. | could say nothing
"Oh, no. she exclaimed; II could not con
sent to take such dreadful risk
She covered her face with her handkerchief
and seemed much moved.
Ny native resolution then came to my aid
I saw what must be done and did it. Arising,
l thanked her for her careful consideration
of the case expressed my admiration for her
superior discretion, shook her hand heartily
and said good-by It was all over and dis
missed the subject. as a man with will of
his own can do