The National tribune., 1889-05-30

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@----~~-a---aA- The remark wa s
made in answer to & tribnte of respect which
the writer had paid to a pair Of young LADIES'
] use the word pair advisedly, because they
were tWins-who had just gone out oil the
Office OF hr. Bird, one Of the Oldest ana most
highly respected members Of the Middlesex
bar
I knew the mother Of those girls and her
sister and their parents more than 80 years ago.
The grandparents Of those girls were clients OF
the man with whom ] read law, and afterwards
their children became my clients, and now
am the legal adviser Of the grandchildren. 1
don't think, however, these children are as
much alike as were their mother and 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 a little rush and furry, saying In
very pretty tone:
Il beg your pardon, Mr. Bird; but went
of 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 OF at my home at
any time"
Alice, you mean, Mr.. Bird; but thank
you for the compliment all the same and
away she huttered.
"Confound It." growled the old gentleman, 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 a smile, after
thinking a few minutes, and resumed:
e If Won can spare five minutes, and care TO
hear il, I win 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 so at once. Mr.. Bird produced an
ancient and most respectable brand of cigars,
and when we had lighted mp, he proceeded:
'The maiden name Of these 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, resld-
ing 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 some papers in the homestead,
and that on day mentioned he would be there
to get it, asking them to look the papers up in
the meantime When the day came the old
man was particularly engaged and asked me
70 take his horses and carriage and do the
eTrand. and I was only too glad to oblige him.
In due season ! reached the homestead, was
received by staid elderly housekeeper and
uShere0 into the parlOT, where was greeted
BY one Of the brightest and most beautiful
young ladies had ever met with. ] told her
who I 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 I viii have the paper for you in a
few minutes. Excuse me, please?' and she dis
appeared.
a / sat pleasurably thinking of the young
lady who had Just left me, when the house
keeper came in with cake and wine. after the
then good old-fashioned custom, and soon-ieft
me to enjoy them. I had been alone again but
very short time, il appeared TO me, when the
y0eng lady again entered with paper in her
hand but instead of coming forward she stop
ped and stared at me in the most embarrassing
way.
Did you find the paper2' 7 asked in my
best society tones.
"'sir!' she exclaimed with Jack Frost in
her beautiful voice, did I what?'
a. Find the paper You went after?'
"'What are you talking about2 Who are
yen sir; and. pray, what are you doing here p
The only thing I'm doing at present,
madam / responded in tones rs glacial CAS- her
own. is leaving here as soon as possible
"sOh thank you she replied, with lofty
urbanity. as the maddest young man IN New
Jersey slammed the door shut behind him.
Long afterwards / learned that / had
hardly driven away when the housekeeper re-
entered the room, and Miss Laura Van SERVER.
with her dignity still at its full hight, de-
manded:
who was that borrid, impudent Young
man found in the parlor just now?'
Why. he's the young man Mr.. Adair sent
down for some papers that Miss Maggie has
gone 10 get Where is he2'
Miss Laura responded by dropping into a
chair and exclaiming with almost a scream:
az Oh, my. haven't ] done it? Why, Mrs.
Eikins I actually drove the poor fellow out of
the house. What ii the world will do? Don't
for gracious sake, tell Maggie; III make it up
with Mr. Adair somehow: indeed ! WILL
The result was that Miss Maggie Van
SERVER never heard of my cavalier treatment
and was for time filed with wonder as to
what manner Of business man ! could possibly
be that drove Is miles TO Go an errand and
then went of without courtesy or performance.
=" nursed my wrath and kept it nice and
warm until ] reached home, and then poured
it al out 70 BIZ. Adair, whose laughter was So
long and uproaTious that ] took on fresh in
stallment Of virtuons indignation, and was
sboHt giving the old gentleman a piece OF nv
mind when he babe me shut M, while he wiped
away the tears OF hilarity. and cOmforted me
by saying:
q. Bird, my dear fellow, It is all my fault ]
utterly forgot 10 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 unaccountabie departure aud de.
string 10 know If ] was Son of Temperance
whom she had inadvertently Mortified and in,
suited by sending him cake and wine; and
would Dir. Adair please tell her what it Aii
meant anyhow
Now, here's your chance, Bird said the
old man. handing me the letter Just take
my team and have another drive down there
You can fix up the mistake, whatever it is, in
8 jifiy, and get what ! want this time sure
Away ] went, and in due time was in the
Van SERVER parlor. / took a critical look Al
the young lady as she came forward and offered
nc her hand. which lost no time in taking
was sure Of Maggie Van SERVER now
80 Pm very glad TO see you, Mr.. Bird. Pray
what made you leave so unceremoniously OF
Eonday2'
Wen, Miss Maggie, I thought it was abou
the best thing ] could do under the circum
stances
90 What; Just because I offered you littl
wine and cake?'
49, Not at all. The refreshments were as &C
ceptabie as they were gracefully rendered
80 Then why did you go away before l re
turned?'
49, didn't go away before you returned
Etaid until you came back and practically turn
Cd me out of the house
50 ! turned you out Of the house, she ex
claimed, in blank establishment. 'Wbyt
never did anything Of the kind
am sorry 10 contradict lady; bat 70
certainly did
By this time had forgotten all about th
twins in the case, and Miss Msggie's brol
oarkened ominousiy as she said, grayely:
Mr.. Bird, have you been drinking7
wish you TO distinctly understand that / al
not story teller; and say / never saw 20
sfter went out of this room after the papers
- Miss Van Server 7 want r. aoua!iv ID