Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1890-04-16
MY TWIN BROTHER.

MY TWIN BROTHER.
When arore on tie morning of my
twentieth birthday, and nodded mer-
rily TO my own reflection in he glass,
The bright young face that laughed
back at me was that of a handsome,
happy, and very fortunate girl
Goo!-morning, Miss Lydia Searle, ,
said. And If all goes well with us,
you won't be NJ IS Lydia Searle at all
this time next year, but Mrs. Harry
HattUn instead
1t wanted hut three weeks of my
wedding day. | was happy as l was
busy just then, for l we'd the man
Alose bride | was SO soon to become
with all a young girls warm un:ried
aff7 tion.
Better than anyone in the world but
rom,' thought. And surely nobody
ever could or ought to be dearer to me
lhan Tom
Tom was my twin brother. The
usual strong affection existing betweea
twins was exceptionally powerful in
our case-from circumstances.
One of us was born strong and ro-
bust, and the other frail and small
Notwithstand ng my sex, L WAS tn
favored one 10y nature, while Tom was
tie weakly tain.
That was the first of his misfortune,
which naturally gave him a claim Oh
me, and at the same time attached him
TO me and made him cling TO ne as d
neartier, manlier boy would not have
lone. The second misfortune was that
he resembled our father.
Poor fellow! As II he could help
hat! And yet Uncle Elliot resented il
III him just as if lie had been to blame
Tor IT.
Not fraction of my money shall 60
90 this second Tom Searle, he used to
say.
And lie kelt his word. He II q
vdopted us at poor mothers death.
Our father had died years before. He
gave us both good education, and
OF Tom a position IN bank; bu!
when lie died-just Year before tina
weniieth birthday of mine-I was h!s
o'e helresS.
1t grieved Inc terribly. l loved Tom
Detter far than my self, and would have
shared anything with him; but lie was
proud, poor dear, and wouldn't hear o.
.ucn a thing
So the best l could do was to spend
Is much money upon him as possible,
nj lend him AL he wanted to use. t.
.ad no objection 10 that, because, as he
would say:
Some of these days, W hen I'm part
ner in the bank, I'll pay IL all back
again, Lyddy.'
And, of course, it WIS quite probable
that some day lie wo II be partner,
since | WAS about to be married 10 th"
bankers only son and heir.
l was puzzled sometimes to know
what Tom did with so much money.
lie had 'speculations on hand he told
ne l thought that perhaps he was
rather eXtravagant, too-perhaps some
what inclined 10 he wild.
'Iie is so young and SO handsome |
thought.
| was always making excuses for him
myself; but, OF course, common
ense taught me that if he would be
>teadier, and a tend to business better.
lis chances of promotion at the bank
@ou!d be improved
As thought of him on that birth
'ay morning-of course, it was his
birthday, toO-the face in the glass
'eas- d 10 smile, and a new anxiety
:irpt into my thoughts. was think
.ng OF last night.
Tom hid acted very strangely. /
mad lain awake long time thiuking of
it last night, ard Il vague uneasiness
Smote me as l remembered 1t now.
What couli have aiIrd !lIn.
lie hal come l., at about ten q clock,
o ihe little parlor where Harry and |
ACTe sitting together and hal remained
%,th US, restless. agitated, nervous,
.lnd showing SO plainly that he wished
20 see me alone, that presently Harry,
ialf vexed, half amused, took the hint
AID left US.
And then he asked me for money.
No trifilng sum either. He implored
me, almost wildly, to give hin six
Hundred poun IS, tn IL and there, for
Gods sake.r
He almost took my breath away. |
al no such money in the house, of
course, nor could get it on such short
notlcs. My fortune consisted of real
estate, from which 1 derived a moder-
ale income. and few thousands in
ready money, which, what with Toms
xIravagance, and my own prepara-
ons for my marriage, were nearly
gone,
Quite aghast at his agitation, rs well
As at his request, L explained to him
the utter impossibIlity of compliance.
lie said OF word, but dropped into a
eat, and sat looking at me as i stupe-
fed.
Every vest'ge of color had gone from
his fair handsome face, and the delicate
clear cut features looked haggard an
areworn. A pang shot through my
heart as l saw his distress. l ceased tC
are or wonder what the money was
wanted for. 1 knelt down beside him.
IN get it for you Tomorrow 1 said,
if | have to mortgage my proper y.
Uon't despair; only wait till TO morrow,
DEAR
As my hand touched his he started
lLd looked down at me. He was never
yrry strong or brave-never fit to bat.
il- with trouble. 1t seemed to have
-Tusi:el him now; tears fell from his
:! es upon ny face.
Never mind' he moaned. 'Pocr
LyddyI Poor grill he patted my hand
fond y. Il know you'd give 1t to mC
If you could. Ahl I've been bad
brother to you, dear. Say you forgiv,
me 10 nighf!'
And of course / said so-said 81
Heeping. His manner distressed mt
so; but l didn't know what there Wa:
10 forgive.
was wiser before that birthday was
half over, though the knowledge seemed
the greatest calamity of my life.
Something had gone wrong at the