The Forrest City times., 1890-05-03
THE TWINS.

It was small, low house, situated at the foot of an isolated garden. Few sounds came from it and people seldom entered or left it. Even the sun penetrated through itshalfopen windows with caution. Ut is the blind mans house." the people of the neighborhood said
 They exaggerated. Mir. Dormoy was not completely blind, for, with cane he could still find his way, but it was more prudent for him to to take a guide, and he was seldom alone when he took his afternoon walks. Sometimes his companion was his wife, tall slender woman with a face still young, though tired and sad; more often it was one oi his twin daughters, Adrienne or Lucienne They were ravishingly beautiful blonds, of exactly the same size; even their voices and move ments were alike. The neighbors said that they were highly educated. Beyond this they knew nothing more about them. The blind man received only his relations of friends, who were strangers in that quarter. But the twins were so simply and tastefully dressed, so modest and reserved in thier manners, that it was impossible not to take a deep interest in them
 People loved them particularly for the affection that they manifested toward their father, and for the con. stant attentions that they showed him, attentions always so delicate that they never annoyed the poor man, afflicted in mind and body. 1t was difficult to tell which of the two girls one preferred which was more beautiful, more gentle, or more in- telligent.
 While they were young their re semhlanee was so great that one was often taken for the other and since they had grown to womanhood this siinilitnde had increased so much that everybody confounded them.
 Are you Miss Adrienne, or Miss Lucienne?" they were often asked
 "I do not know myself" came the answer. "but in considering believe that am either one or the other '
 Without doubt, how can you be distinguished from your sister? You must differ i'll some way
 "oh, yes. my sister is better than l."
 It seems almost incredible that the mother should sometimes confound them, but such was the case; as to tho father, il was impossible for him to distinguish them on account of his blindness. Indeed he did not try to do SO, for it made no difference which was near him, since they had the same qualities and loved him with equal tenderness.
 However, n time came when he knew one from the other. "He makes the distinction in this way" ex- plained the mother one day to q neighhor; when Adrienne was small she fell and broke her arm. Since then 1t has been SO weak that the slightest pressure upon 1t gives her pain. For this reason she always offers her left arm to her father, while Lucienne gives him the right one.
 Fate had been cruel to this family. Mir Dormoy had been n sculptor np- on whom fame had smiled Ut an age when most men are just leaving the art schools. But wind of misery had blown upon him rudely, and had extinguished his dream. The strong artificial light by which he had worked far into the night had blinded him, and Ut the age ot 40 he was obliged to abandon his art and live despairing, isolated and forgot ten. Terrible cheek for any artist. but more terrible still for the head of q family that depended upon his work His enforced idleness drove comfort from his hearth and brought poverty in it's stead
 This poverty was not oflong dura- tion, it Is true, for the sculptor had used his chisel till the last hour and his wife had practiced the strictcst economy. In n few years his daugh. ters were hnll grown, and being ex- cellent musicians they had no trouble in obtaining pupils, and soon they brought comparative plenty to the humble and sad abode of the artist.
 One evening at thesupper table(an unusual oeeurrencel the seat of one of the daughters was vacant.
 Perhaps Adrienne is detained by new pupil answered the mother in a hesitating tone, when her hus- band asked her which one of her children was absent.
 Did she tell you that this might be the case," asked the father.
 "Yes. !"
 The next day. when the thing hap psned, the old mans face became ciouded, but asked no questions. In the month that followed punct- uality fed from the household. where order had reigned At the most tender hour of day. the absence of one of the daughters was doubly felt. Where could she be- What necessity kept her so long from the hearth that some time before she had been so loath to leaveg
 The poor mother pretending to mistake one for the other, now blamed Adrienne for the absence, now Lucienne, while the fault lay with one alone. But the father was not deceived. md knew the Diilty one. However, he said nothing, us hevainly waited an explanation, but he could dot hide from his wife and his daughter the grief that he felt. Time only aggravated the situation.