Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1890-09-13
the next few months. shall live here

/ WIN NY utbAl b1IC NlutEI-
The girl clasped her hands and began
to tremble. She seemed bewidered
''What, you are not afraid this time,
are you9 1t was really treat to hear
you before, or would not ask you when
so many are present. !"
ayes, am afraid" said the girl,
''but since you want me to try, !
must"
Miss Dalrymple was sorry for the child
when she had placed her by the piano
again. The small face was white and
the lips almost stiff.
''Take heart" whispered the lady.
"You did so well before. What shall it
be2"
When, at last, the song was selected,
Miss Dalrymple looked at her companion
in surprise.
"Do you know in what key that is
writtenl" she asked.
Eyes"
"But can you sing as low as that2"
"Oh, yes.'
The other stood in amazement, with
the sheet of music in her hand.
al don't understand it, she said.
The girl gazed pleadingly at her, but
was silent.
In blind way the accompaniment was
begun; but when an untutored but rich
contralto voice commenced the song,
there was a sudden discord among the
keys of the piano, and Miss Dalrympla
wheeled round and stared at the girl be-
side her, who trembled so that she could
hardly stand.
There was entire silence among the
people present.
"What does it meant" cried Miss Dali
rympe, looking about her in wonder
ment. at cannot be possible that this
child has two distinct singing voices,
one very high and the other very low
She Is a phenomenon.
Judge Lawlor, in the doorway, began
to chuckle audibly. He had seen slight
figure steel out and soon return, and now
he thought he understood.
The girl, at whom everybody was
looking, tried twice to speak before
she could say word. Then she burst
out shrilly:
"Oh, if you please am the other
twinw
"That explains, cried the Judge, and
he began to roar with laughter. All the
company joined in, and the ''other twin"
stood in the midst, blushing, and finally
laughing, too.
"You are not the one who sang frstl"
she was asked.
mo, maam. That was my sister
Jenny. 1t was my turn with the
dress"
Martha Jane stammered, then was
silent, growing more painfully red than
ever.
She had waited across the way at Mrs.
Hardy's for her sister to leave the party.
Then the two had changed frocks SO that
both should have share of the music.
This had been Jenny's little plot. In the
hurry of changing she had not told that
she had been obliged to sing.
mo matter about the dress now," said
Miss Dalrymple, with ready tact. "Let
us finish the song"
The distressed young face appealed to
her deeply.
Afterward, sitting by the child, she
heard why the twins were obliged to ''take
turns at everything nice, as Martha Jane
expressed it. "But, said the girl, sit
did seem as if we could not both give up
hearing you. 1t was Jenny who thought
up the plan"
The next merning Miss Dalrymple re-
turned to Boston. As she left the phae-
ton in which Miss Lawler had driven her
to the station, she saw two girls in plain
gingham gowns and broad hats hurrying
down the road. They were the twins,
and they brought two lavish punches of
roses, which they shyly offered.
1t was Martha Jane who spoke for
both But all she was able to say was,
"1Iiss Darymple, we could not help
coming to see you off-and to thank
you"
The singer kissed each young face as
she took the flowers She thought she
had never received homage SO sweet as
that she saw in their eyes.
The train was coming. az shall re-
member the lessons l am to give YOU"
she said Youths Companion.