Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1891-02-27

30 poverty-stricken TO stay in town all
summer" pleaded Dot.
SWELL" said Fan, bitterly, 1--WE are
poverty-stricken!"
1t was lamentably true. We, Fan,
Dot and myself otherwise Agnes, are
the "Gutheridge girls" All our friends
call us So although it is many a long
year since | crossed the boundary line
between girlhood and womanhood. My
mother died when was but six years
old, leaving me small fortune in the
hands Of an honest trustee, who more
than doubled its proportions before 1
came of age. When / was seventeen
years old, my father married the pref
test little blue-eyed girl, only two
years older than her step-daughter, and
who evidently worshiped her handsome,
elderly husband, in spite of the dis
parity of years between them. A year
later, my twin-sisters were born, and
christened Frances and Dora speedily
converted to Fan and Dot. Ten long
years of happiness followed, before my
dear, loving little step-mother died. We
were most united family, and my
fathers great wealth gave us every
luxury, SO that there was absolutely no
cloud upon our happiness, until death
came amongst us. Two years later, my
father died, leaving large property to
be divided amongst us, and appointing
James Trueman, his lifelong friend,
our guardian.
BY the terms of his will, my sisters
were to be considered of age at eighteen,
and the property to be then divided. In
the meantime, / was to superintend
their education, take care of the house,
and be in all things a second mother to
them.
Just one week before their eighteenth
birthday, James Trueman disappeared
carrying with him, it was presumed, all
our property as well as that of some
dozen or so of other people whose mon,
ey he held in trust.
Down we came from our life of luxu
rious ease, with startling rapidity, to
live upon my income, inherited from my
mother, comfortable independence fol
one woman, but found to be rather in
adequate to meet al the wants of two
girls brought up to have every wish
granted.
Aunt Maria was not my aunt, bu
aunt to my little blue-eyed step-mother
She had farm in Pennsylvania, where
we had gone when the twins were chill
dren, and endured such martyrdon
from her scolding and fault-fndinl
that the memory was a kind of horrol
to us. Still, she had most kindly writ
ten every summer since to invite us K
visit her, and it was re ally our 'forlorl
hope" If we must escape the heat ant
dust of the city.
Perhaps" said Dot, in forlorl
voice, aunt Maria won't scold us nov
that we are grown up"
"Grown up!' said Fan, scornfully
"Do you ever expect to grow up, Dot?
For must record here that, although
they were twins, never were sister
more unlike than Fan and Dot. Fal
was tall, slender and graceful, witt
black hair and eyes, clear olive com
plexion and rare beauty of feature
She was dignified in manner, rathe
cold to those with whom she was no
very intimate and had wellstore,
mind and many graceful accomplish
ments. Dot was petite, plump, blonde
as pretty as fairy, with fluffy colder
hair and blue eyes; impulsive and affec
tionate, scatter Drained and with onl
such accomplishments as could b
learned specifically.
"We must go somewhere" she said
land as Aggie has turned stingy, W
will go to Aunt Maria's."
So we went Aunt Maria sent Jal1
with the spring-wagon to meet u.s. an
Jake informed us;
"Been railway smash here, an Mis-
Maria's got one house full, tell yer
fourteen of 'em, all hurted bad Broke