News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1892-05-19

and on his negative reply, asked
how old he was.
"Thirteen, sir"
Thirteen did you not say that is
your age?" Mr. Lee asked Alfred.
g Yes, sir; Will and | are twins"
Alfred did not say too"; his twin
ship with viii was a very different
bond from that of which David and
Jonathan were so proud.
Indeed you are fortunate, Mr..
Armstrong, in having two pairs Of
twin sons" Mr.. Lee remarked.
Yes, sir-but William has never
been like my other boys, he and Alf
don't seem like twins" the father
answered bluntly.
Mr.. Lee saw the pained look in
Wills face. and with ready tact
chose another subject.
VIII noticed this gratefully, and
with the quick apprehension of a
sensitive nature, felt with clad sur
prise that Mr.. Lee did not despise
him, nay, by some strange intuition
he felt sure the schoolmaster was
drawn to him by his helplessness, and
understood something of its bitter
ness. There was peculiar kindness in
the look Mr.. Lee again bent on him.
viii felt it, and when, after breakfast,
| the schoolmaster proposed to wheel
him out on the "stOop,' the day be-
ing unusually fine, he consented with
out his usual shrinking from strang-
ers.
They sat silent at first; suddenly
| he turned to the schoOlmaster and
with pathetic earnestness asked:
"Mr. Lee, do you think there were
ever any other twins as--different-
as ALI and II"
Mr.. Lee saw that the bitter ques-
tion of the boys life lay in his words;
"Yes, VIII; | knew twin brothers
once, more unlike than you and Al
fred"
did you?" VIII said quickly,
''was one not able to walk or do any
thing like other boys?"
"He could walk, but he could not
speak-he was a mute; and he was
very small and feeble, while his broth
er was strong and active, quick at
books and play"
THAT'S like Alf," Will said, "but,
Mr.. Lee. think I'd rather be dumb.
That boy could go about; and what
use is my speaking? No one wants to
talk to me-"
when God denies us one power he
often makes another stronger" Mr..
Lee answered. alt will be through
your speech that you must do your
work in the world"
"My work WhatcanI eyerdo, Mr.
Lee?"
"A great deal: work that no one
else can do; that God made you Just
as you are, and put you where you
are. to do ,,-.,, Ill
eagerly. .,,.,,r.,d
| firmly. i+--,nd how
II know how to do it, sir 2'
S",' - By looking for it; and by asking
fGod to help YOU
Thare was a new hope ana bright
pess in Wills face as he saiu - ~
No. t-t-1- Gould ever do anNth'''2
~. 80 ,,,,, father and brothers, SIR an,
would yOu show mo how
Certainly you can, as much as
they can for YOU. You are God 5
tool lust as they are. And so was
that little dumb boy; God used him
to do work men called great, small
and ignorant as he was. Shall l tel
YOU about him?'
ooh, yes, sir, pleased"
"Well he lived near the mountains
in Virginia; his father was engineer
on a train which ran close to then
house. His mother died when ht
and his brother were born, and they
had a stepmOther She had no chill
dren of her own, and was very tonC
f of Harry, the big, strong twln' anl
> not unkind to Ben, the dumb one
5 But she did not love or care for hin
as his own mother would have done
> no one loved him, yet he sought al
q fection with the pathetic, silent long
y inc of q dog; loved too, with dog
@ like devotion, those he did love-hl
,, father and his twin brother. Ottel
/ they repulsed him, wounding the lov
e they neither understood nor valued.
"Poor little Bennie! his happlnes
< was to follow his brother until b
n was turned back, or walk IN a SLOW
,e halting way miles along the trac
W before his fathers train was due an
pr stand beside it to see him pass on IL
Nv engine. Then he would go home an
If gleefully make the sign for his tath'
ri both hands pressed to his heart
fe. to tell that he had seen him, pointlI
to nm the track or down, and WavlI
is his hand to indicate far away. II
rs fancy was to go as far as he coul
m inst to see his father sooner than
%. waiting at home till the train passe
We The father, a quick, impatient ma
to thought him almost an idiot, but
no. never mistook the hours and da
when the train would pass, nor t
TX direction in which it should come.
cd. When the twins were ten yea
ice old, a Western aunt sent them ea
,ee a red flannel blouse very tastefu
YER made. 1t was the first time Benz
NV had ever had a garment to mat
GO Halls. whose cast off clothes were
ms general wear, and his pleasure IN
sh- blouse was extreme. He slept w
est if beside him, and when not wearl
bed it. carried it in bag wherever
,rs. went. Hal was proud of his, Il
out and insisted on wearing it daily.
ch- Zone day he brought it home il
nil. sad state. He and his schoolfello
- had lighted fire, and getting he
ed. he had taken off the blouse
thrown it down. On taking 1T up,
found the sleeve so burnt that a
one was necessary, and the o
thing his father had to make 1t
eor,a Ubitp flannel