Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1894-08-18
KISSED THE BRIDE.

KISSED THE BRIDE.
Zeke and / are twins. We were, in fact,
Et the time Of my story. Always have
been as far back as | can remember. and
that is good long while. know that
i the reason they called us zeke and
lzed-Zeliel and Zedekiah, bnt some
bow we could never quite forgive them
for giving us those names. We are
alike, and always have been. When we
tYere boys, mother hid great fancy for
lirnilarity in our dress. A patch On one
rec meant a similar patch ON the other
Toys knee. The storekeeper never tried
TO sell her samples OF goods unless the
Eeianant contained enough for two pairs
If pants or two coats. Hence none but
bur parents knew us apart. zeke had a
large wart upon his left hand, while /
had none. He had often tried to remove
BIT, for people We're ever on the lookout
lor that wart. But it was not to be got
lid of SO easily.
| We We're very fond of each other.
Inn sure up to the time of our manhood
bne never did nor could do anything
without the ether ono at his heels. But
when we were 81 Zeke did something
which left me entirely in the cold. I
have never quite forgiven him yet. He
fell in love And, whereas before | was
newer too near, was now altogether
Eoo near and one too many. 1t was very
bitter to lne--to be put i'll q secondary
place, and SO / told him.
$50 and do likewise, was all he
said.
| 1t made mo feel rather mean, and /
felt inclined to give him something to
turn the channel of his thoughts, but
Eo1nehow ! loved him too much to
bother him, and SO we logged along for
d year.
/ We used in those days to Jave sing
ing and spelling schools, and it was at
those places that we young people pair
led off for the walk home. One night I
stopped and talked with some Of the
boys after Zeke and Nellie had gene
home, so had a good chance to observe
them just ahead Of mo as neared them
on my way home The moon was bright
and the snow white, and-well, Zeke
stopped over to look inside that hood
so many times or to do something else
that l made up my mind the wedding
must be very near at hand. | thought
Zel1o ought to take me into his conf
;Gence in this matter as well as in all
Others. / think so still. / would never
have been half mad at him if he had.
but he and father would stand ont and
view that south 40 acre lot and pace off
the plot for the house and one for the
barn, and if Ineared them they would
begin to talk about fertilizing it for next
Years corn CROP Had I been little
lad of 10 would never have cared
but Zeke's twin and treated like a
stranger! / could rot guess the cause Of
Zeke's actions.
But i'll later years, when l found a lit
tie lass just to my eye, and when other
fellows looked on her, felt rather self
ish, and-well, "stingy" too. l know
now, because / looked like Zeke and
talked like Zeke and behaved like Zeke.
He, Ezekiel Dune, was afraid Nellie
Lanbart would swap twins. But then
/ was only angry. As / said, knew
the wedding could not be many moons
away. In those days ''belling" was the
fashion Woe unto each newly married
couple if they did not appear at the door
during the serenade and stand treat for
the crowd ] mentioned in half anger
to my best friend next to Zeke one night
at the singing school that l supposed
Zeke would soon quit such places of
amusement and settle down by his own
fireside. OF course they wanted to find
out when the affair would take place. /
confessed ignorance
The following plan was matured.
But will relate the results instead Of
the plan, only / will say first if Zeke
had used mo like a twin brother ought /
would have been better too. feel half
ashamed of myself now as l sit gray
headed and a grandfather. To be sure,
/ laugh over the joke yet, but twas
rather hard on Nelly and your humble
servant too.
was to find the secret plans from
Nell herself. And / did. We were at
singing school, Zeke and l, and, accord
ing to our custom. dressed just alike I
had seen Zel1e get through the ceremo-
by SO often l knew just how. So while
one of the other boys kept Zeke at the
schoolhouse took Nelly under my wing
and escorted her home. Zeke was lit
tie anxious to be gone, they said, but
Bob said the girls were waiting i'll the
entry $50 they were, most of theml, and
he was anxious to lay the plans for a
grand sing and exhibition in the near
future, SO kept Zeke all right.
! But to return to Nell and myself. 1t
WIGS wicked, to be sure, but / took her
little hand in mine and pressed it as /
knew Zelke did and walked on silently.
There's Dave and Jen behind us,
7 whispered at length, $50 We'll talk
low"
"Yes," she replied l hardly knew
what to say next, yet half the distance
WAS Travelled, and / was listening for
Zeke's stride behind us.
I "What makes you go SO fast, zeke, "
She whispered. 1T will be over too
soon. y
'sTo keep them behind us, y replied.
LET them pass, - and she stopped
still, and Dave and Jen laughed gayly
as they went on.
Il want to ask You, Zeke, if we had
-- -----