The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1896-06-26
MET HERBROTHER

bNCth llCI anu lOASlllisSSA AZ oARS
space of half 4 minute and looked at me.
Then she laid it down and said, II shall
send you to your mothers relatives ut
once"
This was intended as extreme punish
ment Therefore had much ado to keep
myself in hand and appear to take 1t KS
such After u faint Don't, aunty,
which q should blush to tell it) 1 smoth
cred in the needless fear that she might
rclent, relapscd into silence. Then my
aunt spoke again-she had always been
stern with me on account of her dislike to
my mothcr-and this is what she said:
You shall go tomorrow. shall have
nothing moro to say to you, but will give
YOU written directions and money enough
for incidentals. "
Honestly, can't say that was sorry
was full of curiosity to see these unknown
relatives, of whom all 1 knew was that
they had brought up my half brother,
Richard Everett. / always thought of him
as Dick.
On the morrow received at my aunt's
hands roll of bills and u neatly folded
paper of directions and was forthwith put
on the train and SO shipped. My trunk
received the same attention. do they ex-
pect me, aunt" called through the open
window of the car. Her answer was lost
as the train glidcd rapidly out Of the sta-
ton. So settled myself to think the mat
ter over, and naturally enough the first
thing did was to open my paper of direc-
tiuns 1t was blank. Clearly she had
given me the wrong paper. From sheer
pervcrsity began to enjoy the situation
us l though of Aunt Eliza's horror when
on her return sho would make the discov-
cry | had just made My own position did
not trouble mo at first The joke on Aunt
Eliza seemed 50 huge, and youth is not
prone To take things seriously. To be sure
l Ind u tedious four hours journey before
] could reach Boston and ut the end of it
uncertainty, but l did not think of that.
l amused myself with my book andmy fel
low passengers for three fourths of the way
and was just beginning to wonder If we
were not nearly there when the train stop
ped and there was u slight exchange of
pusScngerS. Some one who got on at the
rear end of the car went into the seat be
hind me. At the same time n big, good
naturcd looking man got on at the other
end, and coming toward me, stopped by
my seat and hailed my new neighbor.
Hello, Everett" he said and at the
name the curiosity said to have been trans
mitted by Mother Eve to all her daughters
overcnmc me, and listened attcntivcly.
"Hcllo!' briefly responded the unseen
one. Where are you bound for" came
next There and back again, f" was the
curt answer. "Oh, then if you choose to
be so noncommittal with me, Dick, my
hoy, I'll bid you a good day" and tho big
man passed on to the next car.
Here was turn IL the tide of events
that promised to be interesting. Dick was
behind me He had evidently heard from
Aunt Eliza and had come to meet me, but
did not know me. Whnt should do and
how wns l to make myself known to him?
could not see him unless / turned direct
ly around and faced him. an action which
Il natural difiidcnce forbade, so that now
my chief fear was that he would leave the
train unknown to me. This blissful state
of uncertainty lasted another half hour
In that time l considered and rejected at
least 30 modes of introduction that would
fit our peculiar circumstances. In the end
] was saved the trouble Bump, bump,
The train fairly trcmblcd. Something had
occurred that shook every one into every
one else. Dicks head and mine were
knocked together till the air about me
glittcred
Il beg your pardon, " said Dick. ASH
thought 1t over afterward the remark was
unnecessary, but ut the time l was too ex-
cited to notice it.
oh, Dick, I'm so glad to have found
your said Was it collision"
Il should think it might be called one
he made answer, rubbing his head and
looking inquiringiy at me.
What's the natter" l asked. Don't
] look as you expected to see me-"
The question is, " he remarked thought
fully, did l expect to see you at alp
Then you have not heard from Aunt
Eliza2"
Aunt Eliza? No, certainly have noe
heard from Aunt Eliza"
Meanwhile the confusion on the train
was SO great that i paid no special heed to
Dick bewildernent There had been
slight accident, and, though no one was
hurt, every one was frightened, and, with
the perversity of human kind. mad ut
having been frightened for nothing, which,
to my mind, was making the worst OF u
good bargain. Dick came and sat down
by me after that, and l took u good look
ut him. lie was four or five years INV
senior, II remembered rightly, but be
yond that point all my preconceiycd ideas
of him vanished into thin air. thought
had been told long ago, Of course, that
we looked alike, but Dicks sunny hair,
blue eyes and long, straight nose bore MOI
the least resemblance to my dusky person
ality and slightly heaven turned fcaturc-s
Il am 50 glad to have found you here"
] repeated. do you know, Dick, Aunt
Eliza gave me the wrong paper, so that
had not the least guide, to find you? Isn't
fgr q ,.,t Al.
train this way?"
Most fortunate, he answered, eying
me with more curiosity than ever.
You haven't said you are glad to SCI
me. Dick. put in n little nervously, 1t
must be confessed. for, though my brother
he WAS n complete stranger to mo, and
WAS by no means sure of my welcome.
Perhaps haven't had time, or perhaps
Tn overcome with joy. Either way, how
ever, l have not given you the welcome
you deserve" and he graspcd my hand
cordially. Which way are you going?"
he said.
I'm going home with you" muir
INJURED, on the verge of tears. I had no
right to be hurt at his not knowing it,
since Aunt Eliza had not written. Never
thclcss l was
"Oh-cr-yes, why, of course Stupid
81 me to have asked the question, but the
fact is, don't you see, that \ unit Eliza did |
not write, 50 perhaps you had better tell |
me all about it. "
l did so, ending with Il hope you Will |
like me, Dick. We seem so especially to |
belong to each other, having no one else |
really of our own in the world, and III be |
the best sister to you possible"
thought heard him calculate, ISIS |
ter, ch?' but put the idea aside as I'M |
likely. Aloud he said:
You will not find me slow, sister, to |
follow your lead
After that our tongues We're loosed, and |
our conversation might have been said tp |
rival Tennyson's celebrated brook. To say |
that was pleased with my newly found |
brother would be inadequate Twas young |
and enthusiastic, and Dicks gaycty, wit |
and light hearted nonsense, to say nothing |
of the amount of interesting information |
he had stored up in his mind, captivated |
and enchanted mo beyond anything in my
previous experience. He also knew how to
sort and arrange his ideas so rs to be ready |
with the right illustration to flt each occa-
sion, telling accomplishment when one
Is bent on making IN impression. l had
been glad when I found my brother, but
that he should prove to be such an ideal
brother exceeded my widest hopes. felt
my position to be enviable indeed.
Perhaps my face showed something Of
my sentiments, for now and then fancih
1 caught Dick smiling, but he always BE-
came grave the instant looked at him, so
that it was impossible to say.
The next station Is ours" he said sud-
denly, $50 perhaps you had better give me
your checks 1t was such a new and