The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1897-04-28
SELECTED STORY.
Solomon Holt, Twin.

man Vi your yeaIot oaiu DoS iIhih
removing his sheepskin gloves and
warming his brawny hands over the
fire.
"Jes So" replied Solomon Holt,
carefully brushing the dust from q
cheap crayon portrait which hung on
the cabin wall. "'Tain't goin' ter be
fer long, though. When l get ter be
guard"
give heard tell as how you're goin
to git an office. I'm glad of it, Sol;
you desarve it,"
"Thank ye-thank We. 'Taint much
NV err oflice-ies' guard up at Their penn
Tertiary. I've already writ ter the gov
nor"
"Perty sure of gettin' the office, you
think?"
CANT no doubt about it. This pic
ter, now"
"Who is it?" asked Doc, surveying
the crayon portrait, critically.
"Thats Lige. Mebby we didn't
know Lige?"
NO.
"Nearly everybody knowed Lige.
He knowed the gov'nor an the gov'nor
knowed him. faint every man that
can have that sed Nv him."
"That's So"
"Lige war in the legislator; he war
one Nv pair Nv twins"
"He WARP"
"That's fact. Pm the other twin"
"You don't sayl"
"They did say we looked a power
alike. Would you take that to be me-
say, five years ago?
swell, there's family resemblance,
only the clothes"
"That's fact; 1 never thought Nv
the clothes. Lige always would spruce
up-had ter do it, ye know, bein' a
legislator. Vas, as 1 war sayin', Lige
he knowed most everybody, everybody
knowed him, an that's goin' ter help
me in gittin' ter be guard"
"No doubt of it, What's your broth
er Lige now?"
He amt nowhar-he's dead-bin
dead these five years. People come fer
miles ter go to his funer'l. 1t war
powerful blow ter the state when Lige
died-he'd "a been gov'nor fore this,
like as not"
"Like as not" repeated Doc Pitkin.
There was no doubt in the mind of
Solomon Holt that he would receive
the appointment which he had asked,
and he set to work making preparations
to 90 to his post as soon as he should
be called
Squire Spludford, who was some
thing of local politician, was going to
the capital to attend the inaugural cere-
monies of the newly. elected governor,
and he had promised to present the
claims of Solomon Holt for appoint
ment, and if possible to see the gov
ernor in person.
"1'll see that your claims are pre-
sented to the governor" said the squire,
and there isn't any doubt that you
will get the appointment, that is, if
some one don't get in ahead of u.s."
give been in the state for 80 years,
an that ort ter count for sonethin',"
said Solomon.
yes, I've no doubt it will"
"Youl be shore an tell the guv'nor
about it9'
L" Yes"
"An' about Lige?"
"Of course"
"Hell know Lige--least the other
gov'nors did,"
eyes"
cam about the twin-tell him I'm
the twin brother of Lige."
"pll do that, and as soon as 1 learn
about the appointment I'll let you
know"
In due time the squire went to the
capital, where he expected to remain
for two weeks. After few days Solo,
mon began to pay.daily visits to Ben
toms store at the crossroads, where the
post-office was kept.
"I'm lookin' for a letter from the |
SQUIRE" he explained. "He's goin'
ter let me know when git the point
ment."
Solomon Holt was almost 65, and age
and the hardships of life were already
telling upon him. His frame was very
spare, and his thin hair was thickly
streaked with white. He wore suit |
of faded blue material that was thread |
bare in many places, and he made |
grotesque appearance as he hobbled |
across the wind-swept prairie.
must git me some new clothes |
when git ter be guard" he said, cast
ing glance at the pile of cheap, ready
made clothing at the store.
His frequent visits to the store soon
became the source of comment among
the idlers that frequented the store,
and more than once Sol and his ex-
pected appointment were made the butt
of rude jests. But of these he took no
notice. The time would come, he felt
sure, when he would be in position to
"put the joke back on 'em," as he ex-
pressed it,
But the days went by without bring
ing any tidings from the squire. The
uncertainty of the issue kept Sol in a
state of restless anxiety, and every day
found him at the store, waiting for the
arrival of the mail which the stage
brought daily from Stoper's station.
One evening the postmaster handed
A GREAT BOOK FREE.