Evening star., 1898-02-03
A PRANK OF LONG AGO
The Laughable Meeting Of Two Long De-
parted Sisters.
Each Thought the other Deaf and
They Talked ToEethcf Hours Be-
fore Either Knew the Other.


On summer afternoon, n the yeaf 1885,
there were two old lady Messengers in
Baltimore and Ohio train, speeding to
Washington, engaged in conversation in
| the highest pitch of voice, for they had
each been led to believe that the other
was deaf, and were ignorant that they
were sisters, who had thus been brought
together by fun-loying son and nephew
twho was then in hiding) after forty years
had passed.
They had passed the childhood years of
their lives on one of those old-time estates
in the lower part of the eastern shore of
the Chesapeake, which had passed from
father to son from the colonial days. When
only twelve and fourteen years Of age they
had become separated-the eldest, Mary
nicknamed Peggy, leaving the old home
stead on a schooner for Baltimore to
visit friends in that city. The captain, be-
ing friend of the family, the parents felt
that she would be safe, and he would see
that she found her friends. Steamboats,
had commenced to ply on the bay, but sell
dom were seen in that section in those
days; and as railroads on the eastern shore
were never thought of, consequently
the route to Baltimore by sail was the
popular one. During Miss Peggy's voyage
a terrific storm arose and a night of horror
was the experience she never forgot for
with wind, rain and lightning around and
about the bark, the escape from wreck was
miracle. During the night the passengers
prayed for deliverance. and soiemnly vowed
that if their lives were spared and they
were safely landed that they would never.
again attempt to cross the Chesapeake
bay.
The vessel weathereds the storm, and
when the captain placed Miss Peggy with
her friends in Baltimore she repeated the
fn ha QCr0i nd
sent a message to her family that she
would never trust herself on water again.
Unless, therefore, she could take the long
route by stages around the head of the
bay and the long trip down the peninsula
there was little prospect that hshe would
ever see her home. Though corresponding
occasionally with her sister, in a few
years she claimed Baltimore as, her home
bay led her to become a. member of one
of the Baltimore churches Here she met
with young mechanic, and, being salts
fled that, like her, he had an aversion
to- water, especially for transporta ton
purposes. she accepted and married him,
and soon after moved to western Mary
land. In time a family grew up around
them and during the war. one of her sons,
having acquired much experience in rail-
reading. was on duty about Washington
as an officer of the military railroad
service, and with such ability did he serve
that he received more than one promotion
by the government. A few months after
the close of the war he was enabled to
make the acquaintance of his family, his
duties then not being cneHous.
One fine morning. in looking over some
railroad time tables, he fouk6 that a town
he had often heard his mother speak of
was a station on the Eastern Shore rail-
road. Needing some rest and recreation,
and having a desire to hunt up his rela-
tives, especially his mothers people, he
started, simply sending word to his family.
then living in Washington, that he had
loft nit In fnyrT hor, hTy hi
way to hunt up his kin he had never met,
and it was not long before he found him
self among his mothers people-an uncle
or two: an aunt and several cousins. When
Aunt Kitty had looked him over and de-
clared that he was the very image of Sis
ter Peggy there was none to doubt the kin
ship. After a sojourn of several days, dur
ing which the history of the family was
recounted. Aunt Kitty was induced to come
to Washington with her nephew -"
The start was made by the all-rail route,
and when Wilmington was reached, the
nephew dispatched two kilograms, one to
his mother. who then lived at Frederick,
requesting her to meet him at the Relay
House at certain hour, and the other to
his wife, that he would have two friends
take tea with her. When the train reac he'd
the Relay the nephew left the aunt, met
and helped his mother aboard, and having
told his aunt. while the mother was ar
rarging her baggage, that the newcomer
was deaf, motioned to the mother that the
other was hard of hearing, seated his
mother and left them. In few minutes
the two were talking of the weather. the
war, &c. and though one learned that the
other was to visit her grand children, and
the other niece neither suspected that
they We're bound to the same house. On
arrival, the ladies could not understand
why the son put them in the same car
riaSe and why they We're both landed at
the same house, but the son let them in
with a night key, and in a little time took
them to the dining room. where the wife
n of
Here, as the mother was greeting the wife.
something said or done by her reminded
her Of sister Peggy. and in an instant the
ar was fll!ed with cries of joy, sobs, tears,
up an indescriba5le scene It is unneces.
sary to say that the tongues became so
btsy that the sisters did not partake OF
supper, or sleep till after breakfast next
day. when the son and nephew was for
given Tor the manner he brought about the
JOYFUL meeting after forty years.