Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1904-01-07

duck, with oyster saucer and she
kissed me again, and vanished.
OF course I knew that was playing
the part Of contemplate hypocrite,
but I could not resist the temptation
Of keeping still and letting destiny
work for me, especially when such
lovely girl represented destiny.
Papa came down, as she had told me
he would, and how he managed it
do not know, but the thing was settled
in the course of a couple of hours, and
was riding with him in handsome
carriage, drawn by pair Of high-step
ping bays, going to dinner.
Alice-that was whath her father called
her-received us cordially. She was
dressed" now, and suppose all these
founces and puffs would not admit OF
her kissing me, since she did not do it.
Ny heart sank. wished myself back
in prison, if pretty Alice were so much
more affectionate in prison than out
Of it.
But Alice had me sit near her at the
table, and she sweetened my coffee,
and dished out my roast duck with
oyster sauce. And I adored her, and
was very near telling her so.
We had just got to pudding when a
servant opened the door, and ushering
in a gentleman, announced:
tMr. John Smith,
I turned, and confronted the visitor.
1t was like looking in glass. He was
| my exact counterpart in every partic-
| ular. Our own mothers could not have
told us apart.
! CONSERVATION was on his facet
| reckon it was also on mine. Alice was
white with horror. Papa stood rub
bing his glasses and trying to convince
himself that the trouble was in his
| eyes.
"Jupiter!" said the newcomer; "who
are you?''
"John Smith, sir" said I. "Who are
you:"
'John Smith, sir,'' said he; and then
he saw how ludicrous it all was, and
burst out laughing.
"What have I done?" cried Alice.
"Oh, what have I done?''
"Don't cry, COUSIN" said John Smith,
the nephew; "I'll have an explanation
at once" Then he turned fiercely to
me and demanded one. I told him l
should be very happy to accommodate
him, and did so.
Papa Gordon-that was his name
/ laughed heartily. But Alice crept out
of the room, and was sure her eyes
were running over with tears, and
felt like a malefactor-yes, indeed! like
pair of them.
But John Smith, the nephew, gave US
very good news after ALL Mr.. Streeter
who was the said Johns employer
had been mistaken in his suspicious re
garding his clerk, and it had beer
clearly established that Streeter's OWL
son was the guilty one.
: So. altogether, we had nice tim'
congratulating ,ourselves-John and l.
and Mr.. Gordon rubbed his glasses
, and seemed highly delighted over tn
: episode.
It was a long time before Alice cam
back to the room where we were sit
ting, and then managed to draw he
? aside for a moment to ask her pardol
/, for not having undeceived her at once
"Really," said I, cit was all so de
t lightful that I could not speak tn
D words which would drive you ava,
e from me-"
And what more said would not in
r terest anybody.
4 went about my business the mex
: day, but on my return F called at tn
e Gordon mansion, and two months. ag
i I prevailed on Alice Gordon to .acceI
4 the name of Smith; and | own tn
s sweetest wife in the world to the fat
Of having a counterpart.-New Yor
e Weekly. s4s,.