The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1904-02-13
JOHN AND JAMEs.

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which to distinguish them, and so it
happened that they got the nicknames
of Red Jack and Blue jim.
Both were full of pranks and kept
their teacher in constant worry. If
Jack did something for which he ex-
change ribbons with jim, and the
teacher could not tell which one to
punish.
At sixteen the twins were sent to
college in distant State, where their
wonderful resemblance led to much
sport among the college boys and held
the faculty at great disadvantage.
Both boys were athletic and joined
the baseball and boat clubs. They
were popular and soon made many
friends and managed to fall in love
with sisters.
Jacks sweetheart was named Mary
and Jim's Jennie, and each girl pee
sented her lover with a ring as
mark of recognition.
But the fun loving spirits Of the
twins led them to play jokes even on
their sweethearts, and the rings and
ribbons were often transferred, and
while Jack called upon Jennie Jim
would be visiting with Mary.
Jack, said Mary on one of these
occasions when she was entertaining
Jim unawares, father says when we
get married he will set you up in
business. I"
"That is very good of him, said
Jim, ''but / don't intend to marry
you
WHAT" said Mary.
1T said that did not intend to
marry you. This thing has got to
stop. I'm tired of it." And, ris-
ing, he departed, leaving the poor
girl in tears.
At the same TIME Jim Was u1seszses
ing Mary Jack was with Jennie.
''Jim," said Jennie, when are
you and to be married?"
Never" replied Jack.
'Then is it all over between us 7"
asked Jennie.
Eyes; it is, replied Jack. This
thing has gone far enough. I'm
tired of it. .
Jack then took his departure, leav-
ing behind him another disconsolate
girl.
Neither one said word to the
the next day when the twins were
out walking, wearing their proper
colors, they met Mary and Jennie.
The boys stopped to have chat,
but the two girls passed them with
out look.
"What is the matter now?" asked
Jack.
81 don't know" replied Jim, but
something serious must have hap
pened.
Say he continued, what did
you say to Jennie yesterday"
"Oh, nothing" Jack replied,
only told her I was tired Of her and
refused to marry"
"And you told her that ~
"I did"
"Well, I'll be hanged |" said Jim.
"I told Mary the same thing.
"That settles it," said Jack
we've got to square ourselves some
how"
In the evening they called on the
girls and were met in very frigid
manner, but explanations followed,
and happiness soon reigned supreme.
One day Jack was called before
professor for violating one of the rules
Of the college.
"That must be Jim," thought he,
''for l have done nothing out Of the
way"
However" he continued, "I'll
just keep still and see what comes
Of it"
He soon fonnd out that tiresome
task had been laid out for him which
would keep him up half the night.
But Jack did not intend to suffer
much for Jim's fault, and the next
morning he asked Jim to change rib
bons with him.
Tim chanced to appear before the
professor who had sci the task the
day before and, of course, was taken
unawares. He knew nothing about
the matter, excepting that he was the
guilty one, and the double task put
upon him made him pay pretty well
for his shortcomings.
One day the twins got badly mixed
up as to their identity.
"Are you Jack?" asked the other
one day, ''or am II"
"I'll be hanged if I can tell, " re-
piled the other. We've been chang
ing SO much of late that | don't know
who am"
When they graduated neither one
could tell if he got the right diploma
or not, and when they went home they
were so badly mixed in their minds
that they were hopelessly lost.
AS they had grown up together
they decided to 60 into partnership
in business, and soon after they mar
ried their old time sweethearts, Mary
and Jennie, and became happy and
prosperous business men.
But they still are In doubt as to
their identity, and Mary does not
know but what she is married to Jim,
while Jennie is sometimes positive
that she married Jack.
"WHAT DO you think of my
poemsl'' asked the young author.
ssWell," answered Miss Cayenne,
s'they are betwixt and between
They're too sensible for nonsense
verses and too nonsensical for sensi-
BILE verses"
srXKTrrv 4,0,S'fr Won marry that girl