The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1906-06-07
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BY Cecilia A. LOiEeNux


RER JARED BARTON leaned
llM his gray head wearlly on his
eSJ There they 70 again." he
said aloud lii distressed tone. And
before she came here they were thicker
than thieves, wish could find a
way out Of this mess"
The angry voices which had been the
cause OF this soliloQuy became angrier
and nearer
And II ] ever see you looking at
her again with that sick cat expression
on your mug I'll injure II NO you can't
grin for week"
That's Dick" said the father, laugh.
Ing in spite OF himself at this threat,
"Bess says she's bully nurse" said
the other voice. I'D have good care"
Bert always gets ahead. He's Just
what was when was his age"
chuckled the old man In the library.
Great Scott They'll kill each other
yet Here, you young houndsl" he
yelled rushing out into the hall. "You
pick yourself up and get out OF this.
II you've got TO fight, you 20 out be-
hind the barn and fght till one or the
other OF you gets killed. Look out
there, Dick
Dick had his brother down and was
sitting on him. He had just raised his
arm to administer good blow on the
upturned face of Bert when his father
caught his arm and dragged him of.
Bert did not take the trouble TO get
up, but lay Hat on his back, looking up
at his brother with wicked one sided
grin.
Get up, Bert" ordered his father
and he shuttied to his feet, Very sud
denly Mr.. Barton's patience gave out,
Catching Bert by the collar and retain
ing his grip on Dicks arm, he shook
both boys until his face grew purple,
| and, letting them 60 he leaned against
the banisters gasping for breath. The
boys made no attempt to resist; they
merely grew utterly limp. They We're
twins, about seventeen, and small for
their age, with fair hair and dreamy
gray eyes All of the mischief perpe-
trated In the particular suburb In
which they lived was sooner or later
tracked to their door or to the doors OF
their innocent accompllces. They had
one redeemlng feature; until few
months before this they had clung to-
gether through thick and thin. When
one was punished the other was punish
ed before the rest OF the family could
live with him. 1t seemed. sometimes,
to their anguished parents as II the
twins could read each others mind.
While their mother was alive she had
been able to control them to some ex-
| tent, and her last words were, Keep
the twins together" At that time they
were so thick "a knife blade couldn't
be slid between them," as Mr. Barton
remarked. But that was some time
ago. Now
I'm ashamed Of you," he said wea-
rily and went back into his library,
leaving the twins glaring at each other.
Presently they began to look sheepish.
and then they grinned and stuck out
their hands at the same time. The ar
gument was understood to be closed
for the present
Mr.. Barton watched them go down
the street together, arm In arm, and
gave a sigh of relief. He knew he
would have an hour or two Of peace.
While he stood muslng at the win
dow his little daughter Bess and her
governess came around the corner and
In at the gate.
There's the bone Of contention now"
he said. What does she mean by en-
couraging those young whelps to fall
In love with herr
His daughter Bess bounced into the
room waving an envelope in her hand.
Letter from Bob" she whoOped.
Hurry up and read 'er!"
Quietly, Bessie" said Miss Gray,
who had entered behind the little girl.
when you have finished visiting with
your father, come upstairs and / will
help you with your French for tomor-
row."
Mr. Barton took Bess on his knee
and opened his letter. 1t was charac
teristic. He was out In Colorado see
ing the world" and having the time Of
his life;" was well and happy and
ready to come home at any time; love
to Bess and the boys and his regards
to the young lady who had succeeded
In making individuals out Of the Sia-
mese twins"
Bess ran away presently, and Mr..
Barton let his thoughts wander out to
bis eldest son. Bob had been gradu-
ated from Harvard the summer before
and had come home little more en-
thuslastiC about Boston than he should
have been knowing his fathers DrptCl-