The St. Mary banner., 1907-01-19
THE DANGER OF BEING A TW/N

By LEONARD MERR/cx.

My confessioa must begin when
was four years old and recovering
from swollen glands. AS grew we'll
my twin brother, GregOire, who was
some minutes younger, was put to
bed with the same complaint.
What a misfortune" exclaimed our
mother, that Silvestre is no sooner
convalescent than Gregoire falls ill.,"
The doctor answered: 1T astonishes
me that you we're not prepared for 1t,
Madame Lapalme-since the children
are twins, the thing was to be fore
seen; when the elder throws the mala-
dy OF, the younger naturally contracts
it. Among twins it Is nearly always
So"
And it always proved to be so with
Gregoire and me. No sooner did l
throw of whooping cough than Gre
goire began to whoop, though l was
at home in Vernon and he was stay
Ing with our grandmother in Tours. If
! had to be taken to dentist, Gre
gOire would soon afterward be how
ling with toOthache; as often as in
dulged in the pleasures of the table,
Gregoire had bilious attack. The in
duence l exercised upon him was SO
remarkable that once when my bicycle
ran away with me and broke my arms,
our mother consulted three medical
men as to whether Gregoire's bicycle
was bound to run away with him, too
OF n
prehensive Of 1t himself.
Again at college. shall not pre-
tend that was bookworm, or that
shared Gregoire's ambitions; on the
contrary, the world beyond the walls
looked such jolly place to me that
the mere sight Of classroom would
sometimes fill me with adherence.
But, mon Dieu! II other fellows we're
wild occasionally. they accepted the
penalties, and the affair was finished;
on me rested respOnsibility-m
wildness was communicated to Gre
goire. Scarcely had l resigned myself
to dull routine again than Gregoire.
the Industrious, would find himself
unable to study q page, and would
commit freaks for which he rebuked
me most sternly.
So far as l had any serious aspira-
tions at all. aspired to be painter,
and. after combating my family's OBJ
jections, entered an art school in
Paris. Gregoire, on the other hand.
inclined strongly to law. During the
next few years We met infrequently,
but that my brother continued to be
affected by any unusual conditions OF
my body and mind knew by his let
ters, which seldom failed to contain
expostulations and entreaties. Can
you blame me IL I had no love for this
correspondent?
My Brother:
The Circumstances Of Our Birth
Your attention Is directed to my pre-
ceding communications on this sub
ject. I desire to protest against the
revelry from which you recovered eth
or on the 18th or 10th inst. On the
afternoon of the later date, while en-
gagged in a conference of the first mag
nitude, was seized with an over
whelming desire to dance Quadrille
at a public ball. I found it impossible
to concentrate my attention on the
case concerning which was consult
cd; could no longer express myself
with lucidity.
Outwardly sedate, reliable, sat at
my desk dizzied by sLch visions as
pursued St. Anthony to his cell. No
sooner was free than l fled from Ver-
non, dined in Paris, bought a false
beard. and plunged wildly into the
vortex Of a dancing hall. Scoundrel!
This is past pardon! My sensibilities
revolt. and my prudence shudders.
Who shall say but that one night
may be recognized? Who can foretell
to what blackmail you may expose
me? I, Maitre Lapalme, forbid your
profigacies, which devolve upon me,
forbid-etc.
Our mother still lived In Vernon,
where she contemplated her favorite
sons success with the profoundest
pride. Occasionally | spent few days
with her, sometimes more.
One summer when l visited her l
met Mademoiselle Leuillet. know
very we'll that no description of a
girl ever painted her to anybody yet.
Suffice 1t that she was beautiful as
an angel, that her voice was like the
music Of the Spheres-more than all,
that one felt all the time, How good
che Is, how good. how good!"