The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1912-01-05

fOf all that their voices rang high
and hot, the Twins were really dis
cussing the question VIII, hnd hit
Stubb's bull-ter'ier with The greatest
number of stones in the most amiuble
spirit. Violet Anlstasiu Dangeriield
who always took the most favorable
view Of her exploits. had claimed
twenty hits out Of the thirty: lIya-
clnth Wolfram Dangeriield. I'm very
proper spirit had at once claimed the
same number, and both of them were
defending their claims with loud We.
hemencc, becnuse. If you were not
loudly vehement. your claim lapsed
Suddenly TIyacinth Wolfram. as
usual, closed the discussion he said
firmly. "I tell you what: we both hit
that dog the same number Of times
SO saying he swung round the rude
calico bag bulging with booty. which
hung from his shoulders, and took
from II two Rlbstone pippins.
Perhaps we did" said Violet Anas-
tnsia amiably.
They went swiftly down the road,
munching In II peaceful silence
II had been an odd whm Of Nature
10 make the Twins 50 utterly unlike
No stranger ever took VidIet Aliasta-
sia Dangcrield so dark-eyed dark
haired. dark-silnned o. so rich Il
coloring. so changeful nR1 piqtiant a
face. for the cousin much less for the
twin sister, OF lIyacinth Wolfram
Dangerhcld. so fair-sknned, fair
haired. blue-eyed. on whose finely CHS
eled features rested so perpetual. so
contrasting a serenity. But It was Il
whim of man, of their wicked Uucle
Sir Maurice Falconer which had
robbed them Of their pretty names. lie
had named Violet "Erebus" because.
he said.
She walks in beauty like the night.
OF cloudless climes and starry spheres (;
and he had forthwith named IIya-
clnth "rhc Terror" because. he said.
the ill-fated Sir John Franklin had
made the Terror the eternal companion
of Erobns.
Erebus and the Terror they became.
Even their mother never called them
by their proper. pretty names save in
moments OF the severcst dspleasure.
They're good apples" said the Ter
ror presently. as he threw away the
core of his third and took two more
from the bag .
"rhey are" said ETebus in CRATE
full tone-"worth all the trouble we
had with that dog"
"Wc'd have cleared him out Of the
orchard In half the time. IL we'd had
our cataputs and bullets. II was hard
luck being made to promise never to
use catapults again." said the Terror
sadly.
"All that fuss about a little lead
from the silly old belfry gutter" said
Erebus bitterly
.r"As n belfres wanted lead cutters.
They could easily have put states in
the place of the sheets OF lead we
took" snid the Terror.
"Why can't they leave us alone? It
quite spoils the country not TO have
catapults." said Erebus. gazing on the
rich autumn scene through which they
moved with mournful eyes
They climbed over a gate (for the
Twins II was always simpler to climb
over a gate than to unlatch II and
walk through and took their way
along the common. They had gone
some flfty yards, when from among tho
gorse on their right a voice cried,
"Bang-E-gl Bang-g-g"
'rhe Twins fell to tine earth and lay
still and Virgins came out Of the
gorse his wooden gun on his shoulder.
q smile of proud triumph on his richly
freclled face. lie stood over the fall
len twins; and his smile of triumph
changed to scowl of the most savage
ferocity
"Iln IIn Shot through the heads -
he cried. "Their bones will bleach in
the painless forest while their scalps
hanc in the wigwam of Red Bear, the
terror of the Pnwnees."
Then Inc scalped the Twins with n
formidable but wooden knife Then
he took from his knickerbOcker pocket
tattered and dirty notebook. an in
conceivable notebook CT was the only
thing to curb the exuberant imaglna-
tlon of Erebus), made m entry in IT,
and said In tone of lively satlsfac-
tiOn, "You're only one game ahead"
~ thought we were three" said
Erebus, rising
They're down In the book" said
Virgins firmly; and his bright blue
eyes were very stern.
"Well. we shall have to spend a
whole afternoon getting well ahead of
YOU" said Erebus, shaking out her
dark curls.
Virgins waged deadly war with
the Twins. He ambushed and scalped
them; they ambushed and scalped
him. Seeing that they had already
passed their thirteenth birthday. II
was a great condescenslon ON their
part TO play with boy Of ten; and
they felt It. But Virgins was fav.
Ored friend; and the game filled inter.
walls between sterner deeds.
The Terror handed Virgins an ap
pie; and the three of them moved
swiftly on across the common Wig
gins was one of those who spurn the
earth. Now and again, for obscure
but profound reasons, he would sud
denly spring into the air and proceed
by leaps and bounds.
Once when he slowed down to lei
them overtake him. he said. "The game
isn't really fair; you're two to one"
"You keep very IeYel," said the Ter
ror.
"Yes; It's my superior astuteness,
said Virgins sedately.
"Goodnessl What words you use =
said Erebus in somewhat Jealous
tone
"Its being so much with my father
you see. he has European reputa
tion," Virgins explained,
"Yes; everybody says that Ru
what is a European reputationT' salt