The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1914-09-18
A Fortunate
Meeting
b. U B. CUMMINGS

"lQ0Ic b q uCW IVY VAAAA6 -L.
Half a dozen youngsters ran to the
norte-cochere of Mr.. Sanford's boarding
school to see the new pupil. He jump
cd out of the carriage, and when he
had dom so stood stock still, staring
at one of the boys who had come to
look him over, all the others staring at
him.
"Why, he's Bob Archer" was the ex-
clamation of several of the self con
stituted reception committee.
"Are you Bob Archer?" asked the
newcomer of the boy who was gaping
at him.
.Yes."
"Then you're my twin brother"
"Reckon you're right"
Mr.. and Mrs. Edward Archer eight
years before this meeting had sepa-
rated. having made an arrangement
that the father should have n Of
their twin boys, aged four. and the
mother should have the. other. Thorn
as had gone with his father, Robert
with his mother. From the time Of
the separation these two divisions Of
the family had never met. Their par
ents, unknown to each other, had sent
them to the same school.
The affection twins have for each
other is accounted for physiologically.
Tom and Bob Archer from the time
thew met at the Sanford school were
inseparable.
-, 4, - VNo,, 0n0 dow at6n WON
remember father?
mo. Do you remember motherT
"Just a little"
"What do you suppose was the mat
ter between them?"
"Don't know. l don't think fathers
and mothers have a right to quarrel,
do you? It's mighty hard on the kids"
mo, don't. When vacation m
l ppo we've got to separate again."
81 move we don't"
What can we do?"
..I,l write father that I'm going to
spend my vacation with you some
where, and you write mother you're
going to spend yours with me-"
at would knock mother out not to
have me with her."
.Humph! don't think it would trou-
BILE father so much to part with me,
but it might. Fathers don't show what
they feel so much as mothers"
"Where can we go for our vacations"
Lets go to a farm"
The upshot of this conspiracy was
that the boys wrote to their respective
homes that they would not be separat-
ed and were going to spend their sum-
mer vacation together on a farm. This
| struck each parent with CONSERVATION.
Mrs. Archer wrote her husband to
know If he had any objection to her
| spending July and August with the
boys. Mr.. Archer replied that he had.
Then each boy was informed by the
parent with whom he lived that he
must come home; If he remained away
no remittance would be sent him. The
boys. who had come to their resolution
to stay together some time before the
end Of the term. had saved up the
i ey sent them from home for spending,
and each had enough to pay 50 a week
board for eight weeks. So they wrote
that they could get on without remit
tances.
There was a farm a few miles from
the school that they had often visited,
and there they made arrangements to
pay 50 a week each for board and do
50 work a week, which consisted prin-
cipally of milking. On leaving school
they went to this farm, and since the
work was a novelty to them they quite
enjoyed it,
Mrs. Archer endured her sons alb,
sence as long as possible, then gave
way to a desire to see both her chill
dren together. So, filing her purse with
money and her suit case with good
things for them. she went to see them.
Putting an arm around each Of them.
she sat weeping that she could not
have both of them with her always.
She remained with them two days,
when. fearing that her husband might
hear of her presence there. she babe
the boys goodby. intending to 60 home.
She was embracing both at once, tears
streaming down her cheeks. when the
door opened and there stood her hus-
band. -e..
Now. Mrs. Archer in her troubles
with her husband had yielded to irri-
tation and when he said disagreeable
things to her had hurled them back In
kind. She had never resorted to wo-
mans trump card. tears. Her husband,
seeing her embracing their boys. weep
ing. began to weep himself. Tears.
like laughter, are contagious. and, see
Ing their parents weeping. the boys
followed suit. The father approached
his sons to embrace them. shedding q
few tears over Bob, whom he had not
seen for years. and thus got mixed up
with Tom and the wife and mother.
Their arms were around each other
promiscuously.
Belle" said Mr.. Archer, .these boys
have got ahead Of us. We can't con
dnue the situation without its pertain
Ing to them. In separating from each
other we separate ourselves from them.
II you'll come home and bring them
| with you yOu'll ha wolco~ns - j,