Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1917-06-28
A Sketch Of
Twin Brothers
BY F. A. Mitchell

how happy We should have been. |
was one % -wius. Tom ami Jim
i was Tom When Jim ana | were
between iiftecn and sixteen We were
like one person And yet one seeing
Us together would never have consid-
cred Us as such. We were always
quarreling or seemed 10 be quarreling
With others il would have really been
quarreling, with rs there was no quar-
rel at all We We're speaking in a
language we both understood perfectly
| remember waking up one morning
and seeing Jim at the dresser putting
on shirt thar | had kept Numbered to
wear on an especial occasion.
What IN thunder are YOU doing?" l
yelled.
No answer.
You blaukety blank robber, il you
don't put that shirt back in the drawer
III get up aud break every bone in
your body
Jim had the shirt on and was tying
my best cravat around his neck
launched anathamas and threats
without number, but they awaited
nothing jim went out with my APP
propriated tOggery. and | turned over
FOR another nap.
When we were about sixteen Jim be
came enamored OF girl exactly our
age. | remember that she Wore her
hair in number OF beautiful curls
There was something bewitching In
her tossing them aside when they got
In, Inc I'm,
his heart 10 her my wardrobe became
especially subject to his deprcdations.
/ had Il weakness for jewelry | had
saved my money and bought a gold
locket, which | used for a fob The
watch at the other end Of the ribbon
was an old one in a silver case 1t was
Of no use except for an excuse 10 dis
play the triuket mt the other end One
day | missed my locket l didn't see
how it could have been stolen, because
nothing else IN the house had been
missed
The next time saw Jim'S girl what
was my establishment 10 see my locket
suspended 10 her neck. Jim had
stolen it, No; he had simply appro-
prated it as common property between
brothers. He knew very well that !
would see it on his girl and would
know that he had taken It, There Is
nothing like stealing about that II
Is simply claiming ones own
There must have been the dawn OF
manhood in me. for when l was about
TO blurt out that the locket belonged
TO me | restrained myself. | took q
much more honorable way-So ] con
sidered ito repossess myself of my
property l asked 10 be permitted 10
examine the lochct. and when It was
handed TO me / declined 10 return il.
Lucy-that was her name-up braided
NE and called upon Jim, who was pres
ent, TO secure the return of her treas
ure. Jim was in a fix He took me
eside and offered me a scarfpin and a
plated gold chain If / would let the
matter stand for awhile as his gift to
Lucy. / told him that if he would add
a red cravat OF his that l coveted !
would condone his offense and leave
the locket in his girls possession.
Making a virtue OF necessity, he yield
ed to my fiinty terms, and | returned
the locket to Lucy
That was many years ago. l have
forgotten what became OF the locket,
but 1t is my impression that it never
came back 10 me- though Jim changed
his girl very soon after his stopping
my mouth with his pinchbecll jewelry
and a well worn necktle
Then came my turn To get a girl. !
wish I could feel toward a woman TO-
day as l felt toward that girl Phocbe
was her name and | considered her
radiantly beautiful. | have since seen
picture of her taken at that .ime.
and have been surprised 70 SEQ tina,
she was red headed. frechled and suul
nosed
l invited my girl q 20 70 ride With
me. Unfortunately / did NOT keep my
intention from jim. ana the day Drove
up T. the house Of my ladyOve he
drove mp there, too. with a chum o.: tis
in a rattletrap two wheeled gig
go away, ! said 70 b'm
He laughed at me
l threatened and begged Tie wa
not TO be moved l went into the louise
and brought out Phoebe This being
the first time | had ever taken a girl
60 ride, | suffered with a painful EN-
barras sment, but tic presence of Jim
AMI his friend was positively horrible.
Phoebe saw them and realized what
they were up TO. but pretended not to
notice them. When / drove away they
followed me- bat after awhile they
turned on different road.
l inwardly resolved that when | re.
turned l would kill Jim Yes. / would
kill him. If | were hanged FOR murder
would die in good cause But Jim
knew well enough the storm that would
burst upon him and kept out Of my
way till my rage had cooled When !
saw him next he was sitting on the
porch under our bedroom window Co
sng to the bathroom. | filled a bucket
~ water, carried 10 10 the window and
dropped the contents on my recent tor
mentor.
Ny affection FOR Phoebe proved as
short lived as my resolution 10 commit
murder. don't remember any ending
It simply Slipped away INTO oblivion rs
other matters OF great moment at the
lime pass out Of our lives As Jim and
grew older our outward treatment
OF each other changed But our IN.
ward feeling was the 9lfnN