Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1919-02-06
The Twins
r3
BY RALPH HAMILTON

: IN the world. AtWnNS chubby. rOtund,
beamlng with health and vitality, his
! laugh was the cheeriest; but now
| there had come new element into
| his life, Il double element, In fact,
which made him proud, autocratic al
most unbearable In his effervescent,
4 irrepressible joy. This had hap
1 pened: one evening there was n ring
/ ut the door-bell. Richard had a man
servant and n housekeeper. The for
iper, with bulglng eyes and bated
/ breath. came plunglng into the coy,
| peaceful library, holding a basket.
'Babies-two babies ~ he gasped,
end I'm his tremulous timldity let the
| basket fall with \ mild thump.
you brute! !" shrieked portly moth
| erly Mrs. Doane as two piping voices
I gave forth n mutual protest against
such rough treatment. Then her arms
delved down amid the hufiiness Of
blanket and counterpart TO evolve two
little cherubs-eyeS wide open, faces
| Plump and shining.
Twins she fluttered-"the dar-
lihgsl Oh, sir! they look straight
/ from heaven"
"Shall | notify the police" qucs-
toned the man servant, but Richard
| was hopping about in n state of the
most frantic excitement, arms swing
| Ing face radiant overwhelmed with
so many vivid emotions that he did
not take time to analyze any Of them.
| police y he shouted, ''whnt for?
| They're mine, aren't they? Sent here,
left here, given to me. Mrs. Doane,
admirable woman that YOU are, we
adopt those little mites. Get busy and
give them n royal welcome"
II was days before the eXultation
over the incident subsidized Mrs. Doane
Insisted that some poor mother, una
Bile to care for her precious ones. had
simply selected the kindeSt-hearted
man she could hear Of to become their
protector They seemed suhlimely
content to crow, and chirp, and coo,
and eat, and sleep and smile content
eddy At the office Richard strutred
about with new mir Of Importance
and dignity He came home an hour
earlier every afternoon. lie began to
look younger, act younger, feel young
er and acquired a vocabulary of baby
language that would rival. that of the
fondest mother
He named the two little girls Mary
and Sarah. after his dead mother and
sister lie lavished upon them all
that luxury could suggest Many a
widow and spinster began to evince
prodigious interest in the little ones
Of his adoption, but Richard was alb
sorbed in them solely, and the ma
neuverng tactics Of these husband
hunterS went for naught Richard ne
credited himself the most favored he
ing in the universe. He counted his
environment ideal He planned ahead
for those daughters twenty years.
Tc even made n VIII in their favor.
One evening, at dusk, as Richard
ran mp the steps of his home, he
paused to observe a feminine form
peering In at one Of the front windows
The intruder was yelled.
Marsh" he said, there is a sus-
pclously acting woman I have seen
twice near the house Child-stealer?
ahductor? who knows Get out quiet
ly, follow her and let me know what
you learn
Richard acted like a wild man when
Marsh handed in his report two hours
later. He had followed the woman to
respectable boarding house. She
was forewoman in a big department
store. He had glimpse into her
room over her mantel was a photo
graph of two little babes
"Yours-ours," sententlously adj
yised Marsh
THE mother" gasped Richard-t's
come Ny dream Of life Is to be cru
ely annlhilated." And two evenings
later Mrs Doane informed him that
lady wished to see him. His heart
sank MS he entered the paror. One
glance at fair, grlish face told him
that he confronted the mother of
Mary and Sarah.
ooh sir" pleaded Mrs Edna Deane.
81 widow, "in dark moment | aban-
doned my dear little ones. Now. once
more on my feet, my heart yearus for
them"
Up and down the room ragged Rich
ard. He was like n being distracted.
Had he not rescued the children from
homeleSsneSs7 Had ne not given them
love- care, devotion, when an the world
had forgotten them? He would IN.
rich he mother he would place his
charges beyond the remotest risk Of
any future need, only do not rob him
Of that which was dearer 10 him than
lirel
And softly, full-heurted Edna Deane
wept, MS much out Of sympathy for
this Strange, grand man as With warm
n otherly longing
You see sir" She sobbed. II could
live near Won Every day. If YOU
q oose they shall pass part of the
time at your home; but Oh I must
have my little ones. You see that.
do you not7"
Richard paused directly In front M
the pleading mother. 4 sudden. eager
smile traverSed his expressive face.
An idea r. he cried. as he noted the
fair, earnest face, "a grand idea