Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1922-07-19


| THE Hapgood twins were born in the
- great square house that set back
from the road just on the outskirts of
tairtown. Their baby eyes had opened
upon world of faded portraits and
somber haircloth furniture,
From babyhood to girlhood the
charm Of the old place grew upon
them, SO much so that the thought of
leaving it for homes of their own be-
came distasteful to them, and they
looked with scant favor upon the oc-
casional village youths who sauntered
up: the path presumably on courtship
bent.
Rev. John Hapgood-a man. who
ruled himself and all about him with
a rod Of rigid old-school orthodoxy
died when the twins were, twenty; and
the frail little woman who, as his wife,
mad for thirty years lived and moved
solely because he expected breath and
motion Of her, followed soon in his
footsteps. And then the twins. were
left alone in the great square house
on the hill.
Miss .Tabitha and Miss Rachel were
not the only children of the family.
There, had been son-the first born,
and four years their senior. The
headstrong boy and the iron rule had
FLASHED, and the boy, when sixteen
years old, mad fed, leaving no trace
behind him.
II Rev. John Hapgood grieyed for
his hayward son the members of his
household knew it not, save as they
might place their own constructions
on the added sternness to his eyes
and the deepening lines about his
mouth. paul." when it designated
the graceless runaway, was a forbid
den word in the family,
Years had since passed-years of
peaceful mornings and placid after
moons, and Paul had never appeared
On; the 10th Of June, their thirty
fifth birthday, the place never had
looked so lovely A small table laid
with spotless linen and cleaning sill
yer stood beneath the largest apple
tree,
Rachel came out Oft the house and
shifted the air joyfully.
delicious - she murmured. "Some-
how the 10th of June is specially fine
every year."
In careful, uplifted hands she bore
a round frosted cake always the chief
treasure of the birthday feast. The
cake was covered with the tiny col.
ored candies SO dear to the heart of
a child. Miss Rachel always bought
those candies at the village store, with
the apology:
II want them for Tabitha's birthday
cake, you know. She thinks so much
Of pretty things"
Tabitha invariably made the cake
and iced it, and as she dropped the
! bits of colored sugar ir.c p!ace she
would explain to- Hubby, who occasion
ally ~'shelped" in the kitchen:
II wouldn't miss the candy for. the
world-my sister thinks so much of
it,"
So each deceived herself with this
pleasant bit of fiction, and yet had
what she herself most wanted.
Rachel carefully placed the cake in
the center of the table, Toasted her
| eyes on its toothsome loneliness, then
turned and hurried back to the house.
The door had scarcely shut behind her
when a small, ragged urchin darted in
at the street gate, snatched the cake,
and, at a sudden sound from the
house, dashed out of sight behind q
shrub close by.
The, sound that had frightened the
boy was the tapping Of the heels Of
Miss Tabitha''s shoes along the back
porch. The lady descended the steps,
crossed the lawn and placed a saucer
Of pickles and plate Of dainty sand
wiches on. the table.
4 "Why, | thought Rachel brought the
CAKE" she said aloud 1T. must be in
the house; there's other things to get,
anyway. I'll go back
Again the. click of the door brought
the small boy close to, the table. Fill
{ ing both hands with sandwiches, he
slipped behind the shrub just as the
ladies came out Of the house together.
Rachel carried a small tray laden with
sauce and tarts; Tabitha, one with
water and steaming tea. AS they
neared the table each almost dropped
her burden. -'.->
i Why, where's my cake?"
"And my sandwiches ?"
Its burglars-robbers!'' Rachel
looked furtively over her shoulder.
And all your lovely cake!" almost
sobbed Tabitha.
4 Tit was yours, too said .the
other with catch in her voice. ooh
dear! What can have happened to it?'
The. sisters had long ago set their
trays upon the ground and were now
Wrineing their hands helplessly Sud
denly small figure appeared before
them holding out four sadly. crushed
sandwiches and half. Of, crulnbled
81 cake
s I'm sorry-awful sorry! I didn't
think--1 was so hungry. I'm afraid
!: there. amt very much left,' he added
with rueful eyes .on the: sandwiches.
No, IIshould say not!'"' vouchsafed
s Rachel. her voice firm now that the
size Of the. burglar" was. declared