And, sure enough, it was so!

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THE TWIN SISTERS

Everybody in the little village called them the twin houses because they were built exactly alike.  But the two little cottages looked different even if they were built alike, for one was covered with climbing vines and beautiful scarlet roses while the other had no vines or flowers about it at all.

Everybody called the two cottages the twin houses for another reason:  the owners were twins.  One of the twins was Matilda and the other Katrinka and they were as much alike on the outside as their two cottages were alike; but as their two cottages differed, so did the two twins differ.

Matilda could not be told from Katrinka should you just see them walking down the street, but the minute either of them spoke you would know which was Matilda and which was Katrinka.  Matilda, who lived in the bare cottage, was sour and disagreeable, while Katrinka was happy and cheery.

So the people in the little village called Matilda “Matilda Grouch” and they called Katrinka “Katrinka Sunshine”.  All the children of the little village loved Katrinka, for she always had a cooky or a dainty in her apron pocket to give them, or she would pat them on their curly heads and smile cheerily at them through her glasses.  And all the children avoided Matilda, for, sometimes mistaking her for Katrinka and running close to greet her, they would have their noses tweeked for their trouble.

Matilda’s life was lonely and cold; no one went to see her.  She was always unhappy.

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Katrinka’s house always echoed with the laughter of children; everyone went to see her.  She was always joyful and cheery.

One night while Matilda sat at her dark window looking across at Katrinka’s house, she saw a crowd of people tip-toeing up to the stoop with baskets under their arms and flowers in their hands and when all had crowded upon the porch they stamped their feet and made a great noise.

Matilda was very angry, but Katrinka ran laughing to the door and greeted all with her kindliest smile.  It was a surprise party for Katrinka, for it was her birthday.

Matilda watched the party from her dark window and the longer she watched, the more angry she grew, for the longer the party lasted, the louder grew the happy laughter.

Finally when all the guests had gone, Matilda saw Katrinka gather up half of the presents and put them in a basket.

Then Katrinka stole softly up to Matilda’s stoop and stamped her feet.  Matilda sat scowling by the dark window a long time before she finally went to the door, for she was very peevish.

“This is a fine time to come stamping upon a person’s stoop!” she scolded, as Katrinka walked into the living room.

“Oh, sister,” Katrinka cried, as she tried to kiss Matilda.  “This is our birthday and I have brought you half of the presents which were given me!  See?” and she piled the presents high upon the table.