The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1854-10-13
Extraordinary Case.

The Paris correspondent of the Columbus
Journal translates the following extraordinary
aud incredible story from late German papers
A very richold lady, the Countess de K,
had bv her first marriage, two twin sons, whom
she loved fondly. After having trembled long
while for their existence, she decided to quit
Germany, her native country. here she possess
ed, independent Of vast and magnificent cha
teau, an immense property under rent. She tra-
velrd; consulted the most eminent physicians, and
finally fixed her residence in Italy. There, UNI
der the influence OF beautiful sky, the two boys
grew up, bat they preserved the excessive ner-
vouS inpressibilty which had. since their lnian-
oY, put their lives in peril. The two boys bad
between them a remarkable resemblance; they
both engaged in the culture of arts, but especial
ly to painting. At sixteen years OF age, they
were already cited as masters; but at this epoch
new crisis appeared: the same symptoms: the
same pains; the physicians decided that to prevent
the return of these nervous crisises, the young
men should be separated They obstinateIy re-
fused al first but ,anqnished by the supplcations
OF their distracted mother, they consented TO the
painful separation. It was left 10 chance which
one should leave the maternal roof, and il fell
on Alfred.
Alfred K started on the tour of Greece and
Egypt; the journey was to continue year
Alfred wrote regularly every day 10 his mo-
ther and bIother he sent them his drawings and
bis pictures. But what was remarkable, the
young man who remained 10 Italy lived 50 per-
lectly the life of bis brother, that hr designed and
painted exactly and simultaneously what his
brother designed and painted after nature
Each time that package arrived from Athens or
Alexandria. the paintings, the aquarells that
they contained had already their duplicates in
,he studio of the brother-du duplicates so faithful
that the Artists themselves could find ne~dl1er-
enCe.
One daY, returning from journey in Upper
1 Egypt, Alfred X. died and the physicians sent
TO the family detailed account OF all the cir-
cumstances which attended the death OF the
Young man. The same day, at the same hour,
and under circumstances, and with symptoms
/ precisely identical, the brother who remained in
/ Italy died, pronouncing the same words as his
brother had pronounced.
| The desolate mother, who was yet young, be-
ing bat sixteen years older than her sons, return
| ed to Germany, where her husband occupied a
/ high position under government. Two years
after her return, she gave birth a second time to
two twin boys, who resembled, trait for trait, the
/ twin sons whom she had so unfortunately lost.
| They received al their baptism the names of
I their deceased brothers. All the circumstances
which had presided at the developement Of the
/ first children, were reproduced precisely with
/ the second: the same nervous paroxysmsi the
same mysterious sympathies. Again the moth
/ er was advised to travel. This time she went
into Spain: the boys exhibited the same taste for
! the arts, particularly for painting. Atthe age of
/ sixteen, and day for day with the first brothers
i they fell sick. Then separation was ordered,
| bat this time the mother resisted energe;lcally;
she was vanquished, however, by the persistence
/ of their maady and the continued persuasion Of
/ the physicians, who declared that they would die
/ if they remained together, on account OF their
! extraordinary resemblance, OF their nervous or
ganizalion, which absorbed mutually the princi-
/ pies of their existence. The mother consented
| that one of them should make a voyage INTO the
south Of Spain.
| Chance again designated the who bore
! the name OF A fired. The same phenomenon OF
| intuition was reproduced. The one designed
at Madrid or Barcelona what the other painted
! at Cadiz, and with the same wonderful reSem-
/ bance of touch. The day that A fred was
ready to start home TO rejoln bis mother and
/ brother, he fell sick and ditd at the same hour
that his brother died at Cadz in The arms Of bis
mother, and both pronounced at the same time
the words which their deceased brothers pro-
nounced eighteen years ago.
/, -