The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1869-08-07
Personal Habits OF the Sialnese
Twins.
By MARK TWAIN.

90 not WISH 10 write OF lHc person
al HABITS of these strange creatures sole
| ly, but also of certain curious details O.
various kinds concerning mem, which
belonging6nly to their private life, have
never crept into print. Knowing the
Twins intimately. I feel that am pecu.
liarly we'll qualified for the task / have
taken upon myself.
The Siamcae Twins are naturally ten,
der and affectionate in disposition, and
lave chung to each other with singular
fidelity throughout long and eventful
Sfe. KTen as children they were in
separable companions; and it was no.
tced that they always seemed to prefer
each others society to that of any other
persons. They nearly always played
together; and, so accustomed was their
mother to this peculiarly, that, when
ever both of them chanced to be lost,
she usually only hunted for one of them
satisfied that when she found that one
she would find his brother somewhere
in the immediate neigborhood. And
yet these creatures were ignorant and
Observation-Disclosures themselves and
ths offspring of barbarians, who knew
not the light of philosophy and science
What whitening rebuke is this to our
boasted civilization, with it's quarrelings,
its wranglings, and its separations of
brothers!
AS men, the Twins have not always
lived in perfect accord but, still, there
has always been a bond~ between
them which made them unwilling to 20
away from each other and dwell apart.
They have occupied the same house, as
general taing. and it is believed that
they have never failed to even sleep to-
ge:her on any night since they were
born. How surely do the habits of
ifetime become second nature to us
The Twins alway go to bed at the
same time; but Chang usully gets up
about all hour before bis brother. BY
an understanding between themselves,
Chang does all the indoor work and Eng
runs all the errands This is because
Eng likes to 60 out Chang's habits are
sedtntary. However, Chang always
goes along. Eng is a Baptist, but
Chang is Roman Catholic; still, to
please his brother, Chang consented to
be baptiseI at the same time that Eng
was, on condition that 1t should not
count" During the War they were
stro1G partisans, and both fought gallant
ly thr,u h tile great struggle-Eng on
tue Union side and Chang on the Con
federate. They took each other prison
ers at Seven Oaks, but the proofs of
capture were So cvenly y balanced in favor
of each that a general army court had |
to be assembled TO determine which one
was properly the captor and which the
captive. The jury was unable to agree
for a long time; but the vexed question.
was finally decided by agreeing to con-
slider them both prisoners, and then ex-
changing them. At one time Chang
was convicted Of liscbedience of orders,
and senteuced to ten days in the guard
house but Eng, in spite of all argu-
ments, felt obliged to share his iunpris-
Notwithstanding he himself was
entirely Innocent; aud SO, to save the
olameless broler from suffering, they
had to discharge beth from custody
he just reward of taithfulness.
Upon one occasion the brothers fell
,ut about something, and Chang knock
I'd Eng down. and then tripped and
ell on him, whereupon both clinched
nj began to beat and ouge each other
Without mercy. Tie bystanders iuter-
trcd and tried to seperate them. but they
.ould not do it, and SO allowed them to
light it out. In the end both were dis
.bled, and were carried to the hospital
IN one and the same shutter.
Their ancient habit of going always
ogether had it's drawbacks when they
cached mans estate and entered upon
he luxury of courting. Both fell in
owe with the same girl. Each tried to
'tsal clandestine interviews with her,
,ut at the critical moment the other
would always turn up. By-and-by Eng
Jaw, with distraction, that Chang had
won the girls affection; and, from that
lay forth, he had to bear with the agony
# being witness to all their dainty bill
ing and cooling. But, with magnanim-
ty that did him infinite credit, he sue
;umbed to his fate, and gave countenance
Ind encouragement to state Of things
hat bade fair to sunder his generous
leart-strinss. He sat from seven in the
vening until two in the morning listening
o the fond foolishness of the two lovers,
nd to the conclusion of hundreds of !
quandered kisses-for the privilege of :
haring only one Of which he would have
;iyen his right hand. But he sat pa {
ienuy, and waited, and gaped, and {
'awned, and stretched, and longed for two {
clock to come. And be took long ,
7alks with the lovers on moonlight eve t
Representatives. trayersing ten miles,
otwitstanding he was unusually suffer- {
,ring from reuhmatism. He is an invet- !
rate smoker; but he could not smoke on 8
aese occasions, because the young lady !
as painfully sensitive to the smell of to- I
acco. Eng cordially wanted them mar.
led, and done with it; but, although Chang G
ften asked the momentus question, the c
oung lady could not gather sufficient t
ourage to answer while Eng was by. 7
However, On one occasion, after having
'alked some sixteen miles, and sat up c
u nearly daylight, Eng dropped asleep, s
ON sheer exhaustion, and then the O
aestion was asked and answered. q
be lovers were married. All acquain- v
d with the circumstances applauded u
cir noble brother-in-law. His unwa- "
ring faithfullncss was the theme of "
cry tongue. He had staid by them p
rough their long and arduous court. a