Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1869-08-12
PERSONAL HABITS OF THE
SiAMESE TWINS.
BY MARK TWAIN.

L Go not WISH TO write OF the per-
soHal habits of these strange crea-
lures solely, but also of certain
curious details of various kinds CON
corning them, which, belonging
only to their private life, have never
crept into print. Knowing the
Twins intimately, I feel that I am
peculiarly well qualified for tue task
l have taken upon myself.
The Siamese Twins are naturally
tender and afectionate in disposi-
ton, and have clung to each other
with singular fidelity throughout a
long and eventful life. Even as
children they were inseparable com
panions and it was noticed 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 peculiarity,
that, whenever both Of them CHANGED
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 imme-
diate neighborhood And vet these
creatures were ignorant and inlet
tercd-barbarians themselves and
the offspring Of barbarians, who
knew not the light of philosophy
and science. What a with hering g
,,r1, IL, III fr.
zation, with its quarrellngs, its
wranglipgs, and its separation Of
brothers
AS men. the Twins have not
always lived in perfect accord; but.
still there has always been bond
between them which made them
unwilling to go away from each
other and dwell apart. They have
even occupied the same house. as a
general thing, and it is believed that
they have never failed to even sleep
together on anV night since they
were born, How surely do the
habits of a lifetime become second
nature to us! The Twins always 90
to bed at the same time; but Chang
usually gets up about an hour before
his brother. By an understanding
between themselves, Chang does all
the in door work and Eng runs all
the errands. This is because Eng
likes to go ont; Chang's habits are
sedentary. However, Chang always
goes along. Eng is a Baptist, but
Chang is a Roman Catholic still, tc
please his brother, Chang consented
to be baptized at the same time that
Eng was, on the condition that il
should not count During the
War they were strong partisans, and
and boih fought gallantly all through
the great struggle-Eng on the
Union side and Chang on the Con
federate. They took each other
prisoners at Seven Oaks, but the
proofs of capture were SO evenly
balanced in favor of each that &
general army court had to be Assem-
bled 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 consider them botl
prisoners, and then exchanging
them. At one time Chang was con
victed of disobedience or orders
and sentenced to ten days in the
guard house; but Eng, in spite o
all arguments, felt obliged to share
his Imprisonment, Notwithstanding
he himself was entirely innocent
and so, to save the blameless brothe
from suffering they had to discharg'
both from custody-the just reward
of faithfulness.
Upon one occasion the brother
fell out about something. and Chan.
knocked Eng down, and then trippe1
and fell on him, whereupon bot
clinched and began to beat AM
gouge each other without mercy
The bystanders interfered and trie,
to separate them, but they could no
do it, aad SO allo ed them to figh
it out. In the end both were dis
ahled, and were carried to the hos
pital on one and the same shutter
| Their ancient habit of goin
always together had it's drawback
when they reached mans estate an
entered upon the luxury of court
ing. Both fell in love with th
same girl. Each tried to steal cla1
dnctina intaruiome NTH hon lr4 .