The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1874-03-12

anu lllOSe tudI VIC saw "Si0 "ii ""Jf
intelligent and pleasing in appearance
Chang and Eng were born in the latter
part of 1911, or early in 1872, we could
not learn definitely which, as no record
had been kept. The mother spoke of
them as somewhat smaller at birth than
her other offspring, and as seeming feeble
for the first six months of their lives, es-
pecially Eng, who was neverquite as large
as his brother.
The notion that the twins were in any
sort one, that they we're actuated by the
same mind or impulse, as had often been
suggested, never seemed to have entered
their mothers mind, and when questioned
on the subject she utterly rejected the
idea; she had never perceived that the
sickness of one affected the other. One,
sometimes cried when she was nursing his
brother, or one might hurt his hand or
foot and the other not feel the pain, but
if the ligament that united the twain was
toushed just in the centre, both were con-
scious of it. They often played together
as two, not as one, and when they began
to prattle they oftener spoke to each other
than to those about them 1t was obvious
why this habit of conversing together was
not more common with the twins when
they grew older. Being always together,
and enjoying precisely the same facilities
for acquiring information, there could be
little occasion for one to communicate with
the other.
The mother told US further that these
children seldom disagreed With each other,
though occasionally she had to interfere
and compel one or the other to give up.
Chang being larger, more intelligent and
stronger, usually took the initiative, and
Eng, who was decidedly amiable, while his
brother was irritable and sometimes pass
ionate, seldom contended tor the suprem
acv. But now and then, either that the
rule of the stronger became too stringent,
or tnat the weaker was in less yielding
mood than ordinary, these closesto friends
would become so very incensed as to make
use of some very unfratsrnal epithets to-
wards each other A whisper in the ear OF
one was not heard by the other, and if he
to whomthe communication had been made
failed 10 impart it at once to his
brother, unkind words were sure to follow,
and sometimes the coldness lasted for days.
After reconciliation, which was always
cordial and entire, both brothers spoke
deprecatingly of their quarrel, and for
LONG time we're more devoted than ever to
each other.
The mother said that at first the liga-
ment which united the boys was so short
as to compel them to face each other, nor
could they turn in bed without being lift
ed up and placed in the desired position
but as they grew up and exercised more
freely the ligament gradually heightened
until they were enabled to stand side by
and even back to back, and even to turn
themselves in bed by rolling one over the
other.
The little cottage where the boys pass
ed their childhood, was of the sort known
in Siam as floating houses" They are
one story buildings ,moored on the river
banks, and kept in place not by anchors,
but by large poles on each side, driven in
to the muddy bottom. They are built
either of teak boards or bamboo, rooted
with attap leaves, and contain three or
four rooms, of which the front one is
shop. besides verandah that overlooks
the river or canal. Here, day by day, as
the father piled his trade of catching fish,
or cleaned and sorted them for market,
and the mother was selling wares in her
little shop, the twin brothers amused
themselves in the broad, cool piazza watch
ing their parents, and assisting in such
light labors as they were able to undertake.
Sometimes they went fishing in the boat
with their father, and like all Eastern
children they soon learned to swim, and
spent much time in the water. One
day while they were thus engaged, MIR.
Robert Hunter Scotch merchant resld.
ing in Bangkok passed in his boat, and
attracted by the perfect uniformity of
their motions, stopped to ascertain how
they managed to keep thus closely togeth-
or. One can imagine his amazement on
discovery of the cause, and from that day,
which was sometime in 1924, Mr.. Hunter
began concocting measures to get them OF
10 Europe for exhibition. lie spoke to their
parents, to whom his plan seemed about
as feasible as to send their boys off to an