Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1874-03-12


one of the Twins was just like other ladies.
We arrived at her house just before dark.
Mrs. Eng is about &c years old. and as
plump as a churn. Her maiden name
was Sarah Lates. Mrs. Eng is real
specimen Of mountain lady. Her per-
son is portly, and her countcnance quite
pleasant. Her conversational powers are
above medio,fity. Her mother, Mrs.
Lates, died year ago, weighing GOO
pounds. Mrs. Eng has been married five
years, and has three children, viz: Cath
erine Marsellis, aged 4 years; Julian,
aged, g. years, and Decatur, aged 2
years.
THE BIG BEDsTEAD.
We we're. on arriving, shown into the
bedroom of Mrs. Eng, (there being no
FIRE in the parlor, and the weather exceed
iDgly cold,) where we saw herself and the
three children all comfortably seated
around the fire. The FIRST important OBJ
ject that arrested my attention was the
''big bedstead" and the "big feather bed"
They were to me objects of great curiosi-
ty, and l could not keep my eyes from
them. Finally, my curiosity (for | be-
long to the family Of old Eve) rose so
high that / was compelled to ask Mrs.
Eng what use they made Of that "big bed
stead and bed." She replied as follows :
"Our family is quite big when the twins
and my sister and her children all come
to see me, and the Twins made the big
beastead,' for nothing shorter would do
for all on us" l blushed a little, and
then resumed: "you are quite a loving
family, | added?" "Yes," said she, ''it's
obliged to be SO for each on us has to
sleep on the off.side of the Twins, and
then six children all put together it takes
a mighty big fxen' for all on us, you
know" told her l did not know it !;
but if she said SO it must be correct
Here my attention was arrested by the
light of the "big CANDLE" and l remark
ed, "You have also candle to correspond
with the big bedstead." "Yes," said
Mrs. Eng, 1--WE must have all big fxins
here"
HOW THEY CoU-.TED.
After supper the children were put to
bed, and Mrs. Eng, Mr.. Grant. aud my
self resumed our seats around the fire in
the bedroom, and continued talking until
late hour. Mrs. Z. is very communica>
tive, and would frequently allude to the
previous life of the Twins, their manner
of courtship, the "many gals what tried to
get 'em, cause they had money" &c.
She also gave US an account of the reason
for settling at TRAP Hill," which was to
merchandise, but Mr. Harris (the gentle
man who was with them, and who was to
have conducted their business) having
married a "gal what they didn't like"
they concluded to abandon the idea of
employing Lin, and also abandoned the
idea of merchandising altogether.
They have house here, finished in a
good style, at cost of $1,000, which
they are now anxious to sell, SO that the
two families may be together.
rode from Wilkes county to their new
residence in Surry, some forty miles, and
arrived at their house the evening Of the
second day after leaving TRAP Hill"
On riding up to the yard l observed the
Twins busily engaged in shingling a house ;
and on seeing me they promptly approach
ed me and requested me to "walk in,"
adding that they would attend to my
horse, and in the meantime | walked into
the house and introduced myself to Mrs.
Chang, and found her to be quite q
handsome young woman, just twenty
two.
WHO MRS. CHANG WAS.
Her maiden name was Adelaide Lates
(sister of Sarah, and her dress and gen.
eral appearance all indicated degree ol
tidiness which Mrs. Eng lacks; indeed,
the people all about here say she is "migh
~ towni6ed." Mrs. Chang was married on
the same night as her sister, and now ha'
three children, viz: Josephine Virginia
six days younger than Mrs. Eng's first
Christopher Wren, eight days younger
than Mrs. Eng's second, and Nancy, agct
only Elk months. Taese are healthy ant
forward children, but have their father
features clearly stamped upon them
You could readily single them out of
crowd Of ten thousand children.
HOW THEY LIKED FARMING.
After having passed some time wit
Mrs. chang. the Twins came in, and gath
ering up their pipes, commenced puffiuI
away at great rate. ] found them e1