Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1877-02-16


had their hair braided in the Chinese fash
nese fathers, live where they may. Chang
and Eng had also begun to study the Chi
nese language before leaving the home Of
their parents,-t. e., the written language
but being born in Siam they spoke the 81
amese far more fluently than they did Chi
nese. Their mothers language was also
the one they retained longest; for after my
return 1 saw the twins, when they had
been more than thirty years away from
their native home, and they could still un-
derstand much that l said TO them in Siam
ese, but every word of Chinese was forgot
ten.
The parents of Chang and Eng were
healthy, we'll formed, intelligent people,
belonging to the laboring class seemingly
good-natured and affectionate 10 each 9th
er and toward their children, Of whom
there were nine living at The time of my
visit. The mother, fair, comely, gentle
| spoken woman, nearly overwhelmed me
with csresses when told her of her long
absent "boys," and ran eagerly 10 call her
husband, that he might participate in the
| joy of looking at and listening to one who
had so recently seen their children. She
told us great deal about The childhood of
Chang and Eng and was just as eager to
hear all that could tell her Of their later
years. She said their twin boys were
smaller at their birth than any of her other
children, and were rather puny until near
ly a year old, Eng, especially, who was
10 HE hNntbar Aoi In
years went by, Chang, besides being larg-
er, was stronger and brighter than his twin
brother, always taking the lead in every
thing, and seeming rather inclined 10 lord
II over his "naunJ nor Oittle brotber), as
he called him. Eng, on the contrary, was
very gentle aud amiable, proud Of the go
ahead qualities OF his associate, and ordi-
narily quite willing 10 be governed and
guided by him. So for the most part the
boys were very loving and kind 10 each
other, but occasionally they would fail out,
like other playmates, and these closest Of
friends would become so angry as to call
each other by very harsh names. But the
mother said she had never known either to
strike the other; and aflsr one of their
childish quarrels, that both seemed hearth
ly sorry for, they always made up fully,
and seemed for long lime IL. ore affection
ate than ever.
When the boys were born the ligament
that united them was so short as to compel
the little ones always TO lie face to face
aud when they became tired of lying on
one side they had TO be taken entirely up
out Of bed and turned over. But as they
grew aud exercised, the band heightened,
or became more elastic, until they could
rea diIy stand side by side, or even back TO
back, and could turn themselves in bed by
rolling one over the other.
In answer TO my questions, the mother
said that during their early childhood,
Chang and Eng used 10 talk TO each other
quite as often as to those about them but
as they grew older they seemed TO under
stand that, as they were always together,
and saw aud heard the same things, there
was little need OF conversation between
themselves. She seemed surprised when 1
asked If she had ever thought that they
were actuated by the same mind or i'm
pulse, and said promptly that she was sure
Il Wds not so, for they always played to-
gether as Two, not as one; that one some-
times cried whilo she was nursing the 9TH
er that IL one struck his head or hand his
brother felt no pain; only when the liga-
ment that united them was touched both
were conscious OF it. One was occasionally
sick and the other well, nor did she re-
member that both were ever very i'll at the |
same time, except when they had the small
pox. She could whisper in the ear of one |
and the other know nothing OF what she |
said; but they generally kept no secrets |
from each other, sharing voluntarily their |
mutual joys and cares.
The last lime saw the twins was in the |
fall Of 1865, at the Agricultural Fair in |
Bratlleboro, Vermont, where they were |
again exhibiting themselves, with a son OF |
each. They were beginning to look old,
and seemed TO have lost, not only their |
boyish sprighlliness, but the deep interest
they had formerly shown in their native
land, saying carelessly, In answer TO my |
question, "America is our home now we |
have no other, and shall never leave this |
country, where we have been so long,
Fannie Roper F'eudge, in February Wide
1Wdke.