The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-06-16
ANECDOTES OF TWINS.

Prof. Cation, in his new book, "Inqui-
ries into Human Faculty" gives the fol-
lowing collection of anecdotes:
Two twins were fond of playing tricks,
and complaints were frequently made;
but the boys would never own which was
the guilty one, and the compliments
were never certain which one of the two
he was. One head master used to say
that he would neVet fog the innocent for
the guilty, and another used to fog both.
No less than nine anecdotes have reach
ed me of twin seeing his or her own
reflection in a looking glass. addressing it
in the belief it was the other twin in per
son.
l have many anecdotes of mistakes
when the twins were nearly grown up.
Thus
Amusing scenes occurred at college
when one twin came to visit the other, the
porter on one occasion refusing to let the
visitor out of the college gates, for though
they stood side by side, he professed ig
norance as to which he ought to allow to
depart.
Children are usually quick in distin,
gushing between their parent and his or
her twin; but | have two cases to the
contrary Thus the daughter of twin
says; Such was the marvellous similarity
of their voice, features, and manner. etc,
that l remember as child being very
much puzzled, and, think, had my aunt
lived much with us, should have ended
by thinking had two mothers
In the other case, father who WAS a
twin remarks of himself and his brother
I'VE are extremely alike, and are so at
this momsnt, so much so that our children
up to five or six years old did not know
US apart,
have four or five instances of doubt
during an engagement of marriage Thus
A. married first but both twins met the
lady together for the first time and fell
in love with her then and there A. man
aged to see her home and gain her affec-
ton, though B. went sometimes counting
in his place, and neither the young lady
nor her parents could tell which was
which
| have also German letter, written in
quaint terms, about twin brothers, who
married sisters, but could not easily nt
distinguished by them
In the well known novel by which Col
Inns of poor Miss Finch" the blind CIR
distinguishes the twin she loves by thu
touch of his hand, which gives her thrill
that the other brother does not Philos
ophe;s have not, believe, as yet investi
gated the conditions of such thrills; blu
| have case in which Miss Finch's test
would have failed. Two persons, botl
friends of certain twin lady, told me
that she frequently remarked to them tina
kissing her twin sister was not like kiss
ing her other sisters, but like kissing her
self-her own hand for example
1t would be an interesting experiment
for twins who were closely alike to TT,
how far dogs could distinguish between
them by scent. ] have a few anecdote
of strange mistakes made between twin
in adult life. Thus an officer writes
On one occasion when l returned from
foreign service, my father turned to M
and said, / thought you were in London
thinking was my brother-yet lie hat
not seen me for nearly four years-ou
resemblance was so great"
The next and last anecdote shall Civ
is perhaps the most remarkable of those
have. 1t was sent me by my brother o
the twins, who were in middle life at tn
: time of the occurrence.
II was coming home from India OF
leave. The ship did not arrive for SOM
days after it was due. The twin brothe
B. had come up from his quarters to re
ceive A, and their old mother was yer,
nervous. One morning A. rushed il
saying ''Oh, mother, how are you" He
answer was, No, B., it's bad joke
You know how anxious l am 1t was
little time before A. could persuade he
that he was the real man