The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1888-06-08
She Marned the Brother.
A STRANGE CASE THAT HAS JUST BEEN
BROUGHT TO LIGHT IN MARYLAND

A STRANGE CASE THAT HAS JUST BEEN
BROUGHT TO LIGHT IN MARYLAND
A remarkable romance of real life
has Just come to light in Westminster
county, Maryland. 1t is as follows:
Twenty-Five years ago Edmund Davies
was q young man in his twentieth
year. He had younger brother, just
eighteen. His name was Frank, and
he was an exact double of Edmund.
II was early in 1864 that Edmund Da-
vies began paying attention to Fannie
Forbes, the young daughter of neigh
boring farmer. The brothers were
very much attached to each other, and
Frank also was frequent visitor to the
Forbes farm dwelling. The girl often
took the one for the other, and some
time afterwards agreed upon signal
with Edmund, 80 mat she could readily
know to whom she was talking The
neighbors could not identify the
brothers, and they were known only
aud referred to as the Davies boys.
1t was the girl that suggested to Ed
mund that when he came to her he was to
use the Latin word ''idem" Qhe same).
Time passed and after a courtship of
six or seven months Edmund proposed
marriage. Fannie accepted and asked
him whether he did not have some
mark on his hand or arm by which she
could readily distinguish him in case of
sudden death or serious accident He
told the girl that on his next visit he
wonld disclose mark by which she
would recognize him in any case. Ed
mund went home and meeting his
younger brother he entrusted his secret
to him
Frank in his innermost heart, too,
loved Fannie Forbes and the confession
of his brother stirred his jealousy. He
proposed trip to Baltimore, persuad-
ing Edmund to dispatch messenger
to his sweetheart that they had gone to
Monumental City for the special pur-
pose OF having a tattoo mark placed
between the first and second finger of
his right hand. While in Baltimore
they met an old friend of their father,
Captain Aker, of the ocean steamer
Franklin. The captain said he would
sail the next day for Australia and
was very solicitious. that the namesake
of his deceased friend should accom-
pany him. 1t was Edmund. lie hesi-
tated. The captain told him of the
pleasures of the trip and the fine coun-
try to which ne would sail, and being
urged by Frank he yielded to the in
auences and consented. That evening
he wrote farewell letter to his Intend
ed wife, bidding her to await his COM
ing, and that he was hopeful in the
distant country. Remember idem
were the last words. The next morn
ing, Friday, August "a, the Franklin
started on the trip. Now, Frank had
an open field, aud he improved the time
wonderfully well. His fret work was
to read the letter. The word "idem'
seemed to puzzle him, but ne remem-
bered hearing his brother use it when
approaching the girl, and be hit upon
the correct meaning at once. Next he
had his right hand tattooed He
would marry the girl he loved, he
thought, and assumed the name of Ed
mund. ....
His return alone caused some talk
but when the mail brought the weekly
newspaper announcing the departure
of one of the Davies boys Of Carroll
county for Australia in the Franklin
all was WE'LL Thenceforth Frank was
known as Edmund. Even though he
gave the correct word signal, Fannie
Forbes seemed to doubt his identity
but after the marriage had been post
poned for month she felt assured he
was Edmund and they were married
The union was happy one. Years
went by and they prospered, and b,
strict economy saved good amount o
money. Ten years after they had beer
married the husband was in Baltimor,
and there acertained that his brothe
had died in Australia and had willeC
all of his earnings to Frank. Thi
knowledge the husband impa, ted t.
his wife. The woman never knew un
til the day before he died that her hu;
band was Frank Davies. But she ha
loved him just as dearly as if he ha'
been Edmund and forgave him freely
He died apparently happy.