The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1888-06-16
. REMARKABLE
The Marriage OF a Young Woman
TO the "Coub.o" of Her go.
trotlIed.

~ etS VI tSt ~
trotl1ed.
Westminster (Md.) Chicago Herald
The deathbed confession OF Edmund
Davies, who died recently in Carroll
County, has just been made public
and is a sequel to a strange story,
His life was a remarkable one in
many instances. Twenty-Five years
ago Edmund Davies was q young mar
in his twentieth year. He was not
handsome and. neither was he i'll
looking. He had q younger brother
just eighteen. His name was Frank,
and he was an exact double OF Ed
mund. The two brothers lived alone,
except an old negress, their housekeep-
er. The parents OF the boys had died
many years before. 1t was early in
1864 that Edmund Davies began pay
ing attention to Fannie Forbes, the
young daughter of aneighboring farm
er. The brothers were very much at
tached to each other, and Frank also
was a frequent visitor to the Forbes
farm dwelling. The girl often took the
one for the other, and some time after
wards agreed upon q signal with Ed
mund, SO that she could readily know
to whom she was talking, The
neighbors could not identity the
brothers, and they were known
only and referred to as the
Davies boys. 1t was the girl that sug-
gested to Edmund that when he came
to her he was to use the "Latin word
"idem" 1.-THE same). Time passed,
and after a courtship OF six or seven
months Edmund proposed marriage.
Fannie accepted because she had
learned to love him %fervently. Then
it was that she asked him whether he
or hand 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
would disclose a mark by which she
would recognize HIM in any case. Ed
mund went home, his mind fraught
with pleasure because he was to mar
ry the girl of his heart. He loved his
younger brother very much, and en-
trusted his secret to him.
Frank in his innermost heart, too,
loved Fannie Forbes, and the con-
fession of his brother stirred his jeal-
ousy. He was bright OF thought and
possessed an active mind. He want
ed to marry Miss Forbes. The day
following the brothers came to this
place and Edmund procured a mar.
license. Frank:smind was evolv-
ing a scheme by which he could thwart
his brothers marriage. He proposed
a trip to Baltimore, persuading Ed ,
mund to despatch a messenger to
sweetheart that they had gone to
the Monumental City for the especial
purpose OF having q tattoo mark
placed between the first and second
OF his right hand. While in
Baltimore they met an old friend of
their dead father, Captain Aker, OF
the ocean steamer Franklin. The i
said he would sail the next
day for Australia, and was very soil /
citous that the namesake OF his de-
ceased friend should accompany him. :
It was Edmund. He hesitated. The
told him OF the pleasures Of
the trip and the fine country to which
ne would sail and being urged by
Frank he yielded to the influences and
consented. That evening he wrote
4 farewell letter to his intended wife, +.
bidding her to await his coming. and
that he was hopeful of gaining fortune
n the distant country. The marriage
license was enclosed in the letter.
Remember Idem" We're the last
words. The next morning, Friday,
August "a, the Franklin started on
he trip. Now Frank had an open
ield, and he improved the time won
lerfully we'll He did not hesitate.
first work a. to read the letter.
The word ''Idem" seemed to puzzle
lin. but he remembered hearing his
brother use it when approaching the
,irl, and he hit upon the correct
meaning at once. Next he had his
light hand tattooed. He would mar
u the girl he loved, he thought, and
assumed the name Of Edmund.
His return home alone caused
iome talk, but when the mail brought
he weekly newspapers announcing
he departure of one Of the Davies
,oys OF Carroll County for Australia
the Franklin all was well. Thence
orth Frank was known as Edmund.
even though he gave the correct word
ignal, Fannie Forbes seemed to
loubt his identity, but after the
marriage had been postponed for a
month, which vas very acceptable to
she felt assured he was Ed
nund, and they were married. The
lnion was q happy one, indeed, but
10 children were born to bless their
!applness. Years went by and they
'rospered, and by strict economy
aved a good amount of money. Ten
ears after they had been married the
iusband was IN Baltimore, and there
.scertAined that his brother had died
Australia and had wiIIed all his
arnings, to. Frank. This knowledge
he husband impaired to his vile.
he woman never knew until the day
efore- he died that her husband was
rank Davies. But she had loved
i'm just as dearly as if he had been
ID nund and foraave him freely. He
led apparently happy.