The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-05-04
A REMARKABLE ROMANCE.
The Marriage of Young Woman to the
Double" OF Her Betrothed.
Westminster md Cor Chicago Herald


Westminster MD Cor. Chicago Herald
The deathbed confession of Edmund
Davies, who recently died in Carroll county,
has just been made public, and is sequel
to strange story His life was remark
able one in many instances. Twenty-Five
years ago Edmund Davies was young
man, in his twentieth year. He was not
handsome man, neither was he Unlocking.
He had younger brother just Is. His
name was Frank, and he was an exact
double of Edmund. The two brothers
lived alone, except an old negress,
the boys had died many years before.
1t was early in 1864 that Edmund Davies
began paying attention to Fanaie Forbes,
the young daughter of a neighboring
farmer. The brothers were very much at
tached to each other, and Frank was also
frequent visitor to the Forbes farm dwell
Ing. The girl often took the one for the
other, and some time afterward agreed
upon signal with Edmund, SO that she
could readily know to whom she was talk
ing. The neighborS could not identify the
brothers, and they were known only and
referred to as the Davies boys. 1t was the
girl that suggested to Edmund that when
he came to Ter he was 70 use the Latin
word "idemn the same. Time passed,
and after q eourtship of SIX or seven months
Edmund proposed marriage. Fannie ac-
cepted, because she had learned to love
him fervently. Then it was that she asked
him whether he did not have some mark on
his arm 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. Edmund went home, his mind
fraught with pleasure because he was to
marry the girl of his heart. He loved his
younger br other very much, and entrusted
his secret to him.
Frank in his innermost heart, too, loved
Fannie Forbes, and tile confession of his
brother stirred his jealousy. He was bright
of thought and possessed all active mind.
He wanted TO marry Miss Forbes. The day
following the brothers came to this place
and Edmund procured marriage license.
Franks mind was evolving a scheme by
which he could thwart his brothers mar
riage. He proposed a trip to Baltimore,
persuadiug Edmund to dispatch messenger
to his sweetheart that they had gone to
the Monumental City for the especial
purpose 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 dead father,
Capt. Aker, of the ocean steamer FrnnKlin
for Australia, and was very solicitous chat
the nameSake of his deceased friend should
accompany him. 1t was Edmund. lie
hesitated. The captain told him of the
pleasures of the trip, and the fine country
to which he would sail, and being urged By
Frank he vie ded to the influences and con
sented That evening he wrote a farewell
letter to his intended wife, bidding her to
await his coming, and that he was hopeful
of mi in tba
Thfhnarriage license was inclosed in the
leSer. Remember Idem," were the last
words. The next morning Friday, August
"A, the Franklin started on the trip. Now
Frank had an open field, and he improved
the time wonderfully well. He did not
hesitate. His first work was to read the
letter. The word "Idem" seemed to puzzle
him, but he remembered hearing his brother
use 1t when approaching the girl, and he 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 Edmund.
His return home alone caused some talk,
but when the mail brought the weekly
newspaper announcing the departure of one
of the DAVIS 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 sig
nal, Fannie Forbes seemed TO doubt his
identity, but after the marriage had been
postponed for a month, which was very ac-
ceptable to Frank, she felt assured he was
Edmund, and they were married. The
union was a happy one. indeed, but no
children were born to bless their happi-
ness. Years went by and they prospered,
and by strict economy saved good amount
of money. Ten years after they had been
married the husband was 10 Baltimore, and
there ascertained that bis brother bad died
in Australia and had willed all bis earnings
to Frank. This knowledge the husband i'm
parted to hts wife, The woman never
knew until the day before he died that her
husband was Frank Davies But she had
loved him Just as dearly as if he had been
Edmund and forgave him freely. He died
apparently happy.