Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-08-01

How Their Coming is Regarded in Differ
cnt Countries.
rfondnn STANDARD


Few things are more mysterious than tho
undeGnalle sympathy when often exists
between two beings who came INTO the
world together. There can he no doubt
that this sympathy is real and not the e.
feet of the imagination, as some have sup
posed. so far as Is known II docs not
always develop itself, and when 1t IS pres
cnt its cause IS not by any means under
stood. A real affection generally exists pc
tween twins, and often seems 70 snow ltstH
in the earliest days Of infancy. 1t IS no
Uncommon thing for a twin who has lost
his or her counterpart 10 pune away. drop
PING gradually into the clutches OF the de-
strOycr, who in taking away the otner mas
deprived life of all It's JOY. but, though
intense fOndness Is no doubt 10 great e1-
tent the cause Of such sad occurrences. the
sympathy which twins have tor one an
other SHOWS itself here.
With many savage races twins are hur-
ricd ou1 Of the world Immediately they
have entered il. Others allow them 10 I'VE
butmlyunder certain conditions. In West
crn africa. q little below the equator, be
tween ten and twelve degrees east lOngi-
tude. live n large tribe called the lshogo.
Tncy haycmauy peculiar customs. but none
more 50 than their treatment OF twins
aud of tie mother who Is 50 un-
fortunate az 90 bear them. An idea
seems to exist wiki them that no
woman ought 20 produce more than single
child al time. and they seek 10 rectiiY
the error hv giving their deitles every
chance %. killing one 81 the children Jlc-
fore they have arrived nt the age 40 which
thcv are considered able 10 take care OF
themselves. Thl. l. held 10 be AT about
six wears old. Once that age has been
passed II rs thought by these people that
proper balance between life and death ma
AGAIN been struck. and they do not deem
any further precautions necessary. I'M
med'atoly the birth of twins takes place
the hut .n which the event happens Is
marked IN some manner which viii render
IL readily distIngulshable from all others
N the village.
Those who have read accounts of African
travel wall probably remember the unani-
nous testimony which explorers If the
dark continent bear 10 the extraordinary
l0Quacity OF MS natives. Africans talk "a
they hrcathe-uuceaslngl and yet the
unfortunate mother of twins X forbidden
10 exchange a single word with any out
the immediate members of her family.
Sine may go into the forest for tre-wood
and perform the household work neces-
sary for the existence OF herself and her
children. hut II must be all done in strict
silence unless she finds herself near one of
her close relatives. The consequence OF
this peculiar custom Is that the lshogO
woman breads the advent OF twins more
than anything, except. perhaps, being
chIidless: aud nothing irritatocs newly
married woman more than to tell her That
she is SURF 10 become the mother Of two
children M q birth.
When the SIX years Of probation have
dragged ont their weary length, grand
ceremony Is held 10 celebrate the release
& aud ID
the society of their fellows. At daybreak
an the village is aroused by the proclama-
tion in the principal street. and the mother
and q friend take up their stand on either
sldcof the door of the but, having previous
lv Whitcued thelrlegs and faces. Their OF
'he inhabitants OF the place COngregate
r0uid about. and at given signal the
whtc-legged women march away from the
hut. followed boy the twins, the mother
clasping her hands and capering about, the
friend beating lusty tattoo upon drum
and singing an appropriate song.
After this procession has gone the round
Of the village there Is a general dance.
Then every one sits down 70 a great feast,
aGd eating. drinking and dancing are car
red on for the rest of the day and all
through the night. As soon as the next
day dawns all restrictions upon the mother
and her offspring are held to be removed.
This ceremony is known as "M'paza," a
word which signifies both the twins and
the rite by virtue of which they and their
mother are admitted TO the cOmpanlOnshlp
of their kind.
Cases in which one of pair of twins has
felt disturbing influence at work within
him when evil was Detailing his other self
are numerous. As with all matters of the
kind the instances related are apt 10 border
upon the land of fiction, but there are many
which are perfectly well authenticated.
Though twins are usually alike IN form and
feature, this is not invariably the case.
The writer knows twin brothers who can
scarcely be said 10 bear even family like
ness 10 one another, and whose complex
ions go To- the very extremes Of darkness
and fairness. But though unlike bodily,
they resemble ono another mentally 10
such am extent that they passed from the
bottom % the top of one of cur great pub
lie schools side ty side.