Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1889-09-06
TWINS
MYSTERIOUS SYMPATHY WHICH
EXISTS BETWEEN THEM.
Il Great Antipathy Shown Toward
All Twins by Some Savagcs
The Peculiar Customs
of the Ishosos.


rev things are more mysterious than
the undesirable sympathy which often
exists between two beings who came into
the world together. There can be no doubt
That TINS sympathy is real, and not the
elect OF the imagination us some have
Supposed. So far as is known it does
not always develop itself, and when it is
present its cause is not by any means I'M
derstood. A very real affection generally
exists between twins, and often seems to
show itself i'll the earliest days of infancy.
1t is no uncommon thing for twin who
has lost his or her counterpart 10 pine
away, dropping gradually into the
clutches of the destroyer, who in taking
away the other. has deprived life of all
ITS JOY. But though intense fondncss is
no doubt to great extent the cause of
such sad occurrences, the sympathy which
Twins have Tor one another shows itself
mere. With many savage races twins are
hurried ont of the world immediately
! they have entered it; others allow them
to live, but only under certain conditions.
In western Africa, IL little below the
equator, betecn 10 degrees and II
degrees east longitude live Il
large tribe called the lshogo. They have
many peculiar customs. but none more so
han their treatment of twins and of the
mother who is so unfortunate as TO bear
them. An idea seems TO exist with them
mat no woman ought To produce more
than single child ut time. and they
seek to rcctily the error by giving their
ueiticS every cllIncc of killing one of the
children before they have arrived at the
age ut which they are considered able 10
take care oil themselves. This is held 10
be ut about & years old once that age has
been passed, is is thought by these pco-
pie that proper balance between life
death has again been struck, and they do
not deem any further precautions ncccs-
sary. Immediately the birth of twins takes
place, the hut in which the event hap
pcncd is marked in some manner which
will render it readily dstinguishablc from
all Others in the village.
Those who have read accounts of Arri.
can travel will probably remember the
unanimous testimony which explorers of
the dark continent bear To the cxtraordi-
| 49, 'P'l'h'NhN WI IT'S lEitiNtS. arrears
talk as they breathc--unccasingly, and
yet the unfortunate mother of twins is
forbidden to exchange Il single word with
any but the immediate members of her
family. She may go into the forest for
lircwood, and perform the household
work necessary for the existence of her
self and her children, but il must be all
done III 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
event Of twins more than ANYTHING. cx
ccpt, perhaps, being childlcss: and Moth
ing irritates Il newly -:marricd woman more
Than to tell her that she is sure TO become
the mother Of two children at IL birth.
When the six years of probation nave
dragged out their weary length, II grand
ceremony is held TO celebrate the release
81 the the three capiivcs, and their
omission To the society of their fell
lows. At daybrcak ali the village is
lrouScd by II proclamation made in
he principal street, and the mother and
friend take up their stand on either
side of the door of the hut, having pre-
| ''D''''N NHi'Hh'Ni iistll ist'tS. | llc rest
Of the inhabitants of the place congrc-
gate round ;lon., and III given signal
The women march away from the hut,
followed by The twins, the mother clap
ping her hands and cipcring about, the
TREND beating II lusty tattoo upon II drum
md singing song appropriate To the
occasion. After this procession has gone
The round of the village there is Il general
dance. Then every one sits down 10 II
great lcast, and eating, drinking and
lancing are carried on for the rest of the
lay and all through the night. AS soon
rs the next day dawns all restrictions
upon the mother and her offspring are
held to be removed. This ceremony is
known AS "Mpaza,"a word which sig
niles both the twins, and the rite by vir-
:ue of which they and their mother are
admitted Ia the companionslip of their
kind.
Cases in which one OF Al pair of twins
has felt some disturbing influence ut
work within him wien evil WAS Detailing
his other self are numerous. As with all
matters of the kind, the instances related
are apt to border upon the land of fiction.
| ''' '''NiS HiC i.thy WHICH are perfectly
well authenticated. Though twins are
usually alike in form and feature this is
not invariably the ease. The writer
knows twin brothers who can scarcely be
said to bear even Il family likeness TO one
mother, and whose co,hplcxions go to
the very extremes OF darkness and fair
ness. But though unlike bodily, they
resemble one another mentally TO such I'm
extent that they passed from the bottom
TO the top OF one OF our great public
! schools side by side. -Londm .Stanua,M.
The Cnrfew in New York's Capital.
There is IL custom in Albany, y. Y,
which'has been maintained for two hun
'ircd years, which, presume, isn't
known in any other city Of its size in the
Union. The curfew tolls promptly, and
to the half-cigh;h of Il second, at o each
night The City Hail tower has IL deem