The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1892-05-28
REMARKABLE TWINS.
TWO WOMEN so NEAR ALIKE AS
TO DECEIVE THEIR HUSBANDS.

sembIance-Mrs. COOmbs' Story.
Similarity in facial appearance has Of
ten resulted In mistaken identity with
the subjects of this sketch, Mrs. Levi T.
Coombs and Mrs. Josiah Turner.
These estimable women are twins;
their maiden names were Frances AFRO
cite and Florella Antoinette Foss. It
will be observed that their initials were
the same, the middle name being be-
slowed on the promise Of pearl neck
lace for each.
The Foss twins were the daughters Of
DR.. Simeon Foss, Maine physician of
the old school and a Mason Of high de-
gree. They were born in Belfast, Me-,
Nov. 90, 1926. Frances made her debut
in this world half an hour before her SIS
ter.
At Paris Hill they went to school with
the late Hannibal Hamlin. ex-vice presi-
dent of the United States.
Frances married the late Levi T.
Coombs. who held the position of deputy
sheriff Of Androscoggin county, in the
town OF Lisbon. twenty-one years.
Florella married Josiah Turner, now
dead. who also lived in the town of Lis
bon. Both have been school teachers
and inseparable companions. Their
mother died when they were 2h years
of age
1t is difficult to distinguish one from
the other. and the photographer who
took their pictures persisted that Flo
rella had just been in the room when, in
fact, it was her sister who had been
there.
Frances has given birth to six chill
dren, all Of whom are dead but two
Walter Coombs, of this city, and Simon
Coombs. now mail agent on the Maine
Central railroad.
Mrs. John Staples, Of Charlestown.
and Charles E. Turner, of Lawrence,
are the only living children Of Florella.
who had three in all.
The height of the twins is exactly the
same. and twelve years ago they weighed
just 200 pounds apiece.
Singularly. when one would fall away
in weight the other would do the same.
Their aggregate weight at present is $50
pounds.
These duplicate sisters think alike, act
alike and have never adopted different
characteristics of dress to avoid mis-
takes Of identity. Often one has worn
the others shoes, while years ago their
money came from one pocketbook, and
it did not matter which one carried it.
Mistaken identity was almost daily
occurrence with us IN our younger
days." remarked Frances q few DAYS
ago. my father always called us girls
and neither OF Us ever addressed the
other by our given names. We called
each other sister instead.
1.-The reason why father never ad-
dressed Us by our given names was due
to the fact that he was always uncertain
which was which.
AFTER we were married people ad-
dressed me by my sisters new name 80
often that l declare l got puzzled my
self once, and couldn't for the life of me
tell whether my name was Turner or
Coombs.
I'VE took our first ride on a railway
train at eighteen years Of age. We never
had seen the cars before. At that time
we were living in Lisbon and drove
down from there in a chaise to Portland.
When we alighted at Saco the depot
closely resembled the one in Portland,
and stuck to it that it went with us.
Zone time in church Judge Chamber
lin was sitting in my sisters pew My
seat was just ahead Of him. When !
came in he mistook me for my sister,
and politely arose and stepped into the
aisle to let me into my sisters seat.
my husband often mistOok my sister
for myself. To illustrate how easily he
was fooled, will recall the time when
l dropped into my husbands store to
pay him call. Judge Chamberlin sat
there, and knew him we'll, but my Sis
ter didn't.
LAS entered leisurely my husband
said. Come in. Mrs. Turner, and be
seated kept q straight face as long as
could until he had introduced me to
the judge, when smile on my face let
the cat out Of the bag, and then my
husband discovered that he had intro
duced his wife instead Of Mrs. Turner.
when we lived in Minot we studied
French under ParSOn Jones. One day ]
had perfect lesson and sister did not
know hers. We shifted around, and
the parson mistook mo for sister and l
recited the Lesson for her and no one was
the wiser.
1--WE used to attend parties In my
younger days, and on one occasion, when
the fellows come In after the girls, !
started of with sisters fellow and got
quite piece with him before told him
he was mistaken and had better 60 back
after his girl
"Once at dusk Mr.. Coombs was going
home from the store. he saw my sister
on the other side Of the street and
thought it was I. Florells had q bun
die under her arm which he mistook for
q baby. My husband thought 1t strange
that ] was out at that time with my
baby, and said to clerk that he be-
heved Frances was CRAZY and going to
drown that baby