Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1892-05-14
REMARKABLE TWINS.
TWO WOMEN so NEAR ALIKE AS
TO DECEIVE THEIR HUSBANDS.

-
THOR Lives Because of Their Great To
sembisnce-Mrs. Coombs' Story.
Similarity in facial appearance has of
ten resulted in mistaken identity with
the subjects of this sketch, Mrs. Lev! L.
Coombs and Mrs. Josiah Turner.
These estimable women are twins:
their maiden names were Frances AFRO
ette and Florella Antoinettc Foss. 1t
will be observed that their initials were
the same, tho middle nano 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 n 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
tho late Hannibal Hamliu. ex-vlce presl-
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-onc 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 21s 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
Iren, I'll Of whom are dead bat two
Walter Coombs. OF this city, and Simon
Coombs, now mail agent on tho 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 goo pounds apiece.
>;ingularly. when one would fall away
i'll 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
il did not matter which one carried it,
Mistaken identity was almost i daily
occurrence with US III 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.
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 adj
dressed me by my sisters new name SO
often that | declare got puzzled my
self once, and couldn't FOR the life of me
tell whether my ranle WAS Turner or
Coombs.
I'VE took our first ride On 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 Il chaise to Portland.
When we alighted at Saco the depot
closely reselnblcG the one in Portland.
and stuck to it that it went with US.
One time in church Judge Chamber
lin was sitting in my sisters pew. Ny
seat wca just ahead of him. When i
came III he mistook Ile for my sister,
and politely arose and stepped into the
aisle to let ne into my sisters seat
My husband often nistook my sister
for myself. TO illustrate how easily he
was fooled, will recall the time VIXEN
| dropped into my husbands store to
pay him IL call. Judge Chamberlin sat
there. and knew hin well. but my SIS
ter didn't.
LAS entered leisrrely my husband
said. Cone in. Mrs. Turner, and be
seated kept straight face as long as
| could until.he had introduced lie to
the Judge, when smile on my face let
the cat out of the bag. and then my
husband discovered that he had intro
duce,l his wife instead of Mrs. Turner.
When we lived in Minot we studied
Trench under Parsoa Jones. One day |
had Il perfect lesson and sister did not
know hers. We shifted around. and
the l,arson lnistool; me for sister and |
recited the lesson for her and no one was
the wiser.
I'VE 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
qnte piece with him before told him
he was mistaken and had letter so back
after bis girl.
.Once III dusk Mr. Coombs was going
homo from the store. He saw my sister
On the other side Of the street and
thought it was |. Florella had bun
die under her arm which he mistook for
baby. My husband thought it strange
that ] was out at that time with my
baby, and said to a clerk that he be-
licved Frances was crazy and going to
drown that baby.
Il used to fool my children sometimes
otter they had got to be quite large.
Whenever wanted to go away NY sis
ter would come over to NY house, PIT
on one of my dresses and stay with the
children till got back. and they would
not know the difference. "-Springfeld
Cor. Boston Globe.
An Awkward Elundor.
At a certain court Of justice an awk.