The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1892-07-02
THEY WERE MIXED UP.
EVEN THEIR HUSBANDS COULD
NOT TELL THEM APART.
Remarkable Twins Of Massachusetts-
Their Father Gave 1t Up In
Despair and Did Not Try
to Distinguish Them.

Similarity OF facial appearance has
often resulted In mistaken identity
with the subjects OF this sketch. Mrs.
Levi L. Coombs ana Mrs. Josiah
f, Turner OF this city writes Spring
J field Mass. correspondent OF the
f, Boston Globe.
These estimable women are twins;
their maiden names were Frances
Arroettee and Florella Antoinette
Foss II will be observed that their
initials are the same. the middle name
being bestowed on the promise Of a
! pearl necklace for each.
The Foss twins were the daughters
OF Dr. Simeon Foss. Maino physician
OF the old school and Mason OF high
degree. They were born In Belfast
Maine. November 20. 1925. Frances
made her debut in this world half an
hour before her sister.
At Paris Hill they went to school
with the late Hannibal Hamlin. ex-
vice president OF the United States.
Frances married the late Levi T.
Coombs. who held the position Of
deputy sheriff OF Androscoggin coun-
ty. in the town OF Lisbon, twenty one
years
Florella married Josiah Turner. now
dead. who also lived in the town of
Lisbon. Both have been school
=, teachers and inseparable companions.
! Their mother died when they were 2
years and 6 months Of age
1t is difficult to distinguish one from
the other. and the photographer who
/ took their pictures for the Globe per-
sisted that Florella had just been in
the room. when, in fact it was her
sister who had been there.
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 aggreg ate weight at
present is $50 pounds.
These duplicate sisters think alike
act alike. and have never adopted diff
/ ferent characteristics OF dress to avoid
mistakes OF identity. Often one has
/ worn the others shoes while years
ago their money came from one
pocket-book. and IT. did not matter
which one carried It
Mistaken identity was almost a
daily occurrence with US in our
younger days" remarked Frances to
the Globe man who called on her n
Jew 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.
.Ihe reason why father never ad-
dressed US by our given names was
que to the fact that he was always I'M
certain which wasNwhich.
After we were married. people ad-
dressed me by my sisters new name
so often that declare. got puzzled
myself once and couldn't for the life
of me tell whether my name was
Turner or Coombs.
I'VE took our first ride on rail-
way train at 10 years OF age Wo
had never seen the cars before. At
that time we were living in Lisbon.
and drove down from there in a
chaise to Portland. When we alight-
ed Mt Saco the depot closely re-
sembled the one Mt Portland. and /
stuck to it that it went with us.
.One time in church Judge Cham
berlain was sitting in my sisters pew.
NV seat was just ahead OF him. When
came in no mistook me for my sister.
and politely arose and stepped into
the isle to let me into my sister seat
My husband often mistook my
sister for myself. To illustrate how
easily he was fooled will recall the
time when ] dropped into my hus-
bands store to pay him call Judge
Chamberlain sat there. and knew
him well. but my sister didn't
las entered leisurely my husband
said: Come in. Mrs. Turner and be
seated kept n straight face rs 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 introduced his wife instead OF
! Mrs Turner.
when we lived in Minot we studied
French under Parson Jones. Ono day
, had a perfect lesson and sister die
: not know hers. We shifted around.
+ and the parson mistook me for sister
and recited the lesson for her, ant
' no one was the wiser
{ I'VE used to attend parties in my
! younger days and one occasion. wher
the fellows came in after their girls
. ! started of with sisters fellow ant
8 got quite piece with him before
, told him he was mistaken and hat
Q better go back after his girl
l ..0nce at dusk Mr.. Coombs was go
{ ing home from the store. He saw m!
. sister on the other side OF the stree
4 and thought it was !. Florella had |
3 bundle under her arm which he mis-
d took for baby. My husband though
r It strange that was out at that tim
with my baby. and said to clerk tina
{ he believed Frances was crazy an
going to drown that baby
o Il used to fool my children some
s times after they got to be quite large
Whenever wanted to go away m
L sister would come over to my house
put on one OF my dresses and stay wit
: the children till got back. and the
d wouldn't know the difference