The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1892-06-24
THE SIAMESE TWINS.
A NEIGHBOR TELLS OF THEIR QUEER
MARRIED LIFE.
Richmond Dispatc h.

hiShiiouu biol'"'N"'
The recent death near Mount
Airy, N. q. of Mrs. Sallie Bunker,
widow OF Eng Bunker, one Of the
,world-renowned Sialnese twins, re-
calls to mind much of the dones.
nc history OF those gentlemen and
their families, but comparatively
little of which has ever found its
way into print, and which now
, comes direct from one who lives
in The neighborhood of their home
III the Old North State and who was
a personal friend Of the twins from
his yonlh up
Chang and Eng were born in the
year 1911 in the lowlands of Siam,
Of humble parenlage, and at an
early age lost their father. As
soon as they were old enough to
be of use to their widowed mother
she put them to the light work of
tending a large flock of ducks,
which they used 10 carry out every
morning in a boat TO neighboring
marsh, where the wild rice was
plentiful; there they remained all
day, and al night, at The blowing
of a horn, the ducks would waddle
back to the boat, crawl aboard and
then the twins would paddle them
home. When the boys were pro.
badly - or 13 years of age an
English traveller named Bunker
happened that way, and after view.
ing them with amazement, for a
stipulated consideration with their
mother, secured possession Of
them.
Leaving The east shortly after
Mr.. Bunker for several years eX-
mblted the twins in nearly every
part of the known world, treating
them with great kindness and
making money by them wherever
he went, until 1882 he had amass-
ed a fortune, and the twins being
by this time OF age, he consider
ately gave them their freedom
with permission to adopt his name
and with enough ready cash to
start them comfortably in life
This happened IN Raleigh, N. c..
and the young men, though they
! loved their protector well, loved
freedom better, so with friendly
parting on both sides. they started
out to make their way alone-anC
yel together. Whilst in Raleigh
they heard some talk regarding the
excellent hunting TO be found IN
The mountainous part Of the State
and wishing for little recreation
they jonrneyed to The Piedmont
section, where they finally took uI
their residence at the house of {
well-to do farmer named Yates
living in the county OF Wilkes, a
the foot of Blue Ridge Mountains
seventy.five miles westof Greens
boro'.
Farmer Yates was fond of The
chase. Living in good, old-fash
ionea style, with plenty of negroes
and dogs, raising supplies of al
kinds, and surrounded by a large
family, he took lite easy and mad,
it pleasant for the twins, whit
boarded with him lor a consldera
bic tine. Whilst there Eng Bun
ker become greatly attached t
Miss Sallie Yates and Chang los
his heart to Miss Adelaide.
Some time between 1885 an(
1910 double marriage took plac,
!, at the residence of Falher.in.lav
Yates, and the twins commenced
{ their married lie on a farm whicl
was in easy distance Of their wives
) old homestead. Here they live,
|, happily, farming part Of The lin
| and at intervals going on the roa,
with Barnum and others, returning
: home occasionally 10 their famile
and tiresides with well.filled pock
;, els. But The farm on which ibe,
+ lived did not suil The twins, so the
: purchased abou. 1000 acres IN III
: adjoining county of Surrey, with
y three miles Of The then little viIlag
$ of Mount Airy. On this estal
: they erected a large, comlortabl
= frame house, with allthe necesss
. ry out.houses, and made many in
: : provemen,s. Being Of a Cheerful
J kindly disposition. their lives pas
y ed smoothly for many year