The times., 1899-05-21
CONVENIENCE OF TWINsH1P.
Two Small Boys Who Look Just
Alike.
(From the New York Press.l

From the New York Press)
Hiram Cleveland Stewart and Joel Par
ker Stewart are small boys of Hilton, N
j., who look so much alike that their par
ents cannot tell them apart. They are
twins, and are jolly little fellows, brim-
ming over with the boyish love OF mis-
chief Because of their remarkable re-
semblance they do with impunity many
things other little boys would not dare to
do. for the paternal Stewards always are
at loss to know which one to spank.
The lads are always dressed alike, and
nobody knows which is which except as
each in some way discloses his identity.
One day recently their mother took them
into grocery store to have them weigh
ed. One was found to tip the beam at one
ounce more than the other. After he had
left the scales the heavier one took a top
from his pocket and began to spin it. The
mother. who was worried at the disagree
ment in weight, picked up the top and
found that it weighed exactly one ounce.
When the twins first went to school last
summer the teacher, to tell them apart,
marked Hiram one one desk and Joel
on the other. One day a grain of corn
from puttyblower struck her on the ear
as her back was turned to the seats occu-
pied by the twins. She turned quickly and
hastily concealing something behind the
desk.
Hiram stayed. The teacher chided him
for his conduct, and when she was through
the urchin drawled with a funny look on
his face, 1T wasn't me, teacher; it was
Joel. He had my seat"
One night the Stewards had ice cream
after supper. One of the twins was on
hand for the meal and ate his cream, but
the other. without the knowledge of his
parents, had accepted an invitation to din
ner elsewhere. When the meal was fin
ished, Hiram, who was home, was sent out
to find Joel. By and by the supposed Joel
came back alone, with an explanation that
was satisfactory to his parents. When
they asked him if he had had his supper,
he said:
Yes, but l wouldn't mind eating that
dish of ice cream you've saved for me-"
The cream was set before him and he
ate it. AS the last spoonful disappeared
in walked the real Joel.
At a recent entertainment in the Hilton
chapel, the twins recited a piece together
in manner that won the applause of the
audience, and then Hiram was called upon
to recite alone When his name was call
ed the twins sat like statues.
Come Hiram" said the Sunday school
teacher, ''be good boy and speak your lit
tie piece
Still they remained motionIess. The
teacher took one Of them by the arm and
led him 10 the platform.
Why don't you go on?" she said.
Il can't; I'm JOEL
What do you want to say that for, HI
ram?'' said the other twin, and the teacher
gave it up
Despite the fact that their similarity in
appearance spares them from much justly
merited punishment. each twin frequently
puts up job on the other by playing a
prank and arranging things so that the
other shall get caught and punished for it,
The twins delight in keeping their sep
arate Identities mystery.
On day the twins upset tub of water.
Their mother arrived in time TO see them
disappearing around the corner of the
house. She saw that one of them was wet.
and told him TO go upstairs and change his
clothes and she would attend TO his case
afterward. 1t was Hiram who tipped over
the tub and got wet.
Joel" he said mournfuly, I'm going
to catch it. Let's both change our clothes,
and then she won't know which did it."
Joel agreed TO the plan, but 1t did not
work as they expected, for. being uncer-
tain which one was guilty, the neither
Walloped both