The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-05-28
AFF|N|T|ES OF THE SPIRIT.
CLOSE TIES OF ASSOCIATION WHICH
BIND PEOPLE TOGETHER.
Dual Life and Experience which the
Pratt Twins Shared in Common
Mysterious Sympathies Exert

| an lnHuence ON ftOpIc
| The extreme sensitiveness and close
4 sympathes of twins is quite well known.
I Francis Gallon investigated the subject
4 about twenty-five years ago. He found
that there are two kinds of twins--"that
corresponding to the progeny Of animals
| that have usually more than one young at
\ birth, and the other corresponding TO
| those double-yoked eggs that are due to
| two germinal spots in a single ovum." II
| is the latter kind of twins that so closely
| resemble each other in looks. tastes, char
! acter, and who in many cases think the
| same thoughts and are almost constantly
/ aware, even when separated, OF each 9TH
| er's condition. They have been known to
| have corresponding defective teeth which
/ ached at the same moment, to be afflicted
! with the same diseases. like asthma or
! rheumatism; to be taken down with the
same illnesses and to die from the same
, cause. Cases are even cited OF an insan-
ity common TO both, in which they were
| the victims of the same Authorizations and
exhibited precisely similar symptoms.
| marked instance OF this affinity is TO
! be found in the case of the late Frederick
| r. Pratt and his brother Frank. of Chi
cago, In regard to whom the Chronicle has
| already recorded a remarkable incident
More than a month ago Fred Pratt died
OF tNpnOlu mAlarlal FEVER III tEe
| pines. Two or three weeks before Frank
was made aware that something was
wrong with his brother. He could not
sleep well He was forced to get up and
read or roam about the house and could
not attend to business. Day after day he
felt this very perceptible but ill-defined
anxiety and restlessness He told his
family that Frank was in a bad way. He
was absolutely certain of 1t. Suddenly
one day he felt as though "a cable had
been cut" to use his own words, and he
had the same sensation of grief and be-
reavement as though he had witnessed his
brothers deathbed scene. The cable dis
patch later announcing the death did not
in the least surprise him.
Resemblance Was Marked.
The two brothers were remarkably alike.
1--WE dressed alike" says Frank Pratt;
I'VE always had our hair cut In the same
fashions. We wore mustaches or were
shaved clean at the same time. In all our
daily tastes and habits we were as ONE
II one had the nose bleed the other would
have an attack few moments later.
They would frequently speak of the same
subject at the same moment, or II one
spoke of 1t the other would say. II was
Just thinking OF that" Without previous
consultation they would both order new
suits of clothes the same day. And when
one went to the BARRIERS he would almost
'NN''
there also few hours or minutes before.
When separated they were always aware
more or less distinctly of each others
whereabouts When In business together
and Fred was not interviewing real estate
men Frank could at any time call him up
by telephone at the place he happened 10
be at the moment.
A few years ago Frank, returning fiom
Europe failed to get a letter from his
brother at New York and 80 waited Two or
three days to hear from him. Meeting an
acquaintance. an attache of New York
paper he invited him to dinner at the
Imperial hotel. though he was stopping at
the Fifth Avenue. They were scarcely
seated at the table when he excused him
self TO his guest by remarking that there
was somebody waiting for him at the tele-
phone. His friend said "Oh, nonsense'
But he knew too well what the feeling
meant. On reaching the telephone. he
claimed, Hello. Fred" and heard his
brothers greeting from Chicago. Although
his brother would naturally locate aim at
the Fifth Avenue hotel an impulse direct
ed him to call him up at the Imperial.
While staying at Geneva lake some
years ago Frank was taken suddenly Ill.
and wandering about In that region was
finally carried into a stranger's-a farm
ers--house. two or three miles from the
hotel His brother Fred In Chicago at once
became aware that his brother was In some
| distress. re Htaittus anu NlAubut FtbI~
| ping at the hotel to make inquiries. pro-
ceeded directly to the farmers house, of
which he had previously known nothing
One night Frank was awakened by tho
| knowledge that his brother Was III some
| where along the line between Chicago and
| Milwaukee. Without arousing his fa.nily
| he stole out Of the house and caught the
early morning newspaper train As hey
missed the different acknowledgements,
J Racine. etc-he rejected them one after
| another. as the place where his brother
was STAYING until he reached the Milwau-
| kee switch yards Here he was impelled
! TO aiight and to go straight TO the house
where his brother lay III from a sudden
| and unexpected attack when his brother
Fred together with a hunting party. was
| lost in the north woods Of Wisconsin,
| Frank in Chicago. became aware that they
| were In difficulties and was conscious also
Of the moment OF their rescue,
Felt Dawn of Fatality.
In his voyage around the world. fatally
| ending at Manila, Fred was taken slightly
iU in Japan. OF which Frank was made
| coenizant. Just before his sickness At Ma
| MA a friend in Chicago received cheer
| ful and good-spirited letter from him, that
boasted OF his fine health. The friend in
| vain cited this letter against the feeling
| az depression and restlcssness felt ny
| Frank He knew better. He had had too
| many such experiences not 20 trust them.
Whenever these brothers desired TO To-
| cate each other they would shade their
| ewes with the hand and see the other
| tho situation and appearance Of the build
| lnr. the room and other surroundings.
| From early boyhO03 they felt this con-
| srinus intimacy. Barring an occasional
| slight childish quarrel, they always shar-
! Cd each others hopes, plans. fears, griefs
| ana pleasures This common participation
! az each others experiences was instructive.
! EXCEPT "a It differed from other peoples
| exnerfences they were almost unconscious
| of IL II was not second nature. but frst
| nature with them They hardly knew
! what Il was to DO anything or at least
| 20 feel ana think anything Independently
| Of each other,
| Prof James. president Of the American
| Society for Psyehical Research has writ
| ten 10 the surviving brother asking him
| Tor details % his experiences
| The Instances Of this sympathetic con-
| sci1usness between Individuals closely re-
I lated by actual kinship. or by ties Of in
tense affection and friendship, or by the