The Lamar register., 1901-12-18
The UnaarthIy Twins,
~ JASPER BARNETT CoWDIN

BY JASPER BARNETT COWDIN
Copyright. 1901, by Daily Story Pub. Coz
The only reason that Jack Inskip
did not die the moment | was born, or
vice versa.iis probably this: We were
twins. and our extraordinary anAoa-
thies were not as yet in good working
order.
In the first place-so | have been
told during the hour that Jack was
a good baby was rascally little de-
mon; whilst | slept peacefully, Jack
was wakeful and peovish; if one
evinced hunger. the other would re-
fuse nourishment
All that, of course, might have been
passed over with little comment; but
one morning, while the nurse was
giving us our bath. Jack put his chub-
by fist on the hot stove and | received
n terrible burn. | yelled Justify with
the pain, much to the nurses bewild-
erment, as the red scar appearing on
Jacks hand caused him not the slight
est Inconvenience.
Three weeks later | got even with
Jack for his carelessness by falling
over the shoulder of the nurse and
striking face downward on the floor.
She snatched me UP hurriedly and
with terrified face shook me with
vigor, but l merely looked at her COM
placently. Strangely enough. the
screams of Jack in the adjoining room
were appalling; and it was afterward
found that he had a good-sized swell
ing on his forehead
These phenomenal characteristics
were a puzzle to the attending physi-
clan, who called in the most eminent
medical experts; but their expert
ments revealed nothing. and the re-
suit was merely a lot of conflicting
and attenuated theories.
Many interesting and inexplicable
incidents marked our career through
boyhood, any one of which would
scarcely be entertained seriously as
the truth. In time we became cele-
brated under the facetious sobriquet
of 1.-THE Unearthly Twins"
One of my great likings was for
candy-Jack loved pickles-but when
ever l INDUCED it poor Jack had to
suffer, pacing the floor half the night
with the toothache; on the other hand.
Jack nearly put wings on my inno-
cent shoulders by partaking too freely
of green apples while on our vacation
at Orchard Ridge.
1t was therefore to our mutual IN
terest that we study each others Pc
culiarities, course we adopted and
followed most conscientiously. Still.
through inadvertence, many amusing
complications arose.
One morning | was discovered lying
prone on the kitchen floor exhibiting
all the symptoms of one drowning.
Our dear mother. wise through long
experience, disregarded me entirely
anda sent the servants off scurrying
through the neighborhood looking for
Jack. The mill race. where we were
accustomed to take an occasional
plunge was searched, the creek at the
foot of the hill was visited. but Jack
was not to be found. At length some
one thought of the well. In a Few
moments the dripping body of Jack was
drawn forth-very much alive. An
error that nearly cost me my life was
discovered not a moment too soon. AL
though | was the sufferer by the ca
tastrophe, the application of the usual
remedies to me proved of no avail.
but when transferred to the unfeeling
Jack, they revived me Immediately.
AS the years passed and we entered
manhood's estate, to the satisfaction
of our relatives and friends we exhib-
tied union of feeling on vital point
both were fond of the opposite sex.
But even through the delicate fabric
of our love-dreams ran the zig-zag vein
of contrariety. The dramatic instinct
of our friends was on the alert for
possible Developments.
Once on a festive occasion. amIu
gay party of young people. was prof
fered cocktail by most enticing
young society bud. l politely refused
it. as drinking was against my princi-
pies. But second thought came to
T., concerning Jack. He was not
present, but it occurred to me that
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