The daily morning journal and courier., 1902-01-04
WONDERFUL H00SIER TWINS
50 MUCH ALIKE THAT NO ONE
 CAN "TELL T,OTHER

F From Whieh"-Pranks They Hav,
 Each Courts the Others Girl, and It.,
 All the Same to Her-F Pooling q
 Whole School of Pupils.
 Otto and Ottis are twin brothers, now
 teaching school in Madison county, Otto
 being employed in Union township at the Keesling school, and Ottis in Adams
 township at the ButtonWood school
 These young men were born in Decatur
 county, Indiana, July ,, 1880. From
 earliest in fancy they were so much
 alike that they astonished all who saw
 them, and as they advanced in age the
 resemblance grew stronger until it be-
 came all but impossible for even per
 sonal friends to tell one from the other
 By many, Otto and Ottis Martin cannot
 be told apart, even when seen together
 Otto and Ottis Martin are not only
 alike in features, but in dispositions
 and in every thing that goes to make
 up what is known as personality. 50
 neatly balanced are their physical or
 Sanisms that on their twenty-hrst
 birthday, last July, there was only halt
 pound difference in their weight. Even
 the mental action of both is identical
 in suggestion and motive that it's stamp
 is set in their faces and characterlzas
 their bearing. The expression of thelr eyes is alike; their voices are modulat-
 ed alike; they walk with exactly the
 same movements and each possesses the tricks of boise and speech of the
 other. That this is not practised imi- station on the part of the young men is
 abundantly proven by persons, who
 have been associated with them the
 greater part of their lives. It Is en-
 tirely natural that they talk as they ao and also natural that without the coz inizance of the other, each often acts as
 the other is acting at that particular
 moment. Apparently they are both in-
 spired by similar motives in almost eV-
 erything they do.
 From earliest infancy they have shown marked preference Tor each
 other. They were always dressed eX-
 actly alike in youth, and retain the GUS tom now that they are grown, and here
 in lies another strange evidence of the startling similarity of their tastes. They do not dress alike because they seek to draw attention or comment, but be- cause they prefer the same colors ana designs of goods. They do not always purchase clothing together. but each se 1ects what he wants without regard 10 the other. Time and time again 1t mas been found that articles purchased py Otto in the absence of Ottis were sim liar to articles purchased by the latter at onther time and place.
 ' One of the earliest things noticed about these boys was that their minds almost invariably assumed the same bent. The branch of education that ap- ipeared easiest for one always came easy for the other. Mathematics ana it's branches proved enjoyable and at tractive to both and they progressed avenly through all the books until the day that they were graduated. Before tf1ey were sent to school they inclined to the same subjects and when they were admitted to the public school the slmi- larity was commented on They started into school on the same day, progressed through the grade together and during All the year of their attendance at school neither was in advance of the other They never had separate lessons and never recited in separate classes. They held this even course up to the very day and hour when they were graduated at McCordsville. in April, 1899 They were examined for teachers license on the same day, and both re- ceived certificates to teach in Madison county at the same time. By reason or N peculiar situation existing in the country schools at that time otto was selected to teach six months before Ot- tis got a situation. Even their examin- ation papers throughout their school life were almost invaria bly, exact dupli- cates. In early life they were both af7 f9icted with the ills that attack chil- y1ren and the recovery of both could be looked for at the same time. AS they were alike in all things while growing up, it was not strange that both should hit upon school teaching as profes- sion. As children they were of singu- 1arly religious turn of mind, and seldom ffifulged in the lighter amusements ire uuently termed worldly by those who tiecry all but earnest pursuits for young persons.
 At twelve years of age they were con- verted at a Methodist revival in Rush They went to the altar togeth CT. and after receiving the blessing were taken to the platform and asked to speak to the congrega tion, which they did with great earnestness. They son became noted for their religious zeal and were regarded as infant prod gies.'' They developed into class-lead- CTS while early in their teens, and fre- uuently exhorted at the country meet 1ngs. A delegation of neighbors took the twins to Nashville and had their pictures taken together. Scores of these pictures were made and the photo- grapller reaped harvest. The family continued to live in Rush county until 1893, when the move was made to Han cock county
 { The brothers always attracted great deal of attention wherever they went, and they have had hundred of ludicrous experiences because of their resem- blance. Members of their own family were often unable to distinguish them. Their mother, gentle, kindly woman, was often embarrassed by her inability to distinguish between them, but never adopted the fathers expedient of whip uing' both in order to make no mis- take.' The mother declared that they were good boys and that she never had to punish them The father, ,,..,,,,,,a,, diI nnt l,Alt SiIrl high taSii-