The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-08-28

CStaff Correspondence Messenger.)
Mt. Airy. Aug. IS.
Having made a brief but very en-
ioyable visit TO this pretty and pro-
gressive town. Il was my
intention, up to late last night 10
leave h morning. But. before a
ing my room at the Blue Inn
1 became strongly imbued with a de-
sire TO visit the spot where nearly
half a century ago. those pnEslcaI
wonders of their age, the
Twins forsak1ng the travelling mu-
scum. put the savings of an exhibit
ton tour through the world lhIo many
broad and fertile acres OF Nortn Car
olina. soil. and settled down to a lar
mer's calling, with the ties of mar
ried and domestic life.
From my childhood, 1 had heard OF
these wonderful people, but had had
no opportunity of seeing them; anu
now. when 1 was l n the vicinity OF
the homestead where they had IEed
and toiled. married and reared 1aInl-
lies. and passed away, a pilgrimage
to the scene was we'll worth a stay
of half q day more.
Captain Samuel CT. Pace, proprietor
of the Inn. soon had a horse and bug
ev at nv service, kindly sending his
IittIe son with the conveyance to df-
rect and assist me. In less than an
hOur we had surmOunted the success
sion of wooded hills, fOrded the Ara
rat river, and were at our Journeys
understanding on the American pos
sessions of this strange pair from the
far away Orient, on the dOOr-stepS OF
the roof that sheltered them in sight
of the grave where rests one IN the
shelter of the beautiful hills of Surry
county.
The home consists of a large track
of ~Iands-mOre than five undre acres
and a comfortable, cOmmOdiOus
wooden building, with Il brick CHM
mey at each end. 1 was told that the
house is fifty years old or more, n in
the rear is a walled up we'll Of fine
water. On the homestead there live
now only two survivors of the family,
Mrs. Chang Bunker, and her unmar-
rico son. Albert Bunker. The latter
only was at home, and l was thus
deprived of the pleasure, much desir-
ed. of seeing the mother, who was q
short distance away at church Her
son Informed me that. although near
" so years of age. she was well-pre-
< NCLs ~ tAANA A-A'No - 1NA-@
p~renaring many of the household duties
which had been her habit through
many years.
On reaching the gate Mr. Albert Bun
ker cOurteOusly invited me to enter
the house. but / asked permission to
visit first the grave of his father. hf-
ty or more yards away. 1t is enclOs-
ed by wooden frame work, and at the
head is u tombstone. perhaps six feet
high. on which is plainly inscribed the
following:
In Memory of Our Father.
Chang Bunker.
Born in Siam May II, A D.. 1911. Died
Jan. Il, a. D.. 1874. aged 81 years, 5
months and 6 days.
There are numerous descendants of
these two world renowned men-chil-
dren, grandchildren, and. | think Mr..
Bunker informed me. great-grand-
children-living mostly in Surry cOun-
ty. Feeling grateful for the privilege
of making even Il ShOr visit to what
| felt to be a noted spot Of earth. I
returned to the hotel, with the pleas
ing consciousness Of having added
something to my store of information
worth preserving.
FOr the benefit of the younger read
erS of The Messenger a closing de-
scriptive paragraph will not be amiss.
The Siamese Twins were known as
Eng and Chang. their bodies united
by a band of flesh stretching from
the ends Of their breatbones, and en-
aiding them to stan side by side.
They were bought of their mother at
MekOng. a city of Siam when they
were fifteen years of age, and were
brought to America by Captain COT
fin and Mr.. Hunter, after making a
tour of Europe, in 1929. After rea11z-
ing q competence by their exhibitions,
they married sisters, and purchased
separate estates, on which they erect
ed dwellings, passing a certain time
at each by agreement, which they
were always s%crupulOus in observing.
They We're comfortable livers and
sood managers, and were frequently
found by visitors threshing wheat in
the barn, and doing other farm work.
h lands were productive. but the
devastation of the civil war. paralyz-
ing farming as we'll as every other
industry, straitened them in circum-
stances, and in the sixties they made
q last exhibition tour of Europe. When
the fatal illness of n occurred an
effort as made to ave the life of the
other by seVering the ligament bind
ing them together. but they died with
III an hour of each other.
J. a. CREWS.
Absurd Punishment.