Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1913-02-05
woNpgRFUL sIAslEsE TWINS.
Some Facts Abont the Brothers who
We're Bound Together for Life.
(Selected.)

knew them in their home life. 1t
seems strange that the latest edi-
tions OF our best cyclopedtas have
practically nothing to say OF them
Five or six lines coyers all that we
have been able to find. The Siamese
Twins were really a wonder from
every standpoint. Two people, dis
tinct in form and habit, yet one-the
life of one being dependent upon the
life Of the other.
They were born in Siam in the year
1911. The exact time of their COM
ing to this country Is not known. 1t
Is supposed, however, to have been
shortly after the close of the Napo-
| leonic wars. A Mr.. Bunker is said to
have brought them to America. For
many years, during the palmy days
| of John Lowlow, the famous clown,
they travelled with John Robinson's
circus. In this way they accumulated
considerable money, which they were
| careful to save. A native of Surry
county, North Carolina, happened to
| upon time at Salisbury. The man
| was SO taken up with the monstrosity
that he invited them to spend time
with him along the Fish and Ararat
| rivers. They accepted the invitation
| and were SO pleased with the country
that they decided to make their home
in that section. Eng invested all his
| money in negroes and Chang invested
| his in lands. They were unusually
successful in every undertaking. But
the war took away the slaves and an
equitable division was made Of the
lands. They built comfortable
home on the banks of the Fish river,
which they occupied until some time
just prior to the Civil War, when
Chang conceived the idea of getting
married. They were great hunters,
and in their >wanderings they had
| gone over into Wilkes, where Chang
saw the girl for whom he had been
longing. He served notice on Eng to
| "come and let us visit the home Of
the Yates" There was nothing
for Eng to do but to obey. Chang's
story OF love fell upon listening ear,
and in due time a union was formed
between him and Miss Yates. The
household was now made to number
three. A year passed and Eng began
to think. The smiles that played
upon the face Of Chang we're too
| 70 In Il
tell his story. The family of three
had doubtless attracted much atten-
ton. "Who is to be the wife OF
Eng?" 1t did not take Eng long to
decide, as another Of the Yates girls
was left. The good qualities in the
one must be inherent in the other.
So Eng said to Chang, Come, let me
go accounting, too" How many visits
Eng made before he accomplished
his purpose we are not told, but
little thought would suggest that they
were not many.
For the second time Eng and
| Chang stood in the Yates home be-
fore the parson, and the family now
was made four. "But two women,
though they be sisters, in one house,
Is one too many" Another home
must be built. A beautiful site was
on the other side Of the stream, and
another home was built there for
Eng. The question then came, "How
shall we divide time between these
two homes?" A knotty ouestion but
1t was satisfactorily settled. Every
Monday morning there was a shift
from the one to the other rain or
shine. Alternate weeks there was a.
home on the banks Of the Fish with
out Eng or Chang. The passing of
the years brought children into those
homes. Eng was the father in one
and Chang was the father in the
other. How the discipline of the one
| accorded with the ideas OF the other
we have not been able to learn
Doubtless each father controlled his
own house, for it is known that each
had will Of his own. Nine children
came into either home. These have
all grown up and are living within
the bounds OF Surry county. Among
| them are some of the most substan-
tial men and women of the county
Thrift and enterprise characterize
every one of them. Two sons are
numbered among the wealthy men Of
that section Of the country. The wife