Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1922-06-05
WHO WAS RIGHT
IN CIVIL WAR
NOW SETTLED
One Side About as Right as
Other Sisters Have
Decided.

Ell PASO. Texas June "a contro-
war has been settled at G,ut. near here,
without any aid from Washington. In
fact. the Washington peace conferees
knew nothing about the dispute at Clint
and the conferees at Clint had but slight
/ inkHng of the iaInboree at Washington,
/ although both have far reaching effect.
The Clint controversy began with the
Civil War and the .conferees'' both aged
women and twins, never separated for
more than few days a. time. could
never agree on whether the North or
South was right in that conflict. The
husband Of ore served with the Union
Army and the husband Of the other was
in The Southern Army.
The Clint twins are Mrs. Mae PeaEe
ana Mrs Bell Billings. SO years old. Since
birth they have lived together, before
/ their marriage, While their husbands were
fighting during the CtYiI War and after
wards, They got along well together.
both say, until This war came along, and
tlen they had their first dispute. And
while they have always been sisterly and
/ aifectioaate, there were times when they
almost decided it was best to live apart
and the deaths OF their husbands. sixteen
aud eighteen years ago, failed to end the
controversy.
The twins were born at Camden.
Maine. in January OF 1889, went TO keo
kuk, iowa in 1854, ana a few years altel
to Missouri. The family name was Tar
bell Mae Tarbeu married Or. W.
Peake, yirginiau. Bell Tarbell mar
ried at the same time John Billings =
Connecticut man. Naturally yirsinis
and Connecticut could not see the wa
in the same light, 50 Peake Joined til
Southern and Billings the Northeri
army, leaving the twins n home. Tn,
wives took mp their husbands cause
Mae championinS he South and Bell th'
North AMI they have been chamTionine
thus for the last sixty years. Mrs
Peahe, the spryer Of the two. acted IL
spokesman aud told Of the decision t.
bury the Ratchet.
1T WAS
THIS WAY"
You see, Ii was this way" she ex
planned. Bell is a mighty sweet girl
always has been, and we lived togetAe
fine. or did until that horrid war cam
aoln-. We were both from Maine. BIT
we stuck TO our husbands States. Be
and wouldn't he separated from eacs
otEer, and yet we would not agree on
ANYTHING in that war. Only once wer2
we apart, and that was when Bells hus
hand was captured She went to tn
Southern camp and, although officer.
there tried TO get her to come some, sh
wouldn't do it without her husband, ano
being persistent she finally got him
Well. the war ended and our husband
came back and we all went together {
California but Bell and | still argues
about the war. That was the only thin
we did argue about. Our husbands sal
they wished there never had been an.
war If 1t was going to result in sue
a long quarrel. but what could we do
>We're from Maine, and neither OF
would give In.
During the Spanish American and the
World Wars we almost had peace, bu
something would always come along t.
start the fuss. Then q few days age
Bell and l were out in the yard maxim
a kettle OF lard. We always worked to
gether.
BELL I said, 7 believe we're gettin
old, Yes, Mae she said; I suppos
we are getting along. How long ag'
did this here Civil War beginT / asked
Just tell me that and Bell added min
ute or two and said: 'Sixtyone years,
Seems TO pe that you and havf
said about all there is TO say about IN
war | declared. DOeSn mdhe any I'll
ference II we are from New England
Life's too short to worry over somethini
that happened that long ago. ! want
take things quietly from now on, ana -
sides the papers say there amt going T
be any more war. If you'll stop and no
mention the war again, III do the same
think you're part right anyway
We'll, Bell looked at me kinda funn,
and smiled, and said: Why, Mae, l'vt
been wanting to stop talking about tina
blamed war all these years. but l JUS;
hated TO give in. One side was about a;
right as the other anyway, and III quit
il you'll quit. There's nothing In wal
anyway
$50 that's how 1t happened and were
happier than we have been since 1861, and
we don't care anything about the old war
now, do we Belle" and she turned to her
twin for confirmation. Bell smiled
wrinkly but kindly smile.
1--WE certainly don't" she said, and
picked UP her sewing.
Mrs Peake has thirteen children and
twenty-six grandchildren. but her sister
has no offspring. The family liz as long
lived as 1t Is persistent. their mother hav-
Ing lived TO be 1903 years old. They trace
their ancestry back to the witchcraft days
of Salem. DR.. Peake died eighteen years
ago and Billings sixteen years age.