UNKNOWN

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7701, 2 January 1905, Page 4

UNKNOWN

;> TWO BISTERS WHO ARE PHYSICALLY OXE. SIAMESE TWIN* RECALLED. (Daily Uail.) 1 There fcn« just arrived in Lon- , doa from Liege iha IHixos Rosa and Jiwefa Uhuek, *ha art*. no doubt, the iikkl cxtraoidinary «- ampins of human abnormality in mihtrlKe. | I'mUhly no physiological curiosity of c-|ual inturmt has Iwn seen , in this country since Eng nwj Chang, the StauM-sv Twins, vintid London in 1868 before settling down , in a Southern of America, where thy married two sisters, .who rmnvl healthy, normal families. The physical condition of the Misses Hlazek dilTers little from that of Ihe lote Siamese Twins. The bodies of the to tor were con- ' nccttd ix-«r the chest : in the case, of there young ladies the a-dhesun ociurs for Mine distance up the side, terminating slightly above the waist. Their heads were not : <iuito on a level. Joxefa being somewhat the taller of the two. Although . the girls of necessity spend \heir 1 lives side hy side, they cannot look into each other's faces. The most that is possible is a sidelong glance that Rosa is enabled to take of her sister. i I*hytiically their actions arc inter- I dependent, but mentally the girls have a separate existence. Nor do • their tastes, inclinations, or tern-1 peramenls coincide. Consequently,' they live in a state of constant compromise. The couple, if the plural be permissible—appear very bappy and contented, or. as liosa yesterday explained, "We arp wry much attached to each other in every respect." . FIRST VISIT TO LOKDOX, ' The sisters enjoy the usual com-1 piement of limbs. They walk with a sprightly, nimble movement, but of course, four feet are seen in opera- ! tion. and when the necessity, arises | for them to lift a heavy article four arms and hands arc extended for the ! purpose. | When a representative of the Itaily ' Mail was admitted to their rooms at the City Hotel, where they are | staying the girls were engaged in unpacking, and the spectacle' afforded by four arms attached to one | body lifting a heavy trunk was not only extmuely quaint, but demonstrated that the sisters are happily | in possession of vigorous health. Horn in Prague, the capital of i Bohemia, the twins are twvnty-six years .of age. They speak no 'language save their native Cxech. Mr j Vranz Hlazek, tlv father, is a successful farmer. Hn eldest daughter, *ho is quite normal, married some | years ago, and has now four children. Mr Rlazek has also a son, I seventeen years of age. ' Through Mrs B. Sherek, who act- ■ ed as interpreter, the remarkable ' twins explained tha» .this is their first visit to London. I "It is all very wonderful," said Rosa, and she slipped oil the chair in which both sisters had seate.i ' themselves, aod ran towank the win- ' dow to take another peep at the ceaseless stream of vehicles. Josef a. r who is much itie stouter of the two. I betrayed by her looks a reluctance ' to share the restless animation of the more enthusiastic twin ; but Rosa's is the dominating character, the stronger mind, and the sister -had perforce, if unwillingly-, to participate m her actions. XO INFLUENZA—XOH CHAMPAGNE. "I am always the vicitm," said Josefa, smiling. "Some time' ago Rosa had influenza, and I, although perfectly well, had to lie in bed for a whole weeli. And I received none of the champagne and other luxuries that were givon to nosa ! Night and day I hod to lie there, expect- ; i"g every moment to catch Rosa's influenza ; but, like the other things, L she kept it to herself." I "You have do cause to complain," j rejoined Hosa, laughing heartily in ' turn. "We used to eat exactly the Same amount -of food before I hod —" r Now I eat only half the quantity", but you take your usual I share and holf of mine as well." This discussion apparently reminded Josefa t-hat ste had left a box of chocolates in her music-case, and j the four legs beg&p 1 to trip along' towards the receptacle, into which I four hands tried plaj fully to delvo ' simultaneously. Itopa, however, se- j cured the prize, and shared the' dainties equally. ■ "We have only one taste in com- j mon," said Josefa, "and that is for sweets. In dress, for instance, we j quite disagree, though, of course, wc i have to wear the same gown. Three j days out of the seven we wear my favourite dress, and on the other four days -we don those which Rosa prefers. Rosa has the extra day, she is cleverer than I." -Then Rosa told a. story of how on a recent visit to Paris they took only one ticket for a railway journey. PLURAL OR" SINGULAR ? "Wc did not know whether the officials would regard us as one pas--senger or two passengers. So to • test the matter I took pne -ticket,. But the company evideßtVy decided . that we were two" persons, and they sued 'my better half'—as I call Josefa,-because she is the bigger of the two—for her fare. And the judge decided against her—or us t whichever you prefer. "I* this hotel also we rank as two persons, for the reason, I suppose, that although wc are only one body wc have two mouths." The movements of this human freak were strange to watch. Instinctively oaj brain seemed to appreciate the line of thought followed by the other. There was no hesitancy in the combined action. ""Occasionally," said Rosa, "when wc are in doubt as to what direction we really wish to take we stop and discuss the matter, thus settling it between us." | Rosa is credited with lieing the more intelligent half of- the whole, and exhibits a remarkably fine sense of humour. She related how they attended a Paris bttlf dressed as an angel. '"A queer angel," she added, r"with two heads !" --Before -bidding the visitor adieu, Rosa 2lnd Josefa cleverly performed a violin duet. H. Ilenri tiros has induced the twins to appear at the Metropolitan Music Hall, Hdpwarc Huad, on Nov, 28.