“Girls in this city are divided into two classes—single-headed girls and double-headed ditto. The single-headed ones are certainly the most numerous, but the double-headed ones appear to be the most attractive. This is evident from the fact, that while we can see a single-headed girl almost any time, we have to pay in order to be introduced to the maid with the duplex cranium. We say ‘maid’ because the last double-headed girl we saw was not married. There was one man who courted her successfully, as he thought, for a time, but before popping the question he kissed one face first, and could never get the consent of the other head. She is now waiting till a two-headed man comes along, and is gay with hope.
“This duplex girl, however, must be in every way a desirable match. Though the assurance given that she eats with both heads may tell against her with parsimonious wooers, yet the fact that she buys dresses for one only must be an immense advantage. The same with her talking. The two-headed girl must be extremely circumspect, not only in her walk, but in her conversation. As she can never have a secret, she can have no opportunity to go around telling it. Neither will any one ever tell a secret to one head for fear that the other would split upon it.
“The fact of having two tongues should not militate against her, as, if she had only one, she would probably keep it going all the time, while, if she uses two, the one deadens the sound of the other. Whichever way we look at the two-headed girl we see her to advantage, though we don’t mean to say the least that should be understood to disparage a girl because she happens to be born with only one head.”
After an absence of eight years Christine Millie returned to her native land on October 1st, 1878. Her tour abroad was a continued ovation of success. She visited the principal cities and towns in England, France, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Hungary, Austria, Holland and Russia. At every point the young lady was commanded to appear before the nobility and rulers of these great countries. Kingly presents and valuable jewels were given as tokens of appreciation not only of her as a remarkable curiosity, but of her graceful bearing, her contented disposition and of her artistic musical abilities. Before she had landed, upon her arrival, a representative of the New York Herald greeted her, and the next morning that journal gave forth to the whole United States the return of one of its children, who had fully established herself to be the greatest curiosity of the greatest country in the world. Since her return she has exhibited to thousands in the cities of Boston, Philadelphia and New York. While in Philadelphia she again appeared before the professors and students of the Jefferson Medical College. Professor Pancoast for the second time examined her. A portion of his lecture is extracted from the Philadelphia Evening Telegraph.
This afternoon, at 1 o’clock, Millie and Christine were given a scientific examination by Professor W. H. Pancoast, at his clinic, at the Jefferson Medical College Hospital. The well-like room was crowded, and Professor Pancoast busy removing a cancer from a patient when the reporter arrived. During the operation Baron Littlefinger and Count Rosebud, two most intelligent dwarfs—perfect little men in figure—were present, and appeared interested spectators of the operation. In introducing Millie and Christine, the Professor said that he considered them the most interesting personages that have ever come under the notice of scientific men, far more interesting than the Siamese Twins. In the midst of his discourse the young ladies entered, clad in green silk on their two bodies, pretty little bronze boots on the four feet, white kids on their four hands. They moved forward like an expanded V, with a crab-like movement that was not ungraceful. Born back-to-back, the Professor explained that the natural desire of each to walk face forward had twisted them in their present position. Separate entities, separate individualities, each can pursue separate lines of thought and conversation independent of the other. From habit their appetites call for food and drink at the same time. All the ills of flesh are not, however, necessarily theirs in common. One may have the toothache and the other be free from any ache. But in the examination conducted to-day the Professor discovered a remarkable development of sensibility since his previous examination eight years ago. Touching them on any extreme of the body, on any foot for example, both in common were conscious of the touch. Christine has been and is now the larger and stronger of the two. As children they used to have little struggles and quarrels for supremacy, but, as they could not get away from each other, they early concluded that the best way to get along in their novel path through life was to yield to each other. Their present happiness and affection for each other is an example for couples who are yoked together in marital bonds. Sometimes Christine rolls over Millie in bed without awakening her. Both can sleep separately. They can stand and walk on their outside legs, but they prefer to walk on all fours. Millie cannot lift up Christine’s legs, or Christine Millie’s legs. Since the Hungarian sisters, there has been no similar case reported reaching adult life for 170 years. The bond of union between these, which is just above the bones of the spine, is chiefly cartilaginous, but the spines are so closely approximated that there is an osseous union between them. To the question by Professor Pancoast, whether either was engaged to be married, each denied the soft impeachment with decision, though the Professor explained that physically there are no serious objections to the marriage of Her or Them; but morally there was a most decided one. During the Professor’s lecture the Misses Christine Millie and Millie Christine appeared very much interested in the diagnosis of their singular condition, and evidenced their superior intelligence by their apt and ready answers.
While abroad Millie Christine made herself mistress of the French, German, Italian, and Spanish languages. Always industrious, she makes her entire wardrobe, even to her dresses, for exhibition purposes. She dresses herself without trouble. Having lived thus long together, they express no desire to be parted and hope to leave this world as they came into it—together.
Railway Correspondence
THE MISSOURI PACIFIC RAILWAY COMPANY,
St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern Railway Co.
and
Leased, Operated and Independent Lines.
August Sundholm, P. & T. A.
G. H. Richie, Guy E. Thompson, Ass’ts.
S. W. Cor. Markham & Louisiana Sts. & Union Depot.
Little Rock, Ark., February 19, 1899.