Ladonia News May 9, 1924

 "Those Extraordinary Twins"
Those extraordinary twins, the subject of Mark Twain's book by that name, were characters of fiction. Ours are characters of facts, and while those of his story had some interesting characters over ours, ours have some over his. For instance, his had but two feet in common; ours have the usual number.. We started to write about Mrs Tom Pyle and Mrs Tom Reed. As a general thing, facts about the one will fit the facts about the other, so, as a way out of our dilemma we must resort to the art of the linotype operator. As he is a fractious young man of questionable temper and frequently shows the temperment peculiar to his profession we warn the reader [ whether gentle or wild ] that, unless this article is set up with the facts about Mrs Tom Pyle in the left hand column and those concerning Mrs Tom Reed in the right hand column, and those in common to both of them in the center, he has not followed our instructions. Now:
 

     PYLE:-                                                                                                  REED:-

                                        Mrs S. Elizabeth Pyle and Mrs M. J. Reed were born
                                        in Grayson County Texas, Feb. 28th 1857, and came with their
                                        father, the Reverend Mr. Miller, to Ladonia when twelve
                                        years of age, the school at Ladonia offering more advantages
                                        than did those at Sherman.
                                             When  fourteen years of age, they united with the Baptist
                                        church of Ladonia, and in point of service, are the oldest mem-
                                        bers of that church,  having been members for sixty-five years.
                                              As girls they dressed exactly alike, and were often mistak-
                                        en, one for the other.
                                              Following the war they accompanied their father to Jeff-
                                        erson, Texas, for supplies, and no trip of equal length at the
                                        present day, wether taken in an automobile at fifty miles per
                                        hour, or in an aeroplane at the rate of a hundred, can furnish
                                        the thrills enjoyed on that trip taken a la oxen. No eligible
                                        male twins being available, they chose husbands from diff-
                                        erent families, but they each married a young man named "Tom."
                                              When the time came for the wedding ceremony Mr. Tom
                                         Reed courteously said to Mr. Tom Pyle, "choose your wife.
                                         I'll take which-ever one is left."
                                             The ceremony was performed by their father, the Rev.
                                         Miller and their respective husbands became their individual
                                         property, as follows:
 

        Miss Elizabeth Miller be-                                              Mr. Reed was one of the
came Mrs. T.J. Pyle. Mr. Pyle                                       truly gallant men of the Con-
was a young man of marked                                           federacy, one of the earnest
musical talent, enjoyed more                                          fighters who believed in the
than local distinction as a sing-                                       cause he supported and who 
ing-master and musician in                                              never lost his belligerent atti-
earlier times. He was a Con-                                           tude toward the Yankees who
derate soldier who did not                                                invaded the southland.
know when to quit and fought 
in the last battle between the                                               His oldest son was named by
Yankees and Confederate reb-                                        him after the much admired
els. He died in Ladonia on                                                calvaryman, General Forrest.
September 6, 1923, mourned by                                       He died in Ladonia March
host of friends.                                                                   24, 1923
                                         Mrs. Pyle  and  Mrs. Reed
                                      have been separated only twice
                                      in their lives, and then only for
                                      a few months on each occasion.
                                      They are alike in taste, recrea-
                                      tion and of course, have had the
                                      same invironments.

   Mrs Pyle has four children;                                                Mrs. Reed had seven chil-
two living: Miss Elizabeth Pyle, 
the universally respected and                                            dren, the four living being; 
talented music teacher of La- 
donia, and M.M. Pyle, connect-                                         Forrest, John, and Miss Pansy
ed with the faculty of Stam- 
ford University, California.                                                 Reed Dallas, and Mr Paul Reed
                 

                     Both these ladies have always been devotees of the
                  home, recognizing home making not only a duty but a
                  pleasure. They are constant attendants at services at their
                  church, and while they read much on many subjects,
                  find the Bible to be to them what it has been to uncounted
                  thousands in the past, and what it will be to millions in the
                  future---the Book of Books.
                        Both of them raise flowers for pleasure and for what-
                  ever remuneration they may bring, and the raising of
                  flowers, which they contribute to so many worthy local
                  causes, is merely the reflection of the thoughts and deeds
                  and quietness of the useful lives they have spent among
                  their friends and neighbors at Ladonia.