Round Box

[Bid on this Significant Object, with story by Tim Carvell, here.]

On December 17, 1948, the Humboldt twins entered the world, Jerome screaming, Luke laughing. This pattern held. Jerome grew up to be as petulant, difficult and miserable as Luke was cheery, optimistic and polite.

Their father, Max, owned the Humboldt Tiny Decorative Box Corp., the main employer in Osipee, New Hampshire. He grew to hope Luke might one day take over the business. After all, Luke loved crafts — at the age of nine, ...