The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1871-12-16
My Other Self.

II Ia 'tii h>f- Wei I'D Ctlal tfil-t i'Isl1c
aT ;lSylum-to speak of it to visitors.
and even to the inmates rs AN institu
ton built aud conducted for the hui
maine purpose Of holding in check Or
eradicatiag that worst of human nala-
dies. Insanity; Eut the ciose-!arresl
window through which the gray. an
ttinnal sunlight filters into the apart
! mel.ts in which | pen these words
the Stoise-fioo:ed corridor without. that
resounds to the footsteps OF ll-paid
Keepers u different story.
1t IS a prison. Not prison which,
in the sentence OF the law. wrought
into iron and granite. but ii place of
confinement. the walls and bars of
which are those worst of passions
avariee, hate, and peltidy petriiied.
| am here q prisoner. md devoid of
sp,se., a; a,tN. 30; gar snti1ipaie.tlle COM
| isig of 4 day When shall go forth free.
| Ny patsi,nony has passed into the pos
I session OF Brother Easil and he can
We'll afford to bribe those who call
| themselves medical attendants to keep
me safe AID fast.
Well, so be it; | have not found the
| world such an altogether delightful
| place tlEit L am inconsoiable at the
thought of separating from it for good.
| Here, at least, | have nothing worse
| than my own thoughts and solitude; ;
/ aud, besides, l lave one recollection
| that always keeps me jubilant. My
other self, diabolical double that
| internal thing that was neither shadow
| nor substaLce-or, rather. which was
both-is ior ever disposed of, AMI that
ont of the way, | can enjoy myself
| even here.
| Life commenced with me pleasantly
enough. NJ fither's death left a large
estate, to be divided equally between
Basil and myself. who were then
| almost ilsef,ar.lble. We had similar
/ tastes, followed the same literary and
artistic ptrss:!ts, and indulSed in the
t same descriptions OF dissipation COM
| mon to young men OF fortune; hut
| mine was 4 stronger constitution than
! his.
! Thea fortune gave an Indication that
! was her especial f;tvorite. An uncle
+: who had not set eyes on either OF usfor
i two and twenty years, died in town
| Of Java, where lie had immense pos
sessions; and it was found, when his
! papers came to be overilaulet by the
/ legal gentleman, that lad been re-
nsinbercd, and Basil forgotten.
1 i itiotts3 ii tiiiS lt1SkS W ihieA 4 cSCt1tisS
| the richest man III the county. | for
/ get TIE exact amount OF my wealth,
! AID the thought offigures confllses me.
| but it was something prodigious.
| People talked about it, and read par
! agr;aplls concerning myself iii the daily
F.! papers.
Sly brother profa,sed TO congratulate
me. ard warmly seconded my propo-
| sition to celebrate my good fortune by
a tremendous carouse, TO which all
otlr mutual friends and acluiintances
| should be hidden. The more thought
! over the idea. the better it pleased me;
and we spent a day i.f' filling up the
| blanks to printed invitations, that
were issued far and wide.
At the appointed time my guests
made their appearance. Tlf- great
| mansion was one glare OF light from
basement to attic,
| The last arrival came about mid
night, and in singular fashion. The
carriage i'll which he rode was an eS-
traore!inaf.. affair, consisting of close
box painted black, but relieved by al
ter,i;ite spots OF blue and crimson,
| mounted Oh pair of wheels at least
fifteen feet in diameter. in color blood
! red. The vehicle was drawn by Il
white horse, with black name and tail,
and a creature that looked as though
he might be cross between drome-
Diary and zebra. The driver, who oc-
cupied a sort of pulpit on the roof of
tie carriage, was Il gigantic negro,
with nose like the proboscis ofa tapir,
and one great eye, that glittered with
the dull red light OF a carbuncle. The
place where the other visual organ
should have been was covered by some
thing that looked like Il scollop shell.
which was held in its place by fillet
of red tape.
As this strange equipage drew up
before my door, the hideotls charioteer
seemed to apply his foot to an under
spring. Il door i'll the rear flew open,
a ladder of ropes rolled down, by
means of which a gentleman descend
ed. | stepped forward to bid him
welcome, although | could not remenl-
Der that there was any invited guest
yet to come, but stopped within pace
of him i'll utter bewilderment. lie
stood in the strong light of;t brilliant
lamp, which revealed every feature
perfectly, and saw that these were
the exact colnterparts of my own.
The man, the thing, the Ihantom-
whatever it was-smiled in 4 lalfine-
briated kind Of way, and extended an
ungloved hand, upon the fourth finger
of which cleaned a great sapphire.
Involuntarily held out my hand to
meet the proffered civility, and it clos
ed OH nothing; and, at the same mo-
nent the great negro with his carbun-
Gle eye shouted to his internal steed,
and dashed away into the darkness.
| was exceedingly perplexed. and
possibly a little startled-for every
sane person must admit that it is really
a very extraordinary thing to have a
substantial looking hand, with spark
ling sapphire Oh the finger, revolye
itself into mere space in ones grasp;
but the thing smiled cordially, although
with something of a drunken leer;
and concluded that, all things con-
sidered. it was better to speak to it.
am delighted to sec you,
Mfr