The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1879-05-15

IONS were 1alllnS DdCkE pIcClplldlel
through Winchester.
Sheridan dashed upon the scene, ant
his presence, like spell, checked the re
treat, and infused new courage into tn
disordered mass. Our battery reached
knoll TO the left of the pike, and unlim
bered in front of the timbered slope, OF
the brow of which the Confederates hat
posted heavy battery. The infantry lin'
ON our front was advancing splcndidly
and l saw the cleaning crest o
bayonets fall when the Orde
came for charge On the double quick.
Bright sunshine was streaming through
the open curtain, and seemed t.
have awakened me from my
prolonged slumbcr Slowly my scattered
senses gathered from dim unconscious
ness, and as thought assumed detinit,
form the scene of the battle field agar
flashed before me.
'.What of the charge?' inquired
anxiously, making desperate effort t(
rise. s.. ....-..a
The sharp unnatural tone of my OWL
voice startled me, and my strength was
couch.
''Do not try to walk now, Charley; you
will be strong very soon" 1t was tho
voice of my wife. In "A moment | realized
that 1 was home on the shore of the
northern lake. l glanced through the
window, and the waving branches associ-
atcd with my thoughts of the battle scene
were not there, but the snow lay heavily
ON the ground glistenin. in the sunshine
Many months had passed away-a blank
period in my existence.
As l recovered my strength and com
prehension learned the critical ordeal
had passed in surviving severe wound
that caused a fracture of the skull, and
necessitated the operation of trepanning
Still many more months elapsed before
and the people were rejoicing in the
restoration of peace. was rendered and
accepted the old position l had resigned
in response to the call of arms teacher of
mathematics in the academy of my native
town.
The routine of the position was famil-
lar enough, but close attention to its duties
shortly developed the fact that my nervous
system had not recovered from the severe
shock it had sustained, and my mental
powers We're impaired.
AS nearly as could define the effect
produced, the injury seemed to have inter
rupted the harmonious action of the brain,
and the right and left lobes apparel to
operate independently, and take separate
and distinct cognizance of emotions and
sensations conveyed by thc medium of the
senses. Every thought seemed to have
It's duplicate, necessary to complete i'm
preston. When studied single prob
lem, and the solution occurred immedi-
ately would follow the solution again, as
If emanating from a second mind acting
in conjunction, and always little slower
in its perceptions. This arrangement,
vexatious and confusing at first, continued
to increase as 1 devoted myself to mental
labor, until finally l was compelled to
abandon my position in the academy.
The necessity was indeed a hardship,
as it left me without the means of sus-
tenance. My brave and devoted wife bore
up nobly under the affliction, and insisted
that should indulge in the repose that
my critical position demanded Mean
time she turned the fine musical faculties
acquired in better days to good account,
and we continued to live comfortably for
a time on the proceeds of her labor
Comfortably, did l say? No, it grieved
me constantly to see her toll 81, arduous-
ly, with the double responsibility of
household cares. And | knew that her
assumed cheerfulness was the cover of
painful solicitudc she experienced on my
behalf.
This anxiety did not favorably effect
my arrangement. 1t grew more marked
and depressing. Vague fears haunted
me by day, and narrowed the long, sleep
less hours of night. The strange pcrccp-
ton of a double intellect became so far
defined that the senses were sympathetic
The sounds that reached my ear were re-
peated % if by echo; taste and touch
were ia. :iful and erratc, and at night
wierd, fantastic forms fitted before my
eyes, and real objects assumed the shape
of what they were not, and drove me to
the verge of delirium, while the effort
constantly cxerted to retain my reason
only the more prostrated the mental
powers.
Ultimately my malady reached stage
at which seemed to realize both physi-
cal and mental and double existence At
times could distinctly see the form and
features OF my second self, directly CON
fronting and gazing upon my more immed-
late self. And then my own voice ad-
dressed me and we conversed together
myself and second seIf-now condoing in
common misery, and then in tantaIizing
and horrible imprecations.
The terrible delusion became unbear-
able, and l felt that reason could not
much longer retain command of the dis
ordered facilities. 1t was night when
my mental agitation had reached high
degree. My wife had fallen asleep,
overcome with constant care and watch
ing. | was pacing the sitting room of
our chamber, about the hour of midnight,
as was my habit. Occasionally recIined
on sofa, in the hope Of catchin. slight
respite from the distress of nv terrible
haiIucination; but it was for moment
,nIy. -=-- ...a-.
lay down again on the sofa NV
orain seemed whirling in blaze of fire.
ind sprang up stricken with madness.
The horrible spectre stood before me with
fiendish grin cf derision. l grasped a
heavy piece of furniture and dashed at it
with the fury of "a maniac. The spectre
seemed palpable to the blow, and Welded
saw it vanish in darkness that spread
before me, and my tormenting second self
was gone. broke forth in frantic laugh
ter, that returned in hundred echoes
around Inc, and sank exhausted, uncon-
scious to the floor
The morning sun was shining in upou
me when | awoke to returning conscious
ness. A cool perspiration oozed from nv
forehead. rose on my elbow and, fo1
some moments, endeavorcd to recall nv
identity and the recollections of the night
Then horrible conviction came upon me,
Good heavens! It was my wife--the
reality Of the form l had dashed down
and destroyed in my frenzy!
Overwhelmed with remOrse. | rushed
wildly from the house and fled l knew
not whittier. The greater grief that had
come upon me re-animated nv mental