Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1884-11-20
HIS DOUBLE SELF.

81 could tell you," said the dappel
little doctor. "of the strangest thing il
my experience. How much longer is il
before that train will be due?'
An hour" replied one of the other
men, who stood with his back to the
stove contemplating his valise.
"We won't get in tonight" growled
the third. "rd like to change places
with any man that doesn't have tc
travel. Ughl how l hate itln
No, you wouldn't want to change
places" responded the doctor. "Heal
my story. No, thank you, 1 don't
smoke-or, rather, can't. Help your.
selves" and he sat down, stretching Out
his feet on the Stone hearth "Good
fire, anyhow. There are worse places :
be in than the comfortable waiting
room of a depot
Where's your 'story?' said the mai
Win the vallse.
Oh! do you want to hear it7 Well
then, | knew a man once. Met him at
country house where few of us wer
stopping for the summer. He was
queer sort Of Dick, ! thought; he wa
In love with the daughter of our hostess
a pretty girl of about twenty or SO
brown eyes and hair, altogether very lov
able. Didn't blame him for being il
love W th her. / think she returned it
too, but the man seemed to be ntterl
miserable.
"We were all sitting on the. piazz,
one evening, half dozen of us, Mis-.
Ada and her lover among the rest. I
was not more than s o'clock when m,
young man, whom | will call Reed. ex
cused himself and went into the house
not coming out again that night.
saw Miss Ada looked hurt, but
caught the hopeless expression on hi.
face as he turned to give her one look
before going in, and l felt that she ough
not to blame him for lie wing her. Som,
one asked him the next morning if b,
were sick, but he said No.
became quite interested in the mat
ter, especially as Miss Ada avoided hin
and he seemed so wretched about it.
Things became more complicated
when picnic was proposed and Reet
refused to go. l felt terribly sorry TO
the poor fellow, and made up my mind
one evening, when he again left us al
abruptly, to see if l could fathom the
difficulty.
q went to his room half an hour after
he had gone in, and knocked at the
uocr. No answer. l knocked again
still no answer. I turned the knot
softly. and went in; the light was burn
ing dimly, and he was lying on the bed
evidently sound asleep. put my hand
on him; he felt cold. Then turned ur
the light. He lay like one dead, or a.
II In trance. l shook him; he opened
MS eyes, but there was no intelligent ex.
preston in them, though he kept then
open for some time; he was like on,
whose soul had left the body, and left i
still alive. I gave him little brandy
he swallowed it, but did not seem to b
conscious of the act. sat by him tw,
hours.
cat the end of that time, with heay,
sigh, he turned over, and l saw he wa
himself again.
"'Whatare you doing hcrer he asked
sharply.
watching you, answered.
"'Weli,' said he, getting up, .wha
good has it done your
None, SO far, 1 replied. Reed
my dear fellow, l wish you would ex
plain it.
81 wish to God could I! said he.
You were asleep7"
"'Was Ig
"'Were your
I would like to think So
eff you were not. why didn't YOU
answer my knocka-unless you were ill.
I" i was aot here
'Was the man crazy7
"'Where were your said ], thinking
to humor him.
"'Oh. miles away, said he, wearil,
leaning his head on his hand. looked
at him closely, and saw that he had
grown thinner and paler in the last week
He leaned Back in his chair and closed
his eyes, as if intensely tired.
"Mr. Reed, said !, you are eithel
very unhappy. or likely to be very ILL
Which is it?'
s'He did not answer for some time
Then he said:
Doctor, I believe you are a good
fellow. 1t is out of the power OF any
human being to help me. but will tell
you my story II you care to hear it,