The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1890-03-29

l 0AAAA AhVOO GAC VA1OA6A AANsN~ AAS' -
taken drink in my life. 1t passe(
belief that could have entered tn,
office and bought 100000 worth o
land, and that when | was abso
lutely out of my reason. l coule
not possibly recall anything con
nected with it. l again grew alarm
ed. If I could unconsciously make
such a good investment | nigh
have done something foolish on {
larger scale.
II inquired the time when I en-
tered his Office and when I left there
His answer showed that | hac
gone there direct after leaving my
friend. But what did I do after
ward? / would find out at any cost
II asked him if he did not. per.
ceive by my manner that | was
drunk, and he laughed.
"You were as sober then as you
are now. You don't get drunk,
he added. Now I come to think
of it, you did speak somewhat slow
ly, but that | ascribed to the i'm
portance of the transaction
DO you tell me that my man
ner was in no sense strange? Did
i not reel or stagger?
II assure you l saw nothing
strange. would have sworn you
were perfectly sober, and it demands
your most positive assurance to the
contrary to make me believe it,
said he. I most assuredly would
have postponed the transaction had
l thought you were drunk
Leaving him l went back to the
hotel and found the clerk who was
on duty when entered the hotel.
He knew the precise time I.entered,
and it was clear that I had gone
from the broker directly there. He
was incredulous when | told him |
had no recollection of seeing him, or
in fact Of entering the house. He as
sured me that | had asked him sew
eral questions in the most coherent
manner, and that when | asked for
my room-key | told him | was 60
ing to my room to take nap, and
that if any one called to tell him
that | would see him.
II was once upon jury at the
trial of man for an atrocious MUIR
der. On the gallows he protested
that, while he must believe he COM
mitted the crime, since the witnesses
confirmed it, yet, in the face of death
and in the consciousness that in a
few moments he must be in the
presence of his Makir, he protested
he knew nothing whatever Of the
occurrence. The murdered man
was his friend, and instead of doing
him an injury, he would have done
him any favor be could ask. The
criminal had not sought executive
clemency; he refused to have his
case appealed. He told his lawyers
fatty that having killed his friend
he would pay the penalty; that it
was just and right. AS l say, he
died protesting that he knew moth
ing of the crime | sneered at his
statement. l could not believe it
possible, and | congratulated my
self that | had been member of
the jury whose verdict had rid the
world of a monster.
''It is different now. In my own
experience I have walked about,
have purchased a valuable tract of
land, found my way to my hotel,
undressed and retired, and all of
this when | was in such condition
of mind that no impression is left
of the occurrence. | have the most
positive proof Of the facts. I could
not doubt them. The experience
is a strange one, and l do not blame
any one for not believing it. l
know that until it came to me no
one could have persuaded me of its
possibility. Some German philos-
ophers speak of an alter ego-the
other self. Twenty centuries ago
people held to demoniacal posses
sion of men. / don't know how to
explain the phenomenon. 1t is a
CHASTITY, hideous fact, and one that
terrorizes me when | think of it. |
might have been run over, knocked
down, robbed. or / might have i'm
bued my hand in the blood of fell
bowman. And this is why | refused
to join in a drink. Never again
will l tempt fate in that way
Chicago Herald.