The Portland daily press., 1891-09-21
A VERY PECULIAR CASE,
[All.the Year Round.

session OF all their faculties, have vet nm
known to themselves or anybody else
the germs of some dire disease lurking
within them, / was totally ignorant that
there was anything the matter with me.
had never been i'll since boyhood, con-
sequently had never consulted doctor.
Whether, if had, he would have dis
covered my malady before did I know
not; but it is doubtful, seeing that it GER
tainly must be wholly unusual If not
unique case, at any rate the way ] found
it out for myself. This phase of it alone
appears so peculiar and incredible that I
conceive it must have opened new field
for speculation among the pathologists,
Psychologists, or whatever the special
ologists are who study these matters.
At the time it happened-thirty years
ago-I was bachelor, living in draw
ing room communicating by folding
doors with the bedroom behind it, not a
hundred miles from the Regent circus.
None of the furniture was my own save
one or two easy chairs, writing table
and a rather shabby, dilapidated old
bureau or escritoire-a relic of my great
grandfather's, l believe, and preserved
by me as representing pretty nearly all
the property ever inherited. 1t stood
in the darkest corner Of the sitting room,
though near one of the two long French
windows. Iseldom went to it, using its
numerous drawers, pigeonholes, etc.,
only as receptacles for old receipts, bills,
papers, and few old Accommodations of
no value which for some reason I did not
wish to destroy. The key to its circular
top had, with reprehensible carelessness
in such matters, mislaid for weeks. This
gave me no concern. I could look for 1t
when / wanted it-that was enough.
Other dodgers were In the house, which
was kept by retired butler and his wife,
who, with three servants, attended on
the inmates.
A young mans life in London, with
out being the least unsteady, frequently
involves him in late hours when he has
large circle Of acquaintance. It was
SO with me, especially during one par
ticular season. Operas, theaters, sup
pers and dances crowded SO thick and
fast upon each other that for nights to-
gether never had more than three or
four hours in bed-always having to be
up early. Then, by degrees, when !
could turn in in reasonable time ! could
not sleep, and on this account even the
thought Of long night in bed gradually
became terror to me. The fact is, my
nervous system was becoming thorough
ly unstrung, though at the time 1 did not
know what that meant; certainly never
thought of it as an illness, and equally
certain should have secuted any idea Of
seeking advice about it. I know better
now; bullet me not anticipate, only, 1t
should be added, that periodically had
some very voluminous and important
private correspondence to attend to. BY
that perversity which frequently seems
to regulate these affairs, this often fell
out when I was most busy in the day,
and when dinners and parties were most
numerous In the evening. Never choos-
ing to sacrifice pleasure for business, but
always striving to combine the two,
would go at my letters when I came
home, however lateor tired, if not sleepy.
Then, to screw myself up to the work, I
would tie a wet towel round my head,
stick pipe in my mouth and brew my
self cup of strong tea. Thus I often
wrote far into the night. AS matter
of course, after bout of this kind I
never went to sleep at all. ] rose unre-
freshed, feverish, nervous, irritable. A
cup of tea and slice Of toast were sub
stituted for the hearty breakfast of yore.
I could not eat until luncheon; only to-
ward evening did feel at all myself,
and so late hours became habitual.
In addition, another thing was worry
ing me greatly. For the last month or
more Ifelt convinced Twas being robbed.
l did not possess much jewelry, but I
was constantly missing certain little
trinkets and small articles. Among
others, silver matchbox, large croco-
die leather gold mounted cigar case, a
pair of gold sleeve links, small locket
containing some of my mothers and
fathers hair, a set of studs, pearl
breastpin and the like. Also pocket
letter or card case, which well knew
contained two 81 Scotch bank notes
unusual money, not easily forgotten. I
felt sure that, with every allowance for
careless habits, these and many other
similar objects had vanished In the most
unaccountable way. Search high and
low as I would, they were not to be
found anywhere in my rooms.
had lived there nearly two years
when this vexation began, and knew
not whom to suspect. 1t was horribly
awkward and most unpleasant. The
landlord and his wife bore unimpeach-
able characters, and could never have
looked either Of them in the face again
had / breathed the faintest suspicion of
their honesty. Three other men, two of
whom knew slightly, were lodging in
the house, as have said, but as to sus-
pecting them of this petty larceny the
idea was out the question. No, it must
be one of the servants. But which? One
of the three was lad Of sixteen. He
was newcomer, truly. The two women
were in the house when / took UP my
quarters there-respectable elderly par
ties"
did not know what to do for the best.
To lock up the rooms was impossible;
and even to do the same with all my
drawers, writing table, wardrobe, etc.,
now, after never having previously
turned key On anything, wUuid DO ~
once to cast slur on the establishment.
Besides, / never could tell exactly when
missed this or that article, because, as
repeat, my careless ways had often led
me to imagine that I had lost a thing
when had merely nnislaid it,
Presently the idea occurred to me that
| would set a trap. 1 left a small
sovereign purse in corner drawer of
the dressing table, whence I could de-
clare many trinkets and valuables had
been purloined; but there 1t remained. I
Shifted it-partially covered it with
other things as if by accident, or as if it
had been forgotten. Yet it was ALWAYS
forthcoming whenever I looked. I put
o solitary sovereign on a corner Of the
mantelpiece; the housemaid twice drew
my attention to the fact that the coin
was still lying there. No, nothing that
I ever placed as bait disappeared. The
depredations were confined to such OBJ
jects as I hadn't been thinking about I'M
til wanted them.
hesitated, as have said, to tell my
landlord; so Inow determined to consult
Scotland yard, for, during the sleepless
nights, which as the London season
waned grew longer, the subject assumed
far greater Importance than it did in the
day. 1t became an intolerable night
mare, and would sometimes get out of