The Globe-republican., 1893-01-13
CHAPTER 1.

CHAPTER I.
This is story of much sorrow, and 1
warn those who only love what is full OF
cheer and brightness that it may sadden
and repel them. It may indeed horrify
some, for it deals with the darkness Of
q strange and awful destiny. But at
the same time have deemed it a story
worth the telling, since it is filled, after
all, with the tragedy Of great if unique
human passion.
We were born in a lovely village Of
the Austrian Tyrol, whose name l will
not here record. Our parents were peo-
pie of good bourgeois standing; my
fathers luck and thrift were almost
proverbial For years he had desired
children, and at last we came.
My mother suffered agony at our
birth, and afterward, when we were
shown her, it is said that the shock
caused her death. For We were not as
other children, but bound together by
ligature of flesh. Otherwise we were
two boys formed in perfectly normal
way. My brother was, however. at all
times far less healthy and vigorous than
l. He was called, l may here state,
Conrad, and Victor was the name given
tomyse]f.
Our brit, created wild wonder, and
for days people focked to see us. My
father neither forbade nor allowed US to
be seen. An old relative, kind of
aunt long since dead, showed us, I be-
lieve, to the gaping crowds. AS for my
father, he was Frustrated with grief at
the death of his wife and the curse of
what he held hideOus and monstrous
prodigy.
But after awhile all such feeling
changed with him. He became not only
used to us but fond OF us. The next
step was easily taken, and before we
were years Id he lavished on US the
strongest paternal love.
Meanwhile we had received the best
of care from dear, kindly old Hedwig,
and had been nursed through an illness
which threatened to end our infantile
lives. My early recollections are solely
those Of being very happy. Conrad
seemed in a manner apart from me, and
yet most intimately akin. They used to
say that my nature was a rather domi-
neering one. But / was in every way
the stronger and larger. SO that l per.
haps began at tender age to assert my
superior mental and physical traits. AS
little boys we were sometimes taken to
walk, and 1 well recall how people
would flock staringly about Us, and how
l somewhat keenly enjoyed the vague
celebrity that surrounded us.
We were constantly visited by men
OF medical and surgical repute from
various European cities and towns.
Showmen and adventures came, too,
and these Tor at least a number of them
offered my father large sums for the
right to exhibit us as a rare phySiolog-
ical marvel.
My fathers health began to weaken
when We had reached our eighth or
ninth year, and the failure OF a Vienna
banking house, to which he had in
trusted the major portion of his savings,
no doubted helped to inflict upon him a
severe paralytic disorder. From this it
soon became apparent that he could
never quite rally; but while his partial
recovery had begun to encourage He'd
wig and ourselves, We were sought out
by man named Oscar Schreiner.
This man from the hour when first laid
eyes upon him, struck me as the most
completely kind and gentle being whom
had yet beheld. have never had oc-
cason except in one most solemn and
Hateful instance) to alter the verdict
reused by that first pleasant impression.
He was still young when he came to
US. being q widower OF about six-and
twenty, with a little daughter. Linda.
whom he had placed at boarding
school in his native Berlin. l suppose
one would not precisely have called him
q gentleman, though l have always held
him to be far above many who would be
amazed If you denied them the title.
Oscar Schreiner certainly possessed
education, and combined with that
high and sure sense OF honor.
He wanted to make money, and
frankly told my father that this was his
present ruling aim. He was wholly can
did and sincere In his dealings. Would
my father give us to him for certain
time, and permit him to manage our ex-
hibition wherever he chose. receiving by
terms of contract a stated and con-
tinuous percentage on all public shows
in which We might be concerned?
My father. ill and needing money,
consented. / never regretted his n
sent. though at first 1 rebelled against
it. Perhaps would have rebelled more
than 1 dia if Conrad had cried and pro-
tested less. But / deemed it my duty
to resent contumacy Of any sort on my
brothers part, dearly as loved him.
By this Hme my influence over him
was potent in the extreme. He was
devotedly fond Of me, looked upon me
as guiding spirit, and faithfully fol-
lowed all my counsels. I soon became
aware that the influence which / exerted
over him was Of . strangely forceful
kind. l suppose it was what would
nowadays be called hypnotism Weird
rs it may seem. discovered that by the
exertion of a little concentrated will
power l could throw him into q sleep
and afterward awake him at pleasure
almost at pleasure. that is. though not
quite, and not always: The bond Of
flesh extended from my right side. while
it met his just over the aOrta. The
physicians VIII had examined US when
Ii tie boys had nearly all agreed that
any operation performed upon us In the
way OF cutting US up It would certainly
result in Conrad's death. while It might
fearfully imperil my own life, even II
the worst did not result.
oscar Shreiner might have proved
stern Gust dian. As It fortunately hap
pened, he Was the gentlest and kindest:
We were taken BY him to many differ
emit parts Of Europe. but treateI always