Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1893-01-12
CHAPTER I.

warn those who only love what Is full OF
cheer and brightness that 1t may sadden
and repel them. 1t may indeed horrify
some, for 1t deals with the darkness OF
@ strange and awful destiny, But at
the same time have deemed 1t story
worth the telling, since 1t Is filed, after
all, with the tragedy Of great II 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-
ple OF good bourgeois standing; my
fathers luck and thrift were almost
proverblal. 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 o
liRature 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
/. He was called, l may here state,
Conrad, and Victor was the name given
tOmyself.
Our birth created wild wonder, and
for days people fiocked to see us. My
father neither forbade nor allowed us to
be seen. An old relative kind Of
aunt long since dead, showed US, l be-
heve, 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 I, Id he lavlshed on us the
strongest paternal love.
Meanwhile we had received the best
Of care from dear, kindly old Hedwlg,
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 q manner apart from me, and
yet most intimately akin. They used to
say that my nature was rather doml-
neering one. But | was in every way
the stronger and larger, 80 that | per-
haps began at q tender age to assert my
superior mental and physical traits. AS
little boys we were sometimes taken to
walk, and l well recall how people
would flock starlngly about lis, and how
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 number Of them
offered my father large sums for the
right to exhibit US as rare physiolog
ical marvel.
My fathers health began to weaken
when we had reached our eighth or
ninth year, and the failure OF Vienna
banking house, to which he had in
trusted the major portion OF his savings,
no doubted helped to lnhict upon him q
severe paralytic disorder. From this 1t
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 &C.
Cason except In ono most solemn and
fateful instance) to alter the verdict
reused by that first pleasant impression.
He was still young when he came to
US, being widower OF about six.and
twenty, with little daughter, Linda,
whom he had placed at boarding.
school in his native Berlin. l suppose
one would not precisely have called him
gentleman, though have always held
him to be far above many who would be
amazed II 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 stated and con-
tinuous percentage on all public shows
In which we might be concorned2
Ny father, ill and needing money,
consented. l never regretted his G n
sent, though at first I rebelled against
it. Perhaps l would have rebelled more
than l dil If Conrad had cried and pro-
tested less. But l deemed it my duty
to resent contumacy of any sort on my
brothers. lrt, dearly as loved him.
By this Hne 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. / soon became
aware that the influence which exerted
over him was Of q strangely forceful
kind. l suppose it was what would
nowadays be called hypnotism Weird
as it may seem, discovered that by the
exertion of little concentrated will
power l could throw him into a 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 whJ had examined US when
Ii tie boys had nearly all agreed that
any operation performed upon US in the
way Of cutting us ap TT would certainly
result In Conrads death, while 1t might
fearfully imperll my own life, even il
the worst did not result.
Oscar Shreiner might have proved
stern Gust dian. AS it fortunately hap
pened, he was the gentlest and klndest;
we were taken by him to many differ
emit parts of Europe, but treate always
with the tenderest care. shall never
forget my delight on first m citing his
daughter in Berlin By this time we
had learned Of our fathers sudden and
painless oeath at no ne. Linda's deli
nntn .rnnnnthv enftl nod for mYself Mt