The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1900-10-19

some other slight differences from the
normal Norah-in the appearance Of the
eyes. the tone of the voice and the choice
of words. But as to these she cannot
speak very precisely after this lapse of
time.
The child slept until long after her usu-
al hour next morning. When she woke,
she had no knowledge of anything that
had happened since she went to sleep on
the beach. She was completely restored
to her normal condition. Mrs. 8. had
been in a state Of great distress. It was
not uncommon at that period for people
to regard phthisis as romantic and any
mental arrangement as disgraceful. Ger
tainly Mrs. 8. took the latter view. She
was rcjoiced to find the child restored to
herself, and she bound Miss Y. to say
nothing about the incident to anybody,
''lest people should bring It up against
her afterward." She considered that No
rah had been too much In the sun and
that this had ''nade her silly" for time.
Considering that the disappearance Of
the symptoms meant the disappearance
Of tile disease. she did not call In a doc.
tor.
Norah apparently completely regained
her health. She did not become an In.
FAINT prodigy. At the age Of IA, when
Miss Y. left her and she was placed In
the hands Of foreign eovernesses, she
seems to have been a fairly normal girl,
little emotional perhaps, but with no
tendencies to melancholy, fond of sport.
eager to see the world.
Eight years afterward Miss K. took the
post of companion to Norah. During the
interval she had once more become an or
phan. and she had inherited Mr.. SIS for
tune. which was not immense, but was
much greater than it had been supposed
he would leave behind him. 1t gave No
rah an income of about FL, 100 year
She came to London, where she hal
many friends. Some of these were anx
ious to have her live with them, but she
was fond of her independence. She
wrote to Miss x. with whom she had
kept up desutory correspondence. and
an arrangement was soon made between
them. They lived together in comfort
able house in Hampstead. Here also
Miss y. noticed nothing that could b.
called abnormal about Norah. She was
bright and energetic, fond Of pleasure
and particularly fond of &c ing new ex
periences.
Norah was at this time engaged to be
married to a distinguished orientalist and
traveller, a man about ten years older
than herself. to whom she was devoted
1t was arranged that after the marriage
Miss Y. was to act as her housekeeper.
Three days before the marriage was to
have taken place Norah committed sui
eide. poisoning herself with oXalic acid
1t is not n good suicide poison. because
the antidote is to he found ready at hand
in most houses. But Norah was not dis.
covered: she took the poison in a diluted
form and died in her sleep.
No motive of any kind could be found
for the act at the time. and the usual
verdict was returned.
BY her will she left to Miss X. an an
nuity and all her books and papers
Among the latter was a bundle Of penny
exercise books tied up with string and
marked Not TO be read until year aft
err my DEATH Rightly or wrongly, Miss
y. made no mention of these at the in
quest. 1t is from them that the brief
second part of Norah's history is here
written. l have not been permitted to
read the whole of these books as yet
Much of what have read I am not per
mitted to repeat here and of verbatim
quotation | can give very little.
These books are a revelation Of the
tragedy of Norah's FIFE. They are con
cernal principally with her second per-
spnality, Janet. and are net consecutive
long lapscs occurring Between the date:
of the different books.
There is no reference to the Lowestoft
incident in them. The first book is dated
when Norah was Is years old. The frs:
line begins: 81 was Janet in my sleep
last night. 1t is no good to pray any
more. One day she will come when am
awake. and everybody will know. an
they will shut me up somewhere and say
that | am mad"
That note of horror is repeated al
through the books. She makes misera
BILE little pathetic tests of her sanity and
can find nothing wrong but that onr
thing-that she feels that she may ut any
time lose her personality. that Janet mu>t
come back. She feels it disgrace tina
she is not like other people: she longs for
help and sympathy, yet not for worlds
would she speak of her trouble to a sin
gle soul.
She appears to have some means, never
indicated. of communicating with this
mysterious twin sister. She speaks of
telling her things and of exacting 81
promise from her that she will never
come Ddck except WueU ENOrdH Is diuue nv
night Then we hear no more of thes.'
conversations. which are reported in n
most matter Of fact way, and another
horror springs up. Janet means to ruin
her. She will never speak, but Norah
knows.
After that comes a period Of about n
year. during which there are no notes AT
ALL This period comedies with her resi-
dence in London and includes the few
months OF her engagement. Indeed II
may be doubted if Norah ever wrote in
the book again. for the next entry. which
is the last. is written in the looking glass
hand. I held it to a mirror and read:
"T have come back for a little while.
but tomorrow | shall come back to stay.
| shall take him away from You. Sister
Norah 1t is I that he will marry. |
wonder what you thought. For long
time
There the sentence breaks off abruptly
1t bears the date Of the day on which
Norah committed suicide.
As a case of double personality it is OK
plicahle doubtless on the theory Of ALSO
lutte Somnambuiism. but it suggests Other
questions less easy to answer. n clrvp
aovelist might he bile TO make something
If it. filling in the laeunn. or course. hp
would be using a motive that has bee:
used before; but. then. all the motives
nave been used before.-Chicago Times
Herald.