Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1902-07-16
MY OTHER SELF
iorisinal1

counterpart. the sAAHe haAts 49, teN
turcz-thls IL nothing. We see II hun
drcd times a day. But TO see oneself
independent OF reflection. making DIFF
fereut movements. going and coming.
sitting. standing, while We are Still
this Is terrible.
/ was sanding one morning in my
Office on the tenth Iicor 81 skyseraper
looking out % a window. remems
Der that had my hands In my pockets.
suddenly I was startled 20 see another
me standing in a window Of an oppo-
site building The figure was up one
story higher He had bis hands In Bis
pockets and wore glasses. | also wear
glasses. lie had his beard trimmed to
a point: 30 had I. His nose was trifie
bent 10 the left: so Is mine. The only
thing that was different was the cloth
ing.
MY FIRST emotion was surprise. my
second terror had been under trsat.
uaent for nervous troubles, but this
was several months before. Were my
sufferings about TO return under a new
formf Was this hsilueinationf Had
my brasa become affectedf l shrank
back from the window and into
chair. My partner saw that something
had affected me and asked what II
was. tried 20 speak. but could not
nriiculate. 50 I pointed 10 the window
opposite.
what Is itf' he asked. looking. II
see nothing unusual"
SummoniuE all my fortitude. looked
again. The figure had disappeared. |
explained nothing. but Immediately
went out. Calling cab. directed the
driver 60 take me Go my physician. I
recountcd what had occurred. and aft.
er endeayoring to rcassure me he gave
me quieting mixture and told me 10
fix my mind on my business.
It was some time before ! dared 10
20 the window again. but after going
there several times without seeing my
double made up my mind that I was
all right again and was beginning 10
cease thinking Of the matter when one
day walked 10 the window. and just
as reached Il my doabie reached his
own window. Our eyes met. Roth
started back. with wildly beating
heart. my counterpart with lock ~
nnutterablc surprise. ! hastily left the
office and the next day was on , steam
er bound for Southampton, England.
remained abroad two years.
would no, have returned even then had
| not received notice from my attorney
that I was needsd In the settlement Of
my fathers estate I had had trouble
from the FIRST. for my father and moth.
or had separated when ] was bus
year old. and this naturally led to COM
pllcations. had remained with my IA
ther. who, always understood. had
what there was to beQueath. Ny at
torney did not inform me ma 10 the ma.
ture Of this last complication. only In
tinaating that he needed my presence
ut once sailed for New York and
on arrival called at the Office OF Mr..
Hazeifoa who had summoned me.
That there was something Of lnpor-
lance ON his mind was evident He
looked me ali over as " he had never
seen me before. then stood. stlll look
ing at me. without saying anything
well. what Is iiY asked inpatient
~.
did you ever hear that your mother
left propcrtyT' he asked.
sSo."
''or that she had an Interest In your
fathers estateY"
mo. Ny mother died before my Ia
Their"
There is piece OF property which
we must sell before settling the estate.
II WAS owned Jointly by your father
and mother. At any rate. !, needs the
signature Of the heirs Of both
Very we'll Am | not the heir OF
boih?''
Come here tomorrow morning at o
o'clock. / shall want your signature
Explain"
Tomorrow at o O'Clock" be repeated
and went into his private offer.
At the appointed hour was at MIR.
Haxeiton's Office and was told 10 wait
In an anteroom. Presently the doar
opened. and / was ushcred into the
main room. AT the same moment a
door opposite me opened. and man
advanced into the room had entered.
Horror OF horrors. he was my double!
We stood looking at each other Ike
the two Dromios. he In wonder, Ia
terror
"oh. heavensE" | moaned. "It has
come back 10 mer'
Gentlemen" said Mr Hazelton. II
need the signature OF both Of you TO a
deed. You are twin brothers,
Twin brothers!' we exclaimed In
breath.
Yes. When your father and mother
separated. your father took one. your
mother the other. II was agreed be-
tween them that each child should be
kept in ignorance OF the other"
The relief-the finding OF brother,
twin brother. Of whose existence
Ind been In ignoranee-was q delight
that can only be understood hy exnerf.