Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-07-02
DAILY SHORT STORY
My Other Self.
IOriginaLl

dred times a day. But TO see oneself
Independent of reflection, making diff
fereht movements, going and coming.
sitting. standing, while we are still
this is terrible.
l was standing one morning in my
office ON the tenth floor of Il skyscrapcr
looking out of n window. l remem-
Der that l had my hands in my pockets.
Suddenly l was startled TO see another
me standing in window of an Oppo-
site building. The figure was up one
Story higher. He had his hands in his
pockets ana wore glasses; also wear
| glasses. He had his beard trimmed to
n point; 50 had |. His nose was Il trifie
bent to 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 treat
ment for nervous troubles, but this
was several months before. Were my
sufferings about 10 return under new
form? Was this hallucination? Had
my brain become affected? 1 shrank
back from the window and into a
chair. My partner saw that something
had affected me and asked what it
was. [ tried 10 speak, but could not
articulate, so l pointed to the window
opposite.
what is it," he asked, looking. "I
see nothing unusual"
Summoning all my fortitude. looked
again. The figure had disappeared. l
explained nothing. but Immediately
went out. Calling Il cab, / directed the
driver 10 take me to my physician. l
recounted what had occurred, and aft
er cndenvoring TO reassure me he gave
me Il quieting mixture and told me TO
fix my mind on my business.
Ii was some time before / dared go
TO the window again, but after going
there several times without seeing my
double l made up my mind that / was
all right again and was beginning TO
cease thinking of the matter when one
day | walked to the window, and just
as | reached il my double reached his
own window. Our eyes met Both
started back. | With Il wildly beating
heart. my counterpart with a look Of
unutterable surprise. l hastily left the
office and the next day was on n steam
or bound for southampton, England.
l remained abroad two years. l
would not have returned even then had
l not received notice from my attorney
that was needed in the settlement of
my fathers estate. | had had trouble
from the first. for my father and meth
or had separated when | was but
year old, and this naturally led 10 com
plications. l had remained with my IA
ther. who. l always understood. had
what there was To bequcath. My at
torney did not inform me as TO the ma
ture of this last complication, only in
timating that he needed my presence
ut once. l sailed for New York and
on arrival called ut the office of Mr..
Hazelton, who had summoned me.
That there was something of impor-
lance on his mind was evident. He
looked me all over as if he had never
seen me before. then stood, still look
ing at me. without saying anything.
We'll, what is it?' asked impatient
ly.
did you ever hear that your mother
left property" he asked.
mo"
cor that she had an interest in your
fathers estatcE"
"No. My mother died before my IA
Their"
There is n piece of property which
we must sell before settling the estate.
1t was owned Jointly by your father
and mother. At any rate, ii needs the
signature of the heirs of both
Very well. Am l not the heir Of
both?'
Come here tomorrow morning at o
o'clock. shall want your signature
Explain"
Tomorrow ut o O'clock" he repeated
and went into his private office.
At the appointed hour 1 was at MIR.
HazeItons office and was told TO wait
in an anterOom. Presently the door
opened. and l was ushered into the
main room. At the same moment
door opposite me opened. and n man
advanced into the room / had entered.
Horror of horrors. he was my double,
We stood looking at each other like
the two DrOmios, he in wonder, L in
terror.
"Oh. heavensr 1 moaned. "It has
come back to me-
Gentlemen, said Mr.. Hazelton, ct
need the signature of both of you to a
deed. You are twin brothers."
Twin brothers, we exclaimed in n
breath.
Eyes. When your father and mother
your father took one, your
mother the other. 1t was agreed be
tween them that each child should be
kept in ignorance of the other"
The relicf-the finding of brother.
n twin brother. OF whose existence L
had been i'm ignorance-was delight
that can only he understood by expert
ence 1t did not require that we should
have been brought up together to feel
that strong mutual drawing always to
be found in children of n single birth.
We advanced. embraced and cried ST.