Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1907-03-27
Observation-Disclosures
My Literary Double.
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long illness | was OIuelSu "oiV"u ANA
change and while on my return trip |
in London bought some American mag |
ozines. What was my surprise to find |
in one of them a story signed by N.Y.
self. At least the name was mine. |
Then | remembered that there might
no others of my name, and l set about
oerusing the story to see if the author
was better man with the pen than l.
| am not a versatile writer, and my
stories are all in the same vein. In
deed. | consider that one element OF
nv success. When reader takes
fancy to my work he can get 1t again
and again. thus becoming more and
more attached to it. What was my
surprise TO sec in the story | read my
style. my method, my own personality
I wondered as | read on II one OF my
stories that had come back to me
when sent out at the beginning OF my
career and finally shelved had not fall
en- into some ones hands who mad dls-
honestly sold it. But finished 1t With
out recognizing scene in 1t from De-
ginning to end. 1t is needless TO say
that was puzzled-more than puzzled
| was seized with an uncanny ieelng
that | had n double somewhere Ill the
u.orId who WAS interfering with my
Identity.
On reaching America | went at once
4I,o a Cro zinc in which
I had seen the story and asked the ed
itor from whence it had come. lie tolu
mo that II had been received by mail,
in tvpewritten form, with my name at
tached. The manuscript was produced.
There was my signature. 1t was no
forgery. / knew the moment l looked
at IL that | had written 1t. l telt
buzzinc in my ears and came near
fainting.
was now sure that l was dual De
ing. My family insisted on my consult.
ing n specialist in nervous diseases OuI
knew that I was well and of sound
mind I had never been i'll in my lie
excent the once | have mentioned, anu
then. far from using a typewriter l
couldn't have used a pen. A few days
after my visit to the editor VINO toiu
mo that he had sent me check for the
story. if occurred to me to go 10 inc
bank and learn if the money nau oeen
drawn. 1t had not
Here was a further mystery. III my
double were writing stories, using our
/ common brains for the purpose he az
least had separate bank account l
manfred for this account at every DanR
in the city. but it was not to be found
7 was destined soon to receive an
other shock. One evening in calling lor
n certain magazine my wife made eX-
cusps for not producing it, and knew
at once that my double had been pup
fishing another story. insisted on nav,
ing the magazine brought forth and
found my suspicious to be correct IL
contained a story under my name Il
story | had never before read.
Upon inquiry found that 1t mao
been received but few weeks Delore
nv return to America, and cnecK
had been sent to my address Tor IT,
The check had not been drawn.
7 Mt once notified every magazine III
the country that if any stories OF mine
were in their possession l would be
obliged If they would let me know OF
the fact. Three magazines sent me
replies in the affirmative. Each had 9
story in my especial vein and duly
signed with a pen by me, the signature
being genuine. Two of them had sen
checks. The third had not
Since upon inquiry at the postot1c'
had learned that there were no let
ters there for me, | concluded that ID!
double had received those containing
the checks. But why had he not draw
the money? If he could use my BRAN
and sign my name to his creations NJ
could certainly indorse check. no
tilted the postmaster to hold any maj
for me at the office bearing the othcia
stamp of the magazine that mad no
sent me its check and to have any on
calling for a letter for me arrested
Then | asked the editor of the maya
zine in question to mail me its check.
The letter was received at the post
office and held instead Of being sent t
me by a pOstman. 1t was not calle
for. A month passed, and one morn
, ing | received an envelope inclosn
all the checks that had been sent on
for these mysterious stories. But n
note. no word of explanation, cam
with It,
was greatly relieved. My doubl
WAS an individual and an honest ont
He or |, one or both of us, scorned
fake money that had not been fairl
earned. But had he or | earned it, II
being honest. should / be dishones
? and draw the money for the checks?
One day l secured note written
q Moman's hand. The writer offere
= 70 explain the mystery of my double
| would guarantee not to prosecute hC
>. for any illegal act. | sent reply III
mediately agreeing to her terms, an
, the next morning the woman called q
- me. | at once recognized the nur'
: who had attended me during my Il
hess.
=, She confessed that when under III
= care | had insisted on debating to N
. and that she had conceived the idea
- selling the stories ! dictated. She hf
- them typewriter and gave them to II
=, to sign. After my departure she SCI
10 them out. but had no way of drawn
- the checks except by forgery fro
y. which she shrank.
6 No doctor has satisfactorily eXplai
= ed my condition of mind during IN
n unconscious literary work. 1t seen
- probable to me that was in ment
II condition to dictate the stories at sor
10 time during my illness, but that su
~ sequently | passed through peri
u which obliterated the remembrance
40 having done so.
- S. HUNTER HALSEY