Evening journal., 1908-12-28
A PSYCHOLOGICAL
INTRUSION


here in the beginning l must break
away from my subject to tell story.
Margaret May charmed me by what
l consider the higher traits She was
a sober girl Of an intellectual type,
with excellent principles and elevated
ideals. | am not n man to be pleased
with a gay, frolicsome gsl, however
kind hearted, however winning. 1t
was, therefore, natural that l should
yield to the characteristics Of Marga-
ret. We became engaged, and every
thing looked well for our future happi-
ness when my fancee began to show o
succession Of singular changes. One
evening when / went TO see her she
bounded into the room like a holden,
threw her arms about my neck, kissed
me several times in rapid succession
and, beginning with "You bad boy"
upbraided me for not having come
earlier. When l asked her for what
she had wished me. she said that cir
Gus had cOGc to town, and she was
dying" 20 attend that evenings per
formance. Astonished, asked her If
the next night would not do as well.
She .sa . it would not. and when
pressed her for n reason the only one
she could give was that she couldn't
wait
1t was altogether too late to go to the
circus that evening, so spent the rest
of it with her in the cozy library where
we had passed so many happy hours,
often taking book after book from the
shelves, rambling In them together and
calling each others attention TO favor
ite passages But, alas, there was nc
such enjoyment for US tonight. Mar
garet spoke Of the books as ''musty,
dusty things" in which she had no in
terest. and insisted in talking only
upon the most frivolous topics.
1t is needless to say that was not
only disappointed, but shocked. Could
this be my steady, well balanced, In.
tellectual Margaret? / was inclined
o doubt it. Could It be her twin sister
1 knew that she had no twin sister.
endured her prattle as long as l was
able; then, telling her that l had some
york to DO before going to bed, ]
use TO so.
And you will take me 10 the circus
lm0rr0w nighti" she asked. with a
OUT.
Certainly If you wish it." l replied
lpd When l could escape from an ex
/ lhcrapce OK cGrosses lett her.
That night and the next day ny
Drain was in a turmoil, l was like a
man who had lost bis love. l brooded
Instead of working till after Office
hours ana ia the evening called tn
| take Margaret to the circus. The
maid who received me at the door
went upstairs to announce me and. re
/ turning. told me that Miss May was
not feeling well and had gone to bed
There was no message Of disapppint-
ment at missing the performance MOI
at not seeing me. Indeed the maid
told me that she thought her mistres
had not expected me that evening
This would have been natural bad 4
not been for the engagement since
1t was an evening l seldom called.
The next Of my usual weekly visits
was Sunday, and / called, dreading e
again fad the holden. 1 was agree
ably disappointed. Margaret was bel
usual scit' except that she showel
sigus az oYer5.rsined nerves. Some
thus tola me t9 refrain from mention
ins heg singular personality when
had last seen hCr. TO wait and observe
Durlc tho yislt and The next t.,
visits sle WAS her own sweet self, bar
ring her al. "a health. Tlnally l re
ferred 20 her desire 10 visit the circus
She seemed surprised, mystihed anC
when / told her the whole story said
with a nervous tremor "Oh, shell
ruin meF'
"Was some one else than you witt
me that eveningT / asked.
"Yes-no. / was with you, but sh
: dominated me-" And she hurried ou
Of the room.
{ l was not admitted TO see Margare
? indeed, l did not care to see her;
was dissatisfaction a month. The
1 called on her What was my SUI
prise to find her a different perso
from either of the two l had knowI
From the moment we met shea talke
I Of women's rights, womens voting
women's superiority to men and fina
= ly told me that If l interfered with he
n any OF these objects to which sh
! roposed to devote her life we mus
> roceed by separate paths.
: left her maddened. Had l not bee
/. uzzled as well / would have broke
] Y engagement then and there. bJ
e .riosity prevented. Several month
5 lssed in which / continued to Wis
er, hoping that she would settle dow
ito her old personality resolutel.
yhen she was another l would tur
way from her; when she was my Ow
Iargaret / loved her still the sam
s the holden / found It possible
7 amused with her; as the "stron
! minded" woman / could not eDdul
= aer. was not able TO get the rel
Margaret to talk Of the other two, bl
from hints she dropped / inferred thi
/ she knew Of their existence, and 81
r hated them.
It One day 1 received n call from
l, psychical specialist. He informed n
s. that Margaret was under his car
e that two other personalities besid
her own appeared to inhabit her boo
= and at times dominated her. By ps
chic methods Of his own invention