The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1909-04-05
A PSYCHOLOGICAL
INTRUSION.

No one, excepting the sick restored
to health, has reason to feel NOR
thankful for that wonderful advanc,
science has made within the last tel
or twenty years than 1. But righ
here IN the beginning l must breaI
away from my subject to tell a story.
Margaret May charmed me by what
consider the higher traits. She was
Il sober girl Of an intellectual type
with excellent principles and elevated
Ideals. | am not a man to be pleased
with a gay, frolicsome girl, however
Kind hearted, however winning. II
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 fiancee began to show a
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.
| upbrafded me for not having come
earlier. When / asked her for what
she had wished me, she said that a cir
Gus had come to town, and she was
dying to attend that evenings per
Tormance- Astonished, l asked her if
the next night would not do as well.
She said it would not, and when |
pressed her for a 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 1 spent the rest
OF it with her In the coy 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
lite passages. But, alas, there was no
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 1 was not
only disappointed, but shocked. Could
this be my steady, well balanced. in
telectual Margaret? / was inclined
TO doubt it. Gould it be her twin sister?
L knew that she had no twin sister. |
endured her prattle as long as l was
able; then, telling her that 1 had some
work to do before going to bed. /
rose to go.
And you will take me to the circus
tomorrow night?" she asked. with a
pout.
Certainly if you wish it," 1 replied
and when | could escape from an ex-
uberance of caresses left her.
That night and the next day nv
brain was in a turmoil. 1 was like q
man who had lost his love. l brooded
instead of working till after Office
hours and in the evening called to
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 Nav was
not feeling well and had gone to bed.
There was no message of disappoipt-
ment at missing the performance nor
at not seeing me. Indeed, the maid
told me that she thought her mistress
had not expected me that evening.
This would have been natural had 1t
not been for the engagement, since
It was an evening seldom called.
The next Of my usual weekly visits
was Sunday, and I called, dreading to
again find the holden. l was agree
ably disappointed. Margaret was her
usual self except that she showed
signs OF overstrained nerves. Some
thing told me to refrain from mention
ing her singular personality when I
had last seen her, to wait and observe
During the visit and the next two
visits she was her own sweet self. bar
ring her altered health. Finally l re
ferred to her desire to visit the circus.
She seemed surprised, mystified. and
when l told her the whole story said.
with a nervous tremor, ooh. she'll |
ruin mer'
WAS some one else than you with |
me that eyening?' 1 asked.
''Yes-no. 1 was with you. but she |
dominated me-" And she hurried out
of the room.
l was not admitted to see Margaret
indeed, l did not care to see her.sI |
was dissatisfaction q month. Then |
l called on her What was nv sur
prise to find her a different person /
from either of the two I had known. I
From the moment we met she talked
OF Women's rights, women's voting
superiority to men and final
y told me that If interfered with her
In any Of these objects to which she
proposed to devote her life we must
proceed by separate paths.
l left her maddened. Had not been
puzzled as well 1 would have broken
my engagement then and there. but
prevented Several months
passed in which 1 continued to visit
ler, hoping that she would settle down
INTO her old personality resolutely.
When she was another I would turn
away from her; when she was my own
Margaret I loved her still the same.
As the holden found 1t possible to
% amused with her; as the strong
minded" woman 1 could not endure
ler. l was not able to get the real
Margaret to talk of the other two, but
rom hints she dropped 1 inferred that
'he knew Of their existence, and she
lated them