Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1912-03-16
HAUNTED BY
COUNTERPART
An Apparent Mystery That
Was Simply Explained.

different movements. going and com,
Ing, sitting, standing, while we are still
this Is terrible.
was standing one morning In my
office on the tenth floor OF a skyscrapet
looking out of window. / remember
that l had my hands in my pockets
Suddenly was startled to see another
me standing In a window of an oppo.
site building. The figure was up one
story higher He had his hands in his
pockets and wore glasses. l also wear
glasses. He had his beard trimmed to
point; so had l. His nose was trife
bent to the left; so is mine.
My first emotion was surprise, my
second terror. | had been under treat
ment for nervous troubles. but this
was several months before Were my
sulferings about to return under a new
form? Was this hallucination? Had
my brain become affected? shrank
back from the window and into
chair.
Summoning all my fortitude, looked \
again. The figure had disappeared | /
explained nothing, but Immediately
went out, Calling a cab. | directed the
driver TO take me TO my physician. [
recounted what had occurred. and aft
err endeavoring to reassure me he gave
me quieting mixture and told me TO
fix my mind on my business.
1t was some time before dared so
to the window again. but after going
there several times without seeing my
double made up my mind that ! was \
all right again and wds beginning TO
cease thinking of the matter when one
day | walked to the window and just
as reached 1t my double reached his \
own window. Our eyes met. Both
started back. I with wildly beating y
heart, my counterpart with u look of \
unutterable surprise. hastily left the E
Office and the next day was on q steam
err bound for Southampton. England.
remained abroad two years. | II
would not have returned even then had
not received notice from my attorney
that, was needed in the settlement Of
my fathers estate. l had had trouble \
from the first. for my father and moth B
er had separated when was but
year old. and this naturally led to COM
plications. had remained with my IA &
Their, who. | always understood. had
what there was to bequeath. My at
torneys did not inform me as to the ma
ture of this last complication. only in
timating that he needed my presence
at once sailed for New York and n
on arrival called at the Office of Mr.. /
Hazleton. who had summoned me.
That there was something of impor.
lance on his mind was evident. He
an hn hod
seen me before. then stood. still look
ing at me. without saying anything.
"Well. what is it?" | asked. =
"Did you ever hear that your mother \
left property" he asked.
mo"
"Or that she had an interest in your
fathers estateT
NO My mother died before my IA
Their"
"There is piece of property which n
we must sell before settling the estate.
1t was owned Jointly by your father
and mother. At any rate, it needs the
signature Of the heirs of BOTH"
every well. Am not the heir Of
both?" ~t
"Come here tomorrow morning at 8
o'clock. / shall want your signature"
Explain
Tomorrow at 0 O'clock" he repeat X
ed and went into his private office.
At the appointed hour l was at Mr.
Hazelton's Office and was told to wait n
In an anteroom. Presently the door
opened. and i was, ushered into the
main room. At the same moment
door opposite me opened. and a man
advanced into the room had entered
Horror of horrors. he was my dou-
BILE!
We stood looking at each other like
the two Dromios, he In wonder, In X
terror.
"oh. heavens!y moaned- ut has
come back to .mey'
"Gentlemen.r said Mr.. Hazelton, Il
need the signature of both of you to a
deed You are twin brothers."
Twin brothers, we exclaimed In M
breath.
Eyes. When your father and mother \.
separated your father took one. your
mother the other. 1t was agreed be-
tween them that each child should be N
kept In ignorance of the other"
The relief-the finding of brother,
a twin brother, Of whose existence l
had been In ignorance-was delight
that can only be understood by expe-
rience. 1t did not require that we
should have been brought up together
to feel that strong mutual drawing
always to be found In childreniof
single birth. We advanced. embraced
and cried simultaneously:
"You are?'
"Max"satAss s
Mark"
5 I was Max, and he was Mark. No
twins ever more clearly resembled
each other. and Mr.. Hazelton. with IN
lawyers Instinct. seized a pen and
our respective names on our
cuffs to preserve the. Identity of each. X
My brother on seeing me at my win
dow had been similarly affected as |.
Even the pleasure Mt findlng one an
other has not to this day oblterated
from either the horror of encountering
A double.
80 7 ---- n.
Wild birds in the vicinity of W