Evening journal., 1912-07-31
MY OTHER
SELF
BY DONALD cHAMBERLN

My wife had commissioned me to call
at Hyde's for her jewels that had been
left there for resetting and other alter
atlons and bring them to her when /
should leave the city TO join her at ouf
country place. Passing Hyde's a few
days before was ready to start.
thought Of the jewels. called for them
and took them home. There is no safe
In my house. and l was at a loss what
to do with them until my departure.
My wife has a woman who has been
with her a great many years. She was
and is her ."maid," but II she is to be
called by such a name now she is sure
ly an "oid maid" ! am very careless.
and l knew that my wife placed i'm
plicit trust in Phoebe. l therefore
gave her the jewels and told her to
take care Of them until / called for
them.
The next day, returning from my Of
fce, as was my custom. about half an
hour before dinner on passing the din
ing room I saw that dinner was al
ready served and a man was sitting at
my place at the table. Then received
the shock Of my life. He turned his
face toward me. and saw Great
heavens! i saw myself
had no more doubt that l had re-
ceived one OF those brain shocks the
doctors call amnesia or some more un-
pronouncable name than that am
telling you this story. clutched at
the wall for support. My legs were
giving way beneath me. Then, fear
ing to faint, grasped at consciousness
and succeeded in holding on to 1t.
THAT | which was sitting I'm the
chair looking at me-was dressed ex-
actly the same as the | standing In the
hall. The most remarkable thing about
the matter was that he seemed as
much stricken with surprise and terror
as l. He trembled like a leaf. My
colored butler Joe, who was carrying
out a dish to the kitchen, turned, stop
ped short and stared at both me and
my other self. Phoebe, who was up
stairs, hearing the front door open and
shut, came to the landing and, seeing
that l had Just entered the house, ran
down to the lower hall where l was
standing. exclaiming:
For heavens sake! I thought you
were in the dining ROOM"
My double. sitting at table with a
small cup Of coffee before him, indi-
eating that he was at the end Of his
dinner. spoke first and to Phoebe.
do you see anything stranger he
asked.
Phoebe was too agitated TO reply.
She stood looking from one to the
other
"rel me. quick" continued the
speaker have / gone stark, staring
mad? Tell me that you see myself
standing there shiverlng. just as | am
doing"
81 see you bothr' she gasped.
"where did you come FROM man
agee 20 ask my double.
"where did you come fromT
THE Office"
81 have been at the office all day TIL
I came here"
"What officer
mine: 3s Harrison street"
Oh. heavensl That was my Office.
had left it only twenty minutes be-
fore
zoe" I said to the butler. "am
myself or is that man myselfT
There was smash. Joe, whose
eyes were as big as saucers. dropped
the dish on the floor and ran out OF
the room without a word
Phoebe" said my double. tell me
whether / am the master of this
house or that lie could set no fur
ther.
81 don't know" said Phoebe. as
much agitated as any one Of us.
Don't knowr' cried the man at the
table. rising. Ring up a doctor.
shall go mad. No: I can't stand this
cart wait. must know the worst
at onceg'
Dashing past me. he seized his hat
that was hanging in the hall. and IN
another moment the door was slammed
behind him. went into the dining
room. sank into a chair and asked
Phoebe to hand me a stimulant from
the sideboard. It put me In better con
/ dition.
"Now. Phoebe. tell me what yor
know about this"
IAN l know. sir. is that an hour agC
you'll mean him-came home and SAID
he must have dinner at once. as he wa'
going away. He told me to bring hin
,ll the valuables and he would pu
them in the bank. | got the jewels
THE jewesT
ayes. sir. gave them to him and"-
A light began 70 break through my
stupid skull Rushing 70 the telephone
I called the police and told them tina
had been victimized by some one
who looked exactly like me.
Five minutes had not elapsed be
tween the mans departure and th'
police getting after him. A patro
wagon dashed up TO my house. The'