Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1913-05-31
AN E|GHT.YEAR NAP
Blow on Head Causes Man to
Forget That He Was
Married.
BY X. M. EesERT.

wedding morning and he had nearly
sorgottenl There was just time to be
At the church in Brooklyn by half past
eleven.
II was to be a quiet wedding. Lucy
and he had loved each other for years
despite the objections OF her tatner'
one of the leaders Of the bar, VINO
wanted her to make brilliant mar
rage. But he had become reconciieo
at last and, with his backing, Drum
fields own law practice had improved
sufficiently to warrant his taking out
the wedding license.
Drumfield paused in irresolution, for
his mind was as hazy as though he
had oversight for five years instead Oh
one night. These were not his rooms
this was a hotel. A placard, announ-
cling that one ring would bring the
bell-boy and two the chambermalo
stood over the faucet. Above the
mantel was a notification that smok-
ing was not permitted and that the
management would not be RESPONSE
BILE for valuables unless left in the
safe. Drumfield's head was aching
badly. AS he passed the mirror he
caught sight Of his face. He had gone
to bed a young man and now his hair
was turning gray, and there were
lines in his face that had not been
there when he retired to bed.
Thoroughly alarmed, he dressed
himself and fastened down. At the
hotel desk a young clerk looked up
and smiled. Hurt your head?' ne
asked. Drumfield put up his hand
and found that his scalp was gashed.
II must have bled freely during the
night, to judge from the evidences.
Drumfeld muttered something and
walked away. At the stand he bought
a newspaper. The next moment he
was clutching at space and staring In
terror at the date on 1t. He had gone
to sleep in his rooms in August, 1905;
and he had awakened in a cheap hotel
in February, 1913. He had slept eight
years!
He then hurriedly took the subway
to Brooklyn. II seemed to him that
The subway had not run to Brooklyn
when he was last awake, but this was
only a minor problem now. He got
out at the Borough Hall and stood
looking round him uncertainty Want
cab?" asked a taxi driver. Drum
field put his hand into his pocket me-
chanically and found a pocket-book
containing a fve-dollar bill and two
OF the value OF dollar each. He
nodded and leaped in. Then. glanctng
into the side glass. he saw that his
head was swollen and that a mass OF
blood had matted his hair.
Five minutes later the cab stopped
opposite a deep excavation and the
altman descended and opened the
door.
Here's the church you asked for.
Boss" he said, pointing to the hole In
the ground.
Drumfield jumped out. What do
you meant" he shouted in bewilder-
ment.
you said the DeKalb Avenue
church." answered the driver with a
grin. 1T was pulled down two
months ago. | can't help it II you've
oversight yourself, Mister. Two dol
lars, please"
Drumfield flung him the two bills
and strobe away, while the driver
looked after him uncertainty. The guy
seemed crazy; perhaps he had escaped
from a sanitarium. Should he go aft
er him? His attention was attracted,
however, by fare. and reluctantly
he sacrificed a possibility to a proba-
bility. BY this time Drumfield was
lost in the crowd.
His mind was whirling. He knew
that Lucy would not have waited
seven years for him-besides, he could
not remember her address. or her
fathers. Who was he? Was he a ris-
ing young lawyer with a happy mar
riage before him, or crazy man? He
must go cautiously. He must not be
tray himself. In his pocket he found
key and the pocket-book, and inside
the latter a printed card bearing the
name Henry Patterson The name
seemed TO awaken vague remem-
brances in his mind and gave him his
clue The address was Nassau street
He would go to Patterson. But who
was Patterson?
Then the probable solution burst
upon him. He must be Patterson. He
had heard of cases of double person
ality, in which the afflicted subject as
sumed another name and carried on
his business without recollection OF his
previous life. until he awakened to
resume that where he had left II on.
He reached the building and was
shot up in the elevator for eleven
stories. Upon the door OF room at
the end OF the passage he saw his
name He opened It and entered. A
woman and a girl sat at two desks
and az he approached they looked up
al him curiously. The woman's face
was hard and devoid OF any express
sion. Drumfeld moved toward the In
ner door. and suddenly the woman