Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-01-23


ment. Also, becoming very dignified after
the overcoat incident, and making an exit
which should conceal his wild exultatlon and
show only polite pleasure he stumbled over
Micky, so that they finally departed to series
of staccato yelps.
On Wednesday morning, David was In an
office in the city.
Across from him. barricaded behind great
mahogany desk, sat small man with Keen
eyes and neat brown beard.
The small man answering question.
Rather on the contrary, should say. The
stronger the character, the greater the
smash.
David pondered this.
GIVE read all you've written on the sub
ject," he said finally.
The psycho-analyst put his f1ngertlps To-
gether judicially.
'You have said, I think that every man
has breaking point" 7@
absolutely. All of us. We can go Just
! so far. When the balance is strong and very
sound we can go farther than when it is not.
Some men, for instance, lead lives that would
break you or me. Was there-was there such
history in this case?"
yes" Doctor David's voice was reluc@
tant. no7
"The mind is a strange thing" went on
the little man, musingly. sit has its censors,
that go off duty during sleep. Our sternest
and often unconscious repress1ons pass them
then, and emerge in the form of dreams. But
of course you know all that Dream symbol
ISM Does the person in this case dream541
That would be interesting, perhaps, 1mpor-o
| tant."
81 don't know" David said unhappily.
1.-THE walling off, you say, followed g
shock?"
Shock and serious Illness" -7f
tWas there fear with the shock?" stllA
David hesitated. Yes he said, finallys
every great fear, I believe" $500
Doctor Lauler glanced quickly at David
| and then looked away. 49,,
IT see, he nodded. "Of course, the wall
ing off of a part of the past-you said
| part"
practically. I'll tell you about that later.
What about the walling Off" aerv
cit is the result Of what we call the pros 4
tective mechanism of fear. Back OF most OF
these cases lies fear. Not cowardtce, butS
perhaps we might say, the breaking point
Fear is complex, of course. Dislike, in
small way. has the same reaction. We are
apt to forget the names of persons we dis
like. But if you have been reading on the
subject
"Ive been studying 1t for ten years" eg
''Ten years! Do you mean that this condf
| tion has persisted for ten years?"
David moistened his dry lips eyes," he
! admitted. "It might not have done so, but
| the-the person who made this experiment.
used suggestion. The patient was very i'll,
and weak. 1t was desirable that he should
not identify himself with his past. The loss
of memory of the period Immediately pre-
ceding was complete, but, of course, grad
ualIy, the cloud began to lift over the earlier
periods. 1t was there that suggestion was
used, so that such memories as came back
were, we'll, he adapted them to fit what he
was told
Again Doctor Lauler, shot swift glance
at David, and looked away.
can interesting experiment" he comment
ed "It must have taken courage"
ga justifiable experiment." David affirm
ed stoutly. "And it took courage. Yes.'N
David got up and reached for his hat. Then
he braced himself for the real purposes Of
his visit.
"What I have been wondering about he
said, very carefully sis this: This mechan-
ism Of fear, this wall-how strong is it?" FL
''Strong?"
Its like dam. take it. 1t holds back
certain memories. like flood gate. Is any
thing likely to break 1t DOWN."
Possibly something intimately connected
with the forgotten. period might do it. /
don't know, Livin gstone. We've only COM
menced to dig into the mind, and we have
many theories, and a few established facts.
For instance, the primal Instincts"
He talked on, with David nodding now
and then in apparent understanding; but
with his thoughts far away.
"Let me know if I can be Of any further
! assistance, DOCTOR" he said. a5uj
Thank you," David said. He stood fin
gering his hat.
| ri suppose there's nothing to do? The
dam will either break, or it won't"
''Thats about it. Of course, since the con-
ditions that produced the setting up Of the
defensive machinery we're unhappy, I'd say
that happiness will play large part in the
situation, that happiness and norml occupa-
ton will do g. great deal to maintain the
status quo Of course, would advise no re-
turn to the unhappy environment, and no
shocks. Nothing, in other words, to break
down the wall"
Continued I'm the next issue Renew
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copyright, 1928, by Ma<~ Roberts Rine-
hart Published by arrangement with Mo-
Cures Magazine) q, zt