Page:Strange Tales Of Mystery And Terror Volume 01 Number 03 (1932-01) (Pages removed).djvu/115

Rh studied under Munstenburg, and witnessed some of his unique experiments in relation to hypnotism. Munstenburg also conducted some other peculiar inquiries into what is called occult or secret wisdom, but this latter fact is known to but few. It was under him I matriculated in psychology—and in some other things which colleges neither recognize nor give degrees for.

“Naturally I acquired an assortment of bizarre facts and experiences, and a large library composed of other than dry treatises on medicine, It was my good fortune to possess a small income independent of my practice, and this enabled me to devote more time to reading and study than to patients. I had an office in what was called the Herald Building, and rooms at the ‘Brunswick,’ a room- ing and boarding house of the old- fashioned type. I not only lodged at the ‘Brunswick,’ I took most of my meals there.

NE evening I was sitting in my room after dinner, en- joying my pipe and a book of Hudson’s, ‘A Hind in Hyde Park,’ when a hasty knock sounded at the door. ‘Come in,’ I called perfunctorily, and there entered a young man of slender build, pale face and indeterminate features, with dark hair and eyes. He was a recent boarder at the ‘Brunswick,’ Lemuel Mason by name, and only a few days before the landlady had introduced me to him at the breakfast table. I gleaned the fact that he was (though he did not look it) of fisher stock down Lunenburg way. He was a graduate of a normal school, and expected, within the month after summer vacation, to take a position as teacher in a local private academy. A quiet young man, he appeared, in the middle twenties, commonplace enough. Only with the observant eyes of a physician I had noticed at the dinner table that he looked quite ill; his pale face was unusually haggard, even distraught. His first words were startling enough.

Doctor, tell me, am I mad?’

Probably not,’ I answered with what I hoped was a reassuring smile, ‘Otherwise you would scarcely ask the question. But tell me, what is disturbing you?

“Almost incoherently he talked, and I studied him attentively as he did so. Afterwards I gave him a thorough examination.

No,’ I said, ‘you are not mad; you are perfectly normal in every way. All your reflexes and reactions, both physical and mental, are what they should be. There is a little nervous tension, of course, some natural excitement from the strangeness of the experiences you say you have undergone, an experience, I again assure you, that will prove to have a simple and scientific explanation,’

SAID all this, being certain of nothing, but only desirous of calming my patient at the moment. I realized that it would take a longer period of observation to determine his mental condition.

Tell me, what is your room like?’ He had already informed me that he lodged in another house about two blocks away.

It is a small room, Doctor; about as large as your ante-room out there.’

And how is it furnished?’

With a single iron bed, a bureau, desk and two chairs.’

Tell me again of your experience, slowly.’

I took the room because it was cheap; and because of its reputation I got it for a nominal sum.’

Reputation? What do you mean?’

I don’t know exactly. Some girl