830 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



quiet, retiring, and more inclined to follow than to lead. Their 

 father was nervous and eccentric, but had never been declared in- 

 sane. The mother, while living, with the assistance of the sons, 

 maintained a comfortable home, but after her death the home was 

 broken up and it became necessary for the sisters to earn their 

 own livelihood. The younger was particularly fond of music and 

 was ambitious to obtain a musical education. In order to accom- 

 plish her desire they decided to go to Boston, where they hoped 

 by sewing and dressmaking to earn sufficient to support them- 

 selves, and also enough to give the younger an opportunity to pur- 

 sue her musical studies. The result was, of course, disappointing, 

 and they were at last obliged to return to the town which they 

 had left, and there begin what proved to be the bitterest struggle 

 of all. Having previously lived in comparative comfort, their 

 surroundings were altogether different when they found them- 

 selves alone, struggling to earn their bread by the use of the needle 

 in their native town. It was difficult to obtain the necessary work, 

 and the elder sister after a time began to think that their lack 

 of success must be due to the work of enemies. From this idea 

 systematic delusions of persecution were gradually evolved which 

 influenced her to such an extent that she could not go into the 

 street without thinking she was being followed, watched, and 

 annoyed. These ideas she communicated to the younger sister, 

 who for some time endeavored to persuade her of their falsity. 

 About this time the elder sister developed the delusion that all 

 her acts were due to the influence of the Holy Spirit, and that she 

 and her sister were to be henceforth inseparable, and that they 

 were to act together under all circumstances and in regard to all 

 things. This idea she also communicated to the younger sister, 

 and at last the oft-repeated delusions had their effect and the pas- 

 sive subject became as clay in the potter's hands. The subjectiv- 

 ity of the younger sister was from that time complete, and soon 

 she developed delusions of exactly the same character and of 

 equal strength, until finally neither could go outside the house 

 with any feeling of safety. They became so suspicious that the 

 most ordinary acts on the part of friends or strangers were mis- 

 interpreted, and the finding of an ordinary red necktie which had 

 once belonged to one of the brothers led them to believe that he 

 had become an anarchist. From this suggestion the elder sister 

 conceived the idea that three red stars had been placed on the 

 front door to indicate that it was under the anarchistic ban, and 

 in that way warn and drive away any one who might desire to 

 enter for the purpose of offering them work. This idea was, of 

 course, imparted to the younger sister, and immediately the stars 

 appeared as a reality to her. Thus the active agent not only com- 

 municated her delusions to the passive subject but actually trans- 



