Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1869-10-20
TOLD FOR TRUTH.
wnAT : HEAaT WAY CONTAIN.

Sound sci.nee has scou'ed at rl,e idea of
the sentimental phrase, "a broken heart,
having any literal Specification Yet some
authorities have affirmed that such an acci-
dent or real rupture Of one Of the vontri-
Ger Of the heart in man, and even in lower
arinal.. mas occur under the strain Of very
sIr},icn or in,cnSe emotion, or in conse,
qaruce Of too exrcme physical effort, as in
lcaTng runnng, climbing, ,or in lifting heavy
weights
The vrircr who records the folloNing re
naIkabe facts, will rot undertake either to
di-cuss or 70 repair broken hearts. in this
place, but will leave tie appreciation of his
narrative to those who are tamiliar with the
marvr, vt science.
| have queer sauctum and quiet one
among the rocks that overlook the widest
cliffs above WgehawkCu. and it Is haunted
10y queer people They all live and move
before you every day good reader, but their
Eames are, probably, not on the list of your
fashionable peculiar studies. quaint expert
tley aye pleasant companions after ali, not
warped and >oured by the merited or un-
ngritsi bufletings of the world, but only
ql.eted and humblei by what they have
learned and seen, Their only sarcasm is for
The arrogance, assumption. and the little
api,b affections which wealth, position, OF
the spirit coterie, sometimes brings out, like
aga>h upon toe moral surface OF weak peo
lIe.
AGtirsc friends are scientific students and
thinkers, most of them polyglot in Ian
gaaEes and learned specialities; many o
them Distinguished as professors aud prac
tuoUsr~ Lite Is too solemn and intricat,
a mystery for them to trife with it, auJ
dea5h ioa c'o,e at hand, too easily invoked
too sudden in its coming, to be forgotten
even during their gaye,t hours. Only thu
unintnrmsi or the thouehtless make lieh
o. either lie or death, or any of those in
oEp.iea5,c thing, that are over, under an,
around Us, continually and forever, whethe
immortality lie clothed with the flesh or wit
the spirit only.
Should you feel interested in such compa
IL as you find here dimly suggested, tn
"rE.er nay make you better acquainted wit
them ard their strange but intellectually dc
ashiil. meetings at an early age.
4 rainy evening in june of the preser
year, after a suitry day, mists and shadow
resting over the Hudson and green heigh;
beyond, while far to the right, on the Low
iAai stretching seaward, and fading into tn
'eH OF distance, lay the great city, ike
Jagged cloud dotted with specks of ligh
me bids were silent; the house was still
lie leaning sombre, and the very fire fi'
seemed Ianguid in the occasional fash,
they threw out, Ike signals among the dril
ping leaves that hung beyond the edge
The h'gh>perched, covered balcony, wher
another sat with NE, talking Of strans
things conGdingly, in undertones, as re
friends may do.
oIy companion, whom shall make free
cal the Doctor" slipped his thumb an
ioEehrger into his waist coat pocket, al
ureW something from it which he showed
NE II was sort of sheath, about u
Inches in length, half an inch in diamet'
aud of steely- gray color.
Examine that" he said.
took the article and looked at it, su