The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1875-08-20

C.4ia Dale Logan contributes to the
Daily GrapAie the following interesting
sketch of the unfortunate Robert Dale
Owen, now an Inmate Of lunatie asylum:
when Mr.. Owss was writing his III u
hook on SpiTitualism he often came To my
house la Lopdon, and | In common with
many u his friends contributed story or
two. The book was entitled FOOTBALLS
on the boundaries OF Another World"
and the dnt copy published he presented
20 me, not because was Splritualist,
but because was sympathiZlng friend,
and doing what almost every body else
was nj that time" investigating " a. Il
was called. ! have since back-lidcd
What struck me most was his chilllike
faith in his belief. He never doubted, aud
Was always calm except when some new,
straDge, supernatural story was given TO
him well vouchcd for. He would rush in
10 the house agog with alet.er In his hand,
and read it To ms Hardly giving himself
time 70 fnish IL, he would drop into a
seat AT my wTiting-dcsk and Immediately
begin to revise the story for his book.
AT this period 1s62) Mr.. Owen was a
fresh-looklng, active man OF about fifty
wears OF age, with the most captivating
manners possible for A gentleman to pos
sers.
The majority Of people would imme-
diarely OH seeing him pronounce him an
ugly man, his mouth being large aud bad
ly shaped, his eyes small and almost col
orless, his complexion too ford. and the
texture Of his skin very rough and his
head held sw' y. Still. a. old Clapp used
70 say. she could talk his head of. and
like Scaron, hc was "only ten minutes
behind the handsomest man in the room.r
He was man Of learning, but with so
much mVdcsty In regard TO his attain
ments that no one, not even the most H.
literste, could feel III at ease In his pres
ence. He had a very beautiful voice,
which, no matter how hot the argument,
he never raised beyond the pitch pre-
scribed by good breeding.
Bland. polished. amiable. Robert Dale
owen was admirably fitted TO DE teach
VI. IL not 4 leader.
He maintained that talent was more
equally distributed than is generally sup
posed: that application and industry made
the great difference between mem g..
except In rare cases like Shakespeare. By
ron, Goethe, etc.
Why" SAM he, = | don't know word
o. Spanish at the present writing, but il
tomorrow necessity arose for me TO
speak IL | would undertake 10 almost mas
ter the language In three months time.
and people would then say how clever |
am but | should not be Cleverer than
any one else for all that"
WHY nOt?- | asked.
Because ! should not acquire the Ian
gu &c nom any greater aptitude than any
BODY else; on the contrary. | am rather
duh at foreign tongues, and find great
difficulty IN beating them into my head.
but should give myself up 10 study.
would get up early and 90 To bed late;
should think OF nothing but Spanish. !
should walk, talk. live, and ear Spanish
until | had, 80 To speak, trampled il under
my feet snt made mys II its master. II
would b. perseverance and not talent"
Can Robert Dale owen Be crazys
What n noble mind Is here DER
throwli' Ii seems 10 me that some dis
unction should be made between people
who are insane an their lives and those
who become deranged through sicknes
as in the case of Greeley and Of owen. 1
believe that Robert Dale Owens belief in
Spirtualism made pore converts 10 that
faith than did the influence Of any other
one individual his honesty. his judg-
ment, and his giving so much Of hi time
to research In that direction carried weight
with the critical, skcptical. and the educa-
ted. He was not credulOus nor supersti-
tious, and aever accepted a story of the
supernatural without giving il every hui
man test possible. To convince himself
was the hardest task. but once.convinced
nothing could shake his faith. =
What convinced you that Spiritualism
is trues ! once asked him.
This" was the reply: . had been
very earnestly seeking the truth. In my
experience with mediums | had found
much that WAS curious, much 10 puzzle
me, but nothing 10 convince me thar lhe
strange matters ! had Witnessed could be
ascribed TO communication with the dead.
Half discouraged and almost determined
- pursue my Investigations no further,
dropped in 10 see little medium living in
poor part Of London. She did not, OF
course, know any thing Of me.
The ordinary things took place, raps
were given, and few unsatisfactory com
munications from people whom, living or
dead, | cared nothing about.
Utterly discouraged rose TO 90. SAYING
to myself. Mess now, this minute, some
test j. given. which shall not be general.
answering 10 one man AS well a. To an
other something which shall touch my
heart and force me 20 believe abandon
this thing forever"
There's spirit M your elbow. sir"
sal the meek little medium "a lovely
spirit dressed in white-a young girl with
beautiful brown hair
What Is her nameg"
"She will not give her name. hut she
says you will know il and who and what
she was 10 you by the flower which she
holds out. II Is white clmelia."
was ssioundcd. The proof that my
heart demanded had come instantly upon
the asking. Until that time the sui jet
had never passed my lips. IL was TOO
sacred. Upon entering manhood | hal
madly loved and was engaged to marry q
young girl named Camille. She died in
my arms short time before the date fixed
Tor our wedding. That the dead could
ana did communicate with the living
tFt4F e. - I..I..