The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1876-06-15

:
and burst out laughing, but then, all
of sudden, became quiet and ear
nest, and in deep meditation.
HIS PEOPLE ASToNISHED.
His wife and parents, who had wit
messed this strange behavior, looked
at each other with astonishment, and
it now appeared to them that the man
before them was not their Abraham
Chorkey, but a stranger. But Abra-
hams forehead bore still the black
line with which he was born, so that
even the physician who had attended
the patient for nearly two months had
to laugh it the idea.
Abraham Chorkey looked often out
of the window, and seemed surprised
at the country around him, and one
day he attempted to run away. The
family now decided to call in the Coy
ernment PHYSICIAN and other doctors,
who, after careful examination pro-
nounced him thoroughly sane. AL
tiC1 uio uhoCi thO
language in which he spoke, they rec
ognized it as regular language well
articulated. Thinking that he could
make himself understood in writing,
Abraham wrote few lines on piece
of paper, which the physicians read
without cOmprehending their mean
in Tno nit 10 IN >l,,i, srnn1
hand, in Latin letters, but the lam
guage was unintelligible to all, and no
one could make out how Abraham
ChOrokey came to use Latin charac-
ters.
So things went on until il was
agreed to take Abraham to St. Peters
burgh to the medical university to
hear the opinion of the prominent
scholars. AS soon as Professor Or
low heard the language of Abraham
he recognized it forthwith as English.
Abraham expressed immense pleasure
at being enabled to make himself un-
derstoOd, and, after some conversa-
ton, Professor Orlow pronounced
Abraham very intelligent English
man.
"But, for Gods sake. :" cried his wife
show does my husband come to be
English, and how did he forget his
Hebrew language
PROFESSOR AMAZED.
Professor Orlow listened with as
to the story of Abrahsm's
life, and would not believe that he had
been a common, illiterate Russian
lew. He asked Abraham ia English
who he was, and whence he came, and
Abraham replied in the same lam
yuage: 81 am from British Columbia
n North America my native town is
New Westminster. | have there
wife and one child living, and God
,nly knows how l came here to this |
1t is easy to imagine the great |
maZement on all parts. The Profess
II declared the parties to be frauds, or |
hat man abduction had taken place
lie called upon the Government to
ave the matter investigated. and the
amily physician of Abraham, his
eighbors and others were officia lily
the examination lasting for
weeks. But nothing came of the ex-
the matter remained as
eep = mystery as ever, and the physi-
ians contented themselves with de-
laring it to be psychological puzzle,
revelation of the human soul which
ould not be explained. Abraham
old the Professor that although his
anne is Abraham, it is not Abraham
,horkey, but Abraham Durham, and
hat he had no other desire than to go
ack to his family.
One morning, when his wife arose,
he found his place empty-he had
isappeared. The marvellous story
oOn reached the cars of the Russian
Emperor, who forthwith ordered dill
cnt search to be made after the lost
ne but all of no avail, the man could
OF be found. At last it was general
y belieyed that he had been insane,
nd in his insanity had sought his
cath in the river Neva.
In the spring of the year 1875, Prof,
)rlow, of st. Petersburg, visited
at the request of his gov
to arrange the preliminaries
f the Russian department of the Cen
ennial Exhibition. One day, reading
newspaper, the following arrested
is attention:
STRANGE CASE.
In New Westminster an occurrence
ecently took place which caused great
throughout the whole terri
Dry of British Columbia. On the 22d
ay of September. 1874, fur dealer
said city was in a dying condition,
nflering from typhoid fever. and no
ne, not even his physician, seemed to
ntertain any hope as to the pOssibili
' of his recovery. Nevertheless the
atient rallied and fully recovered.
ut, wonderful to relate, the patient,
ho was an intelligent Englishman.
ad forgotten his mother tongue, and
peaks language which is under
.ood by no one around him, but
'hich at last is recognized by an in
abitant of the city to be jargon of
ad Jewish German. The patient be-
,re his sickness, a stout, short fellow,
nd blonde, is now thin and lean
Ike stick, refuses to recognize his
life and child, but insists that he has
wife and children somewhere else.
he man is believed to be insane. All
! once a European traveller arrives,
larked with genuine Hebrew face,
nd claims to be the husband of the